Yesterday, I commented on the fact that a Washington DC hospital reported its second incident of bed bugs since March. I mentioned that any facility, no matter how clean or how dirty, could succumb to a bed bug infestation. What I found interesting in the article was that the Department of Health spokesperson Dena Iverson, said that chemicals were equally as effective as heat to kill bed bugs. I think the spokesperson needs to brush up on the latest information regarding bed bugs and chemicals.
First of all, heat is a much more thorough one-time solution to killing bed bugs than multiply applications of chemicals. Secondly, chemicals are partially effective if it actually reaches the bed bug. As we have learned, the modern versions of bed bugs are not only able to sense and avoid chemicals, but they will also just move to a new area of the room or building to avoid them. As well, they are becoming immune to some of the chemicals being used. Lastly, it is well known within the pest control industry that children and the elderly are much more susceptible to getting sick from chemicals than normal healthy adults. So knowing these facts, would you rather have heat or chemicals being used to treat bed bugs in a hospital or any other place for that matter? I would choose heat 10 out of 10 times.