Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
strange process - please educate
(4 posts)-
nightshirt
senior member
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 455
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 5 2009 11:40:19
#
Login to Send PM
My husband called to report that he's having the heat treatment - they are just hooking up the vents to his window right now. I'm hoping it works. Can't believe his wife let him go this long with being eaten alive at night :)
This is an e-mail from someone in my office whos large apt building (coop) in lower manhattan is infested. she is talking about her next door neighbors apartment. what is this? vikane? i thought vikane is illegal in nyc and also that it is not done on an apt by apt basis but the whole complex? anyone know of this "in the window" fumigating?
-
nightshirt
senior member
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 455
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 5 2009 11:53:42
#
Login to Send PM
my friend e-mailed me back. what the pco is doind is this - for 1 hour they are sending 140 degree heat into the apartment. only meltables have to be removed. then they are supposed to be bb free.
rediculous
-
It's amazing what some PCO's (well, maybe) come up with and assume it will work. As far as I know, heat only kills on contact hence the steamer method applied to the actual articles to be treated. I feel bad for this person as they are wasting their money. (in my opinion)
-
buggyinsocal
oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 1,259
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 5 2009 13:36:42
#
Login to Send PM
I know nothing about whether Vikane is or is not legal in NYC, since I don't live there. I do know that Vikane can only be used within a certain temperature range, and it might currently be too cold for Vikane.
However, the treatment that the email refers to, if done by a professional, is probably thermal remediation. It's a less toxic treatment used widely in the west where drywood termites are a major problem. (Vikane, after all, is used more frequently for termites than for bed bugs. I have heard of thermal being used for termites before I had bed bugs).
While thermal treatment is less common in the east, and there have been some challenges to getting providers able to use it in NYC (since many of the heaters used for treatment run on propane, and apparently NYC has regulations about the use or propane heaters. However, there are heating units that PCOs can use that run on other fuels. The discussion among PCOs around here has noted that they are more expensive to run which help explain why thermal is less prevalent in NYC. However, there are at least three thermal providers serving the NY/NJ metro areas that I've seen post to the boards.)
A do-it-yourself thermal treatment would not only be ineffective but dangerous.
However, professional applied thermal treatments can be highly effective with bed bugs. Thermal must be done professionally, even leaving aside safety issues, because the science of getting all areas of the house hot enough to kill bed bugs and eggs really requires the specialized expertise of a pro.
When done properly, however, thermal remediation can highly effective. Like Vikane, it is one of the few treatments that if done properly can get rid of all bugs and eggs in a single treatment.
I had thermal in June of 2008 as the first treatment to get rid of my bed bugs. I have never seen a bug or evidence of a bug in my apartment since then. I was very happy with the treatment, and if God forbid, I ever get infested again, I would absolutely choose it over other forms.
It does look more than a little weird while it's happening. They bring the heaters near your place and set them up and then run giant mylar-looking ducts into your place and all around to each room. But it is a very effective form of treatment. If you search for posts with the tag thermal, you'll see a number of posts on the subject, including my own account of my thermal treatment.
Reply
You must log in to post.
