BED BUG SERVICE
Bed Bug Heat Treatment Services in Ames, IA
We are excited to announce that Creed Pest Control now offers advanced heat treatments for comprehensive bed bug eradication. Utilizing state-of-the-art heaters and techniques, our method ensures the elimination of bed bugs in all life stages, providing you with a safe and comfortable living environment.
BED BUG IDENTIFICATION
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Bed bugs are small flat 6 legged insects that feed on blood by using piecing sucking mouth parts. The insects go through 7 life stages 1 egg, 5 nymph and adult stage. Each life stage requires a blood meal to grow to the next (excluding the egg stage. Bed bugs prefer to live in tight spaces such as between cracks in head boards, bed frames, in molding and trim and in personal belongings. Bed bugs can live for 6-12 months and life expectancy is highly effected by the temperature in the environment. Cooler indoor temperatures generally allow bed bugs to live longer. Bed bugs are hitch hikers and can sense temperature, CO2 and human kairomones to climb into personal belongings. Females can lay up to 6 eggs per day in ideal conditions which can result in quickly infesting a home.
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Advanced Heat & Chemical Combination for Complete Eradication
Bed bugs are resilient pests that hide deep within furniture, walls, and bedding, making them difficult to eliminate with traditional methods. At Creed Pest Control, we utilize state-of-the-art heat treatments combined with targeted residual chemical applications to ensure complete eradication and long-term protection.
Why Choose Heat Treatment for Bed Bug Control?
🔥 Kills All Life Stages of Bed Bugs in a Single Treatment
Our industrial-grade heaters gradually raise the ambient temperature of your home or apartment to 135°F, a lethal threshold for bed bugs. We maintain this heat for a minimum of 5 hours, ensuring it penetrates deep into furniture, mattresses, and wall voids—eliminating eggs, nymphs, and adult bed bugs in one treatment.
🏠 Safe & Effective Whole-Home Bed Bug Treatment
- Reaches Every Hiding Spot – Heat moves through every crack and crevice, eliminating bed bugs where sprays alone can’t reach.
- Less Disruption – No need to vacate for multiple treatments; most homes are treated in a single day.
- No Resistance Issues – Unlike pesticides, bed bugs cannot develop resistance to heat.
🛡 Residual Application for Long-Term Protection
While heat treatment eliminates existing bed bugs, professional-grade residual products are applied post-treatment to prevent reinfestation. This added layer of protection ensures that any surviving bed bugs brought in from outside sources are less likely to re-establish in your home.
What to Expect from Our Heat Treatment Process
Step 1: Comprehensive Pre-Treatment Consultation
Before your scheduled heat treatment, our team will provide you with a detailed preparation checklist to ensure the process is as effective as possible. Decluttering is essential, as excessive personal items can create heat barriers, protecting bed bugs from lethal temperatures.
Step 2: Strategic Heat Application
- Our trained technicians set up high-powered heaters and strategically placed fans to circulate heated air evenly throughout your home.
- Temperature sensors monitor the heat distribution to ensure every area reaches the target temperature of 135°F.
Step 3: Residual Treatment
- After the heat treatment, we apply a specialized residual pesticide in high-risk areas such as bed frames, baseboards, and furniture joints.
- This chemical barrier prevents reinfestation by eliminating any bed bugs that might have escaped the heat or are reintroduced into the home later.
Step 4: Post-Treatment Guidance
- Once your home cools to a safe temperature, we provide aftercare instructions to help maintain a bed bug-free environment.
- This treatment helps prevents reinfestation by providing a residual application of materials to places where bed bugs most often hide.
How to Prepare for Bed Bug Heat Treatment
For heat treatment to be effective, some preparation is required:
✅ Remove Excess Clutter – The fewer hiding places, the better the heat penetration.
✅ Launder Bedding & Clothing – Wash and dry on high heat to kill any bed bugs present.
✅ Unplug Electronics – Protect heat-sensitive items from prolonged exposure.
✅ Move Furniture Away from Walls – Helps heat reach all bed bug hiding spots.
We’ll provide you with a full preparation guide before your treatment to ensure maximum effectiveness.
✅ Remove Excess Clutter – The fewer hiding places, the better the heat penetration.
✅ Launder Bedding & Clothing – Wash and dry on high heat to kill any bed bugs present.
✅ Unplug Electronics – Protect heat-sensitive items from prolonged exposure.
✅ Move Furniture Away from Walls – Helps heat reach all bed bug hiding spots.
We’ll provide you with a full preparation guide before your treatment to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Why Homeowners Trust Creed Pest Control
✔ One-Time Treatment – No need for multiple visits.
✔ Professional & Discreet Service – We handle every case with care and confidentiality.
✔ Locally Owned & Operated – Dedicated to protecting Ames and surrounding communities.
✔ Professional & Discreet Service – We handle every case with care and confidentiality.
✔ Locally Owned & Operated – Dedicated to protecting Ames and surrounding communities.
THE CREED DIFFERENCE
We know that discovering bed bugs in your home or business can be frightening. We have the experience and compassion you need to help you navigate this difficult time for you and your family. The reality is bed bugs will impact your life and its our job to get you and your family back to normal as quickly as possible. Our bed bug services utilize only researched and independently verified treatment techniques and products to ensure we can take care of the bed bugs effectively and safely. We have 4 Core values when helping to eliminate bed bugs in your home.
- COMPASSION - We will always treat you with respect and empathy.
- COMMUNICATION - We will communicate with you about our findings and next steps
- CLEAR EXPECTATIONS- we will establish clear expectations on the control and time line for elimination
- CONTROL- We will implement control measure that are proven to get you and your family back to normal as quickly as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Bed Bug Heat Treatment & Control
General Questions About Bed Bug Control
What is the most effective way to get rid of bed bugs?
The most effective way to eliminate bed bugs is through heat treatment combined with residual chemical applications. Our professional heat treatment raises the temperature of your home to 135°F and holds it there for at least 5 hours, ensuring all life stages of bed bugs--eggs, nymphs, and adults—are completely eradicated. A post-treatment chemical application provides long-term protection against reinfestation.
How does heat treatment kill bed bugs?
Heat treatment works by raising the temperature inside your home or apartment to a level that bed bugs cannot survive. Once the environment reaches 135°F, the heat penetrates furniture, mattresses, walls, and small crevices, killing bed bugs instantly. This method is 100% effective when performed correctly and ensures no chemical resistance issues.
Can bed bugs survive heat treatment?
When properly executed, heat treatment eliminates all bed bugs in the treated area. However, new infestations can occur if bed bugs are introduced from outside sources after the treatment. This is why we apply a residual pesticide in key areas to help prevent reinfestation.
Preparation & Aftercare
How should I prepare for a bed bug heat treatment?
To ensure heat treatment is successful, you must prepare your home:
- Declutter rooms so heat can circulate freely. Now is a great time to get rid of clutter that builds up such as items you no longer need or use, boxes, stacks of paper or magazines.
- Remove heat-sensitive items like candles, ammunition, chocolates, crayons and aerosols.
- Launder bedding and clothing on high heat before the treatment and leave them off of the bed.
- Move furniture slightly away from walls to help the heat reach all areas.
- Remove breakable items from shelves and place in a tote or bin on the floor so that they do not accidentally get knocked of a shelve or broken during the treatment
What do I do about my purse, backpack, laptop bag, wheelchairs, walkers or winter coats during the treatment?
All of these items must stay within the treated area to ensure that no bed bugs are accidentally transported out of the home before they are eliminated. Here’s how to handle them properly:
Fabric Items (Purse, Backpack, Laptop Bag, Winter Coats):
Wheelchairs, Walkers and Electric Scooters:
Fabric Items (Purse, Backpack, Laptop Bag, Winter Coats):
- Before treatment, place these items in a dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes to kill any bed bugs or eggs that may be hiding inside.
- Immediately after drying, seal them tightly in a plastic bag and place them away from any sleeping areas.
- Do not open the bag until after you have exited the home to prevent potential reinfestation.
Wheelchairs, Walkers and Electric Scooters:
- If you rely on a wheelchair, walker or electric scooter, we recommend having a temporary replacement delivered for use outside the home on the day of treatment.
- If a spare is not available, our team can provide specific guidance on how to manage medical equipment safely during heat treatment.
Can I stay home during bed bug heat treatment?
No, you must vacate your home for the duration of the heat treatment. The process can take between 8 and 12 hours. Once completed and the home has cooled down, you can return the same day.
What should I do after the treatment is finished?
- Ventilate your home to cool down the space.
- Do not bring in new or second-hand furniture until you are sure it is bed bug-free.
- Continue routine inspections to prevent reinfestation.
- Follow all post-treatment instructions provided by our team.
Effectiveness & Longevity of Treatment
Is one heat treatment enough to eliminate bed bugs?
In most cases, yes. Heat treatment kills all active bed bugs in the treated area. However, to ensure long-term success, we apply a residual product as an added layer of protection. Proper preparation and following post-treatment guidelines will significantly reduce the risk of reinfestation.
What is reintroduction and how do I prevent it?
Reintroduction occurs when new bed bugs are brought into your home after a successful heat treatment. This is the #1 cause of perceived heat treatment failures—not that bed bugs survived the heat, but that they were unknowingly brought back in from an infested source.
How Do Bed Bugs Get Reintroduced?
Bed bugs are hitchhikers, not wild pests. Unlike ants or spiders, they don’t live outside in nature; they only survive by living with people and in our belongings.
They spread by clinging to clothing, luggage, backpacks, purses, furniture, and even public seating in places like:
✔ Hotels & Airbnbs
✔ Public transportation (buses, taxis, rideshares)
✔ Movie theaters, libraries, and office buildings
✔ Schools and daycare centers
✔ Friends’ or relatives’ homes or cars (if infested)
✔ Second hand or flea market items
How to Prevent Bringing Bed Bugs Back into Your Home
Be Cautious When Traveling
How Do Bed Bugs Get Reintroduced?
Bed bugs are hitchhikers, not wild pests. Unlike ants or spiders, they don’t live outside in nature; they only survive by living with people and in our belongings.
They spread by clinging to clothing, luggage, backpacks, purses, furniture, and even public seating in places like:
✔ Hotels & Airbnbs
✔ Public transportation (buses, taxis, rideshares)
✔ Movie theaters, libraries, and office buildings
✔ Schools and daycare centers
✔ Friends’ or relatives’ homes or cars (if infested)
✔ Second hand or flea market items
How to Prevent Bringing Bed Bugs Back into Your Home
Be Cautious When Traveling
- Inspect hotel bedding, mattresses, and furniture before unpacking.
- Keep luggage in bath tub when not in use. Do not place it on the bed, floor, Luggage rack or in the closet or dressers.
- When returning home, immediately dry clothes on high heat for at least 30 minutes and inspect luggage.
- Avoid setting bags, coats, or purses on public floors, seats, or near others’ belongings.
- Consider using hard-shelled luggage or plastic bins instead of fabric bags when traveling.
- Avoid bringing in used furniture unless it has been thoroughly inspected and treated if necessary.
- Wash and dry all secondhand clothing on high heat before wearing.
- Regularly check seams of mattresses, bed frames, and furniture for small black specks (bed bug droppings) or shed skins.
- If you frequently travel or have visitors, consider using mattress encasements for added protection.
