The Killingsworth Way of Dealing with Bed Bugs
Utilizing our specially-trained bed bug K-9 detection team in tandem with a variety of quality treatment options, we’re able to provide you with a successful comprehensive bed bug treatment.
Due to their mobility, bed bugs aren’t easy to catch. In fact, humans only have a detection rate of 38%, while canines have a 99% success rate of finding bed bugs.
Once bed bugs are confirmed, we get to work setting up a the best plan to eliminate the issue, whether that’s by thermal radiation or Chemical treatment. Our goal is to provide you peace of mind knowing unwanted pests have been properly eradicated from your home. Like you, we can’t sleep at night knowing there are bed bugs in our bed!
As one of the top providers of bed bug treatment in Charlotte, NC, we are ready to tackle any pest problem you may have.
Due to their mobility, bed bugs aren’t easy to catch. At Killingsworth, our specialists use K-9 Detection to ensure that your house is bed-bug free in our comprehensive bed bug removal plan. Only after confirmation of a problem will we discuss how to best treat your home.
We have a step-by-step process for removing bed bugs. Using a team of bed bug detecting K9s and their handlers well trained eyes, we are able to detect and treat bed bugs in any type of home. Our process is slightly different than your regular pest control professionals, but has been proven to work time and time again.
One of our trained K9 Handlers will perform an inspection of your home to confirm the presence of bed bugs. Not only are they trained to detect a bed bug issue visually, they also have a highly trained K9 with them if necessary. Trained dogs are able to detect bed bugs at a success rate of 98%, as compared to humans who have a much lower success rate. Our goal is to find evidence of a bed bug infestation before we discuss treatments methods.
We have the equipment necessary to correct the problem areas in your home. There are two common treatment methods to treat for Bed Bugs, Heat Treatments and Chemical Treatments. The method of treatment is case-by-case, and we will advise the best approach once an issue is confirmed. When using Thermal Remediation, heaters gradually raise the temperature to 135 degrees Fahrenheit while under constant supervision — the minimum temperature required to effectively kill bed bugs. Over several hours, the heaters will exterminate bed bugs and their eggs.
In most cases, after heat remediation is performed our K9s will be brought back to your home to check if any bed bugs are still present. If necessary, we can perform a second round of thermal remediation treatment. This final inspection gives you the peace of mind to get back to life as normal and trust the issue is resolved.
Learn more about bed bugs and how to get rid of them from your home.
To prevent bed bugs, you need to be aware of how they spread. They are clever pests that hitchhike on bags, or furniture, or other possessions. They typically do not spread person-to-person. You can avoid bringing them into your home by washing and drying all of your clothes immediately after returning from travelling or visiting others in shared spaces, such as college dorms or nursing homes. Place all clothing and bedding in sealed bags until you are able to clean them and vacuum your luggage. Do not air-dry your washed items, as the dryer will kill any pests that weren’t eliminated in the washer.
If you have a bed bug infestation, the earlier you can catch it, the better. We do our best to get your services scheduled as soon as possible. If you believe you have a bed bug infestation, call us to get started on bed bug heat treatment.
Bed bugs are one of the harder bugs to get rid of because they’re small, quick, and nocturnal. DIY or store-bought pest control methods have proven time and time again to only make bed bug infestations worse. When treating them yourself, these pests will simply retreat inside of your walls — making them even more difficult for professionals like us to treat them.
No, the heaters are monitored at all times during treatment to ensure they don’t reach temperatures that can damage your walls and floors. Beforehand, we will discuss where the heaters will be placed so that you are able to remove any sensitive belongings, such as photos, from the area.
Although we are the premier Charlotte bed bug removal company, we can also treat homes in our service areas. Check out our other Killingsworth locations throughout North and South Carolina.
The K9s are attracted to a particular scent that only live bed bugs emit (deceased bed bugs put out a different smell). Handlers can recognize when their K9 is signaling that live bugs are present. Each dog on our K9 team participates in weekly training sessions to keep their pest-searching skills sharp!
To the untrained eye, bed bugs may look like a small speck of mud or an apple seed. It isn’t until that apple seed moves that people realize it’s actually a bug! Bed bugs are only a few millimeters long, with oval-shaped bodies that are reddish-brown in color. To make matters worse, bed bugs are excellent hiders. While typically found in between mattresses and box spring, they can also be found in trim, pictures, carpet, furniture, clothing, etc.
Bed bugs can be found practically everywhere in your home once an infestation has occurred. When looking for signs of bed bugs, pay attention to rust-colored stains (typically in the shape of an X on fabric) or dark spots on your bedding, clothing, carpet, furniture, and anywhere you spend a significant amount of time. These pests feed on human blood, so they tend to congregate wherever people spend the most time.
Keep an eye out for bed bug eggs and eggshells which look similar to pearly-white grains of salt. They are coated in a sticky substance that allows them to adhere to walls, ceilings, furniture, and other surfaces. Eggs are extremely difficult to find for an untrained eye.
Bed bug eggshells will take on a flat, dry appearance once they’re empty.
Bed bug bites are often mistaken for flea bites, mosquito bites, and skin rashes. A bed bug bite will appear as a raised red welt and will likely burn and itch. Bites may form in a straight line or in an irregular cluster on the skin, because of the bites occurring as the bed bug moves across the skin.
