Three Reasons Not To Use Foggers For Bed Bug Control

Foggers, also called bug bombs, are a popular way for homeowners to control pest problems around their homes. While foggers can be useful for controlling flying insects like mosquitoes or flies, they're not a good option for controlling bed bugs. Here are three reasons not to use foggers for bed bug control.

They don't reach bed bug hiding places

Foggers launch insecticides into the air, and these airborne droplets then remain suspended in the air for a period of time. The droplets slowly settle onto surfaces like your floors, furniture or counters. Bugs that come into contact with these droplets, like flying pests, will be killed, but bugs that are out of reach of the fogger will be safe.

Bed bugs are sneaky pests that like to hide in places like the seams of upholstered furniture, the joints of drawers and inside appliances, so the insecticide droplets from the fogger won't reach them. When pest control companies use insecticides to treat bed bugs, they inject the products into crevices and other likely hiding places.

They can spread your infestation

Most foggers contain types of insecticides that bed bugs are resistant to. If the bugs come into contact with the insecticides, they'll just be annoyed, not killed. While annoying the bugs may seem like sweet revenge after all of the itchy bites they gave you, it's not a good idea.

When the bugs are exposed to the fogger, they'll flee the area. If your bedroom is the only infested room in your home, using a fogger could cause the bugs to flee into surrounding rooms, making your infestation worse than it was before. If you live in an apartment, your fogger could force the bed bugs into neighboring units.

They can harm people and pets

Foggers are a very dangerous way to try to control your bed bug problem. If you use more foggers than necessary, the flammable fogging material could build up within your home. A flame or spark could then ignite the fogging material.

Some people may also fail to vacate the area after using a fogger, and this is also very dangerous. While the insecticides won't hurt the bed bugs, they can lead to illness for you and your family members.

Since the insecticides from foggers settle on surfaces, they may contaminate things like your pet's food bowl, your child's toys, your personal care products and other items. To keep everyone safe, it's best to choose insecticides that can be applied precisely.

If you have bed bugs in your home, avoid using foggers to try to control them. Foggers don't reach bed bug hiding places, can drive bed bugs to new areas and can harm you or your pets.

Contact a company like A-Alert Exterminating Service Inc for more information.