Treatment Comparison

Method	Description	Pros	Cons
Fumigation	Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within. This method also affects the structure itself, affecting pests that inhabit the physical structure, such as bed bugs and drywood termites.	100% effective against all life stages of both bed bugs and drywood termites, including hard to control egg stage Introduced in 1961 by Dow AgroSciences, Vikane fumigant (Sulfuryl Fluoride) has been safely administered hundreds of thousands of times Because it is an inorganic gas, when used in according to label directions, Vikane gas fumigant completely dissipates from a structure following fumigation, leaving no surface residue, odor or film behind. Due to recent improvements in the application of fumigation through containers, trucks and portable fumigation chambers, fumigation is becoming more accessible and affordable, especially in urban areas where bed bugs are quickly becoming the leading pest In cases where structural fumigation can be accomplished, requires no removal of property/items. Clutter is not a concern for fumigation, as the fumigant will penetrate all air spaces, including those within bedding, furniture, electronics and interior/exterior walls	Fumigation is not an option for individual units within a multi-unit building (unless surrounding units/bldgs can be evacuated) no residual from fumigation to prevent further re-infestation(s) requires pesticides to prevent future infestations

Chemical	Application of liquid or dust pesticides	Residual Effectiveness Several EPA labeled pesticides available for bed bugs	Growing bed bug resistance to pesticides is well documented May increase bed bug migration Some belongings may have to be discarded Not 100% effective Usually requires several applications to be initially effective
Freezing	Process in which bed bugs are eradicated by rapid freezing	Chemical free Kills all bed bug upon direct contact	Does not penetrate certain materials No residual effect Clutter may hamper effectiveness Some belongings may have to be discarded
Steam	Direct steam application to bed bug infected area	Chemical free Kills all bed bugs upon direct contact	Does not penetrate certain materials Moisture left behind may cause damage No residual effect Clutter may hamper effectiveness Not 100% effective
Heat	Use of heating units and fans for circulation to raise and maintain the temperature in an infested area to a lethal degree for several hours	Chemical free Kills all bed bug life cycles Penetrates materials Belongings do not have to be discarded While it may be the more expensive option it is the more cost effective 100% effective in eradicating bed bugs in the first treatment 98% of the time	Involves detailed pre-treatment space prep by the occupant. Treatment may last several hours Safety Concerns for older buildings Not safe for electronic, antiques or artwork Several reported cases of bed bug heat treatment associated fires