Five Reasons Why Bed Bug Treatment is So Expensive

When it comes to dealing with a bed bug infestation, you have a couple of options. You can attempt to put an end to the problem via some home remedies. Or you may leave the job to bed bug exterminators.

Professional bed bug treatment is expensive because the required equipment may cost more than $4,000. Additional fees include inspections between $50 and $200 and the cost of labor.

It is possible to solve the problem via the DIY way, which is the cheaper approach. However, you will have to make sure that you will carry out the various solutions properly and consistently, too.

Otherwise, you may fail to get the expected results, especially if the infestation is a massive one. The same is true if it involves multiple areas of the home.

This is when the importance of contacting a bed bug exterminating company comes in. It is more expensive than the DIY approach alright.

However, it is more likely to bring your bed bug-related problem to rest. Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners, especially those who are on a tight budget, are terrified by the cost of bed bug treatment.

Why Professional Bed Bug Treatment Is Expensive

Trying to deal with a bed bug infestation can leave you torn between a solution that’s cheap but slow and a remedy that’s pricey but quick.

Different reasons exist why seeking the help of bed bug exterminators does not come with a price tag that is easy on the pocket of most homeowners. And those reasons are, well, quite reasonable.

Without further ado, here are the top five answers to the question “why is bed bug treatment so expensive?”

Inspection May Cost Up to $600

The treatment itself is not the only one that determines the total cost of bed bug extermination. There is something that has a considerable impact on the price tag. It’s none other than an inspection.

One of the reasons why an inspection has to be carried out before the pros spring into action is to identify whether or not bed bugs are indeed the problem.

There is no point in treating bed bugs if there are no bed bugs around. Doing an inspection is also a must for the experts to know which rooms are infested.

Some bed bug exterminating companies use sniffing dogs. Just like what the name says, it involves the use of dogs that can detect the presence of bed bugs with the help of their heightened sense of smell.

Compared to trained and experienced humans, sniffing dogs have higher accuracy levels when it comes to detecting bed bugs. Because of this, the inspection can become more expensive.

Normally, an inspection can cost anywhere from $50 to $200. But when a sniffing dog is involved, it can cost anywhere from $300 to $600!

There is one more reason why an inspection beforehand is an integral part of bed bug treatment, in particular one that involves pesticides. And that is for the experts to know if the bed bugs are pesticide-resistant.

Some bed bugs are unaffected by pesticides. You can put the blame on a pesticide that was widely used back in the 1940s. That time, the very first artificial pesticide came into being.

It’s called dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Other than bed bugs, it was also used as a weapon against insects that spread diseases through their bites.

DDT was effective against bed bugs and other insects. However, its use was banned starting in the 1970s. That’s because some studies said that it was a cancer risk. It was also proven bad for the environment.

Despite being banned, DDT was successful in eradicating all bed bugs on the face of the planet. Well, that’s what most people thought. Back then, they didn’t know that some bed bugs survived.

What’s more, they formed a resistance to DDT. These days, the offspring of those bed bugs are not only resistant to DDT. They are resistant to other pesticides, too.

It’s for this reason why bed bug exterminators have to know first which type of bed bugs they are going to deal with. They have to learn beforehand if they are pesticide-resistant and, if so, which pesticides they are resistant to.

Some bed bug exterminating companies offer an inspection at no cost. Especially if they can easily spot proof of a bed bug infestation by doing a simple ocular inspection, homeowners usually need not shell out cash for it.

However, it is a different story if a more thorough investigation has to be done by the experts.

Products and Equipment Costs Thousands

Currently, you can easily get your hands on all kinds of chemicals and equipment for dealing with a bed bug infestation. These commercially sold products can be bought trouble-free online and offline.

All of them are for homeowners who would like to take bed bug treatment into their own hands.

So, in other words, they are suited for those who wish to deal with bed bugs via the DIY route. Sadly, these highly accessible solutions have their limitations.

For instance, they are only good for a certain number of bed bugs hiding in certain areas.

It’s exactly the reason why bed bug exterminators do not rely on any commercially sold chemicals and equipment. This is true regardless of the infestation’s severity or extent.

What they arm themselves with are products that only licensed and certified people are allowed to buy. In many instances, the ones that they count on do not cost cheap.

For instance, the cheapest professional bed bug heater is almost $4,000. On the other hand, a commercial heater can be as cheap as a little over $100.

The use of a heating system is not the only solution. Bed bugs can also be dealt with through chemicals. The ones that the experts use are not the kinds that you can get from the local home improvement or hardware store.

The chemicals bed bug exterminators use are more powerful than commercially sold ones. This is why they can be bought and used only by certain people.

If you do not own a bed bug exterminating company that is licensed and certified, you cannot be given access to chemicals for professionals use only.

Different chemicals and equipment have different purposes. The ones that the pros will have to use will depend on various factors. One of them is the number of bed bugs and rooms infested.

Generally speaking, the more serious and widespread the bed bug infestation, the more powerful and capable the weapons that the experts will use.

Because of this, the cost of bed bug extermination can vary from home to home. This is true even if the experts employ the same approach for dealing with a bed bug infestation.

Professional Labor Is Expensive

The various chemicals and equipment that bed bug exterminators use will not take themselves to the scene of the crime. They will also not kill bed bugs on their own.

For them to work and provide the expected results, they will have to be utilized accordingly by those who know how to apply and operate them.

It’s the labor involved why bed bug treatment doesn’t come cheap. The pros were not born already knowing how to deal with bed bugs. They took courses and underwent training sessions to become bed bug experts.

Getting the right kind of education and apprenticeship for bed bug extermination requires a lot of time, effort, and money. Because of this, signing up experts in the industry isn’t cost-free.

It’s just like approaching a physician for your health or consulting a marketing analyst for your business. If you want professional help, pay for it.

When it comes to professional fees, different bed bug exterminating companies have different rates. It depends on various factors. They include the company’s reputation and reliability.

In terms of labor, the cost is also affected by the type of chemicals and equipment used. While effective, the ones that professionals count on can also come with risks.

For instance, a pesticide may cause damage to the environment if used improperly. Similarly, a piece of equipment may wreak havoc on one’s home or belongings if used incorrectly.

Because of the risks that can come with bed bug extermination, only the most trained and experienced people are hired by the top bed bug extermination companies. Alas, their expertise can be pricey.

For a budget-conscious homeowner, it can be tempting to seal the deal with a bed bug exterminating company with the cheapest asking price. Initially, it may seem like it’s a pocket-friendly move.

However, especially if the company isn’t competent and qualified enough, this seemingly smart step can harm the funds and property, too!

This doesn’t mean, however, that you should go for the most expensive bed bug exterminating company in your area. What you need to do is opt for one that is trusted by many locals and asks for a reasonable price.

Multiple Sessions Drive Up the Cost

Chemical treatment and heat treatment — these are the most popular treatments for bed bugs. That’s because they are effective. Each one comes with its own set of pros and cons.

Similarly, the treatment preferred by homeowners or recommended by the experts can have a considerable impact on the overall cost of bed bug extermination.

Between the two, chemical treatment is the cheaper option. Dealing with a bed bug infestation with the use of pesticides can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 per room.

The bulk of the cost of chemical treatment comes from the fact that different pesticides and products have to be applied per session.

For instance, a fast-acting insecticide has to be applied to surfaces that often come into contact with humans. A residual insecticide, on the other hand, has to be applied to cracks, crevices, and undersides of furniture.

An insecticide that comes in powder form is also applied by bed bug exterminators to the insides of electrical outlets and switch plates, behind the baseboards, and other hollow areas where bed bugs could be hiding.

While effective, the problem with chemical treatment is that it has to be done a few times. After the initial treatment, the experts will have to come back one to two more times to repeat the treatment.

This is to make sure that all the bed bugs in their various life cycles, from adults to eggs, will be killed by the pesticides used.

Fret not because the sessions do not happen consecutively for two to three days straight. Chemical treatments are usually scheduled three to four weeks apart from one another.

Heat treatment, on the other hand, usually requires a single session only. This treatment option is so effective that one session is enough to kill adult and nymph bed bugs, and their eggs.

However, there is a catch. And it’s none other than it is costlier than chemical treatment. Heat treating an entire home can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000!

When deciding which between chemical treatment and heat treatment you should go for, one of the most important considerations is the overall cost.

Higher Cost of Living in Some Locations

In the business world, when the demand is high, the pricing is high, too. It’s due to this why bed bug extermination is more expensive if you are living where the service is highly sought after by many of the locals.

Bed bugs can infest practically any home. However, those that are in populous areas are at higher risk of having a massive bed bug infestation.

That’s because it makes it easy for bed bugs to spread from one home to the other. It doesn’t come as a surprise why bed bug exterminating companies come aplenty in these areas.

It’s for the same reason why it can be easy for the entire apartment building to end up swarming with bed bugs once a single unit becomes infested. Bed bugs can easily crawl from apartment to apartment.

Places on the face of the planet that are regarded as tourist hotspots are also more susceptible to bed bug infestations.

Hopping from one hotel to the other causes tourists to give hitchhiking bed bugs a ride on their clothes and in their suitcases. This is why bed bugs find it trouble-free to cross cities and countries.

In the US, according to bed bug exterminators, the top 10 cities with the most bed bugs are:

1. Washington, DC
2. Baltimore
3. Chicago
4. Los Angeles
5. Columbus, OH
6. New York
7. Detroit
8. Cincinnati
9. Indianapolis
10. Atlanta

Are you living in any of the cities mentioned above or anywhere else in the US where bed bug extermination is always in demand?

Then the answer to the question “why is bed bug treatment so expensive?” is quite obvious. The increased demand is an opportunity for bed bug exterminating companies to rake in lots of profits.

However, the higher concentration of bed bug exterminating companies in bed bug hotspots can also work to the utmost advantage of the homeowners. This is especially true for budget-conscious ones.

The presence of a lot of competing bed bug exterminating companies can encourage each one of them to offer hard-to-resist package deals. This helps make the cost of getting treatment reasonable.

Still, the overall cost of bed bug extermination in the city tends to be higher than that in the suburbs or countries.

How to Lower the Cost

Many things are responsible for the steep cost of bed bug treatment. It’s because of this exactly why many homeowners try to deal with a bed bug infestation with some home remedies.

Unfortunately, if DIY solutions are not carried out properly and consistently, the problem with bed bugs may not be brought to an end.

Bed bug extermination doesn’t come with a cheap price tag. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have no choice but to learn to live with bed bugs rather than go broke.

Even though scientists confirm that bed bugs cannot spread diseases via their bites, sharing your bedroom with them is unhealthy.

That’s because the stress and anxiety their presence brings can keep you from having a good night’s sleep. Being deprived of sleep is something that can damage your health in more ways than one.

You may also end up with a nasty skin infection and unsightly scars in case you break your skin while scratching to get relief from the itchiness that bed bug bites tend to bring.

Luckily, there are steps that you may take to bring down the sky-high price of bed bug treatment to a more reasonable rate. Here are some of those that you may try to enjoy cheaper bed bug extermination…

Contact the Experts ASAP

As a general rule of thumb, the more controllable the bed bug population, the more affordable the cost of dealing with them professionally.

Due to this, it is a good idea to get in touch with the most reputable bed bug exterminating company in your area as soon as you have confirmed the presence of bed bugs in your home.

Bed bugs can multiply quickly. A female bed bug can lay anywhere from one to five eggs per day. By springing into action without delay, the cost of treatment need not leave a massive dent in your wallet.

Keep the Infestation to One Area

The more rooms are infested, the higher the cost of bed bug extermination. This is why you should do your best to contain those blood-sucking creatures in your bedroom.

Keep on sleeping in the infested bedroom — this is one of the most important things that you need to remember.

Sleeping in a different room will cause those bed bugs to hunt you down, leaving eggs in various places along the way. You should also avoid transferring items in the infested bedroom to other rooms.

Reduce Clutter

Unlike most other pests, bed bugs do not care if your bedroom is clean or not. However, they love it if your bedroom is cluttered.

That’s because it provides them with a lot of hiding places. The more hiding places bed bugs have, the more difficult it will be for bed bug exterminators to find them. This can cause the treatment’s cost to rise.

The importance of keeping your bedroom as clutter-free as possible cannot be stressed enough. This is especially true if you want to keep the cost of seeking the help of the experts down to a bare minimum.

Use Steam Cleaners

If you want to try a DIY approach then you should be aware that there are two ways to get rid of bed bugs by yourself:

• Remove moisture from bed bug surroundings. The best way to do it is by using bed bug powders, and I have a list of recommended ones here.
• Eliminate them by heat. The best way to do this is by using steam cleaners, and I have a list of inexpensive but effective steam cleaners for bed bugs.

Just Before You Contact the Pros

By now, you should have the answer to the question, “why is bed bug treatment so expensive?” There are many things that can contribute to its steep price tag.

They include the inspection, products, and equipment used, labor fees, number of treatment sessions, and where you live.

The cost is one of the most important considerations when deciding which among the local bed bug exterminating companies you should seal the deal with.

Before coming up with a decision, spend enough time reading online reading reviews posted on the internet. It’s also a good idea to get the suggestions of locally residing family and friends.