Bed bugs are considered one of the most prominent issues around the world because they can cause irritation and disturb one’s living. It is widely known that bed bugs usually spread through your air conditioner system in the winter season when heat is at its peak. Most commonly, these bed bugs grow and breed in the ventilation system of an AC.
There are plenty of people who don’t have an idea of how to stop bed bugs in your air conditioning room. If they have an air conditioner, they usually ask the same question on many online forums which is: can air conditioner kill bed bugs?
In simple words, cold air can definitely kill bed bugs to some extent but there is more to know about this factor. All this will be discussed briefly in this article.
One of the worst things about bed bugs is that they are extremely small in size. This factor allows them to hide in places where a person may not be able to reach. Apart from a person’s reach, bed bugs usually hide at places where heat or cold air cannot even kill them. Such places include the gap between two cardboards, holes in the bed or table, inside the clothes, etc.
Before moving to the actual killing process, it is highly recommended to know about some basics and important factors about bed bugs. Some people even say that getting rid of the bed bugs is not a DIY (Do It Yourself) task but you need professional help. This article will go through all these factors to provide you with some useful information.
What actually bed bugs are?
Bed bugs are insects that feed themselves on human blood. They usually get to work during the night because this is the best time as people are asleep. Most people think that bed bugs are so tiny in size that they cannot be seen without a microscope.
Well, this is not the truth because you can actually see them with your naked eyes. This assumption came into life because this insect is so fast that they come, bite, and fly away in no time. Once a person feels itchiness or pain, bed bugs are completely gone.
Important Factors to Know About Bed Bugs:
- Bed bugs have a habit to always stay near to their meal, you.
- They are not able to move as quickly as a mosquito.
- They usually live under the carpet inside your bed but if you are not able to find them in these places, you may find them in an electric fitting or holes in plaster, wood, or any other structure.
- They can smell their meal and can identify you as individuals.
- They can also recognize their host or meal by their body temperature or even by the carbon dioxide that is being breathed out.
- This fact may feel scary but it is the reality that if bed bugs are not able to reach their meal by walking on their legs at the bed, they can climb the ceiling and jump directly on your body from there.
Can air conditioners or cold air kill bed bugs?
Bed bugs are not able to bear any type of extreme temperature no matter if it is hot or cold. Many researchers and reports claim that cold air can be an effective tool to kill the bed bugs without any major effort. You may have heard that cool air cannot kill bed bugs in the best way and this factor is true to some extent as well.
But do keep this fact in mind that research has shown that if bed bugs are living in an extremely cold atmosphere, they may live for some time but they can never breed or reproduce themselves. This can help you a lot if you are interested in getting rid of bed bugs with some patience.
Old researchers and their conclusion claim that bed bugs can easily be killed within an hour if you turn ON your AC and let it work at an extremely low temperature. This is believed by a lot of people and they have got positive results as well. But some new research shows that air conditioners can definitely kill bed bugs but it usually takes longer than one hour. The more extreme the temperature is, the more quickly bed bugs will die.
Is an air conditioner the best method to kill bed bugs?
One thing can easily be concluded by all the above claims that killing bed bugs with your air conditioners is an option but not the best one. You may face a lot of difficulties and issues while trying to kill the bed bugs using the cool air of your AC.
- You will have to let your air conditioner operate at a relatively low temperature for a long time and it will obviously lead you to pay a huge amount of power bill.
- There are also possibilities that some or even all of the house residents may not be able to sleep in the room due to extreme temperature.
- One of the biggest and most annoying problems is that bed bugs can hide in places that cannot be identified or reached. Even if you let your air conditioner operate for weeks, there are possibilities that some of the bed bugs may not be killed. They can hide under the carpet, between two nailed boards, or many other places where cool air cannot reach with its full strength.
- Letting your air conditioner operate consistently for days can also result in some sort of malfunction or failure. This can put you in trouble with maintenance or may require a complete replacement of the AC unit.
How to get rid of hidden bed bugs?
Bed bugs can hide at places that you may never find. Getting the services of a professional and experienced pest control or removal team is the best and most efficient way to get rid of bed bugs that are hidden in your room and cannot be killed by your air conditioner.
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