Bed Bug Heat Treatment FAQ


Powerful Bed Bug Heat Treatment that kills Bed Bugs and Bed Bug Eggs.

Our heat treatment for bed bugs is an environmentally-friendly and non-toxic treatment option without the use of chemicals. It is the safest and most effective bed bug eradication method that exists today.

How does the PPC Heat Assault Bed bug eradication system work?
There are two continuous loops in the PPC HEAT ASSAULT Insect Eradication System. These are the heater loop and field loop.

  • In the heating loop, the Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) which is an environmentally benign water-propylene glycol solution is heated to 210F. The HTF is drawn from a 400 litre reservoir and pumped through dual coil heaters and back to the reservoir. The coil heaters are rugged coils of pipe with oil fired burners that are designed for mobile applications. The burners heat the HTF in the coils before it is returned to the reservoir. Up to 500,000 Btu/H of heat is generated in the system that draws either bio-diesel or diesel from the integral 250 litre fuel tank.
  • Remote heat exchangers are placed in the areas that require insect eradication. Specially engineered rugged hoses are used to connect the remote heat exchangers to the PPC Heat Assault. The HTF is drawn from the reservoir and pumped through hoses into remote heat exchangers and back to the unit for reheating. Only the heat is left behind in the target area. The heat exchangers are radiators with fans. A wireless temperature sensing and data logging system allows PPC to track the temperatures of different locations in the target area. The goal is to rapidly raise the temperature to 120-140F. Once this is accomplished Bed Bugs (and other insects) and their larvae, pupae and eggs are killed. We have focused initially on bed bugs, but the system also works on virtually any other insect.

How large of an area can you treat with the PPC Heat Assault System?
Generally speaking we can treat up to 5,000 square feet of normal residential living space with the PPC Heat Assault System.

Will the bedbugs get away through the walls while we treat a room?
Experience has shown that if the hot air is directed towards the walls and the temperature is raised quickly enough bedbugs will not escape and in fact will remain in the target area. The bed bug heat treatment equipment is more effective than the use of insecticides which often repel insects.

Will the high temperatures set off fire alarms and sprinkler systems
It is important to turn off fire alarms and disable sprinklers as a precaution but the temperatures reached should not be high enough to set off an alarm or sprinkler. Sprinkler head covers are available to insulate them from the heat.

What temperature does the heat transfer fluid (HTF) get to?
The HTF will rise to up to 205F.

How safe are the hoses?
The hose is custom manufactured and is more than rugged enough for the application. They are designed for an operating pressure of 150psi and have been burst tested to 600psi while the PPC Heat Assault system generates less than 40psi. The HTF is a Propylene Glycol/ Water solution (Plumber’s Antifreeze) which is environmentally safe.

HOW DO I PREPARE A ROOM FOR INSECT ERADICATION?
The process uses warm air to kill the insects. The room and all its contents will be warmed to over 125°F (the kill zone) and as high as 145°F. As a result, anything that can be damaged by this heat should be removed. We provide a check list which includes: candles, chocolates, pets, plants, medicines, and stringed musical instruments.

WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT THE SYSTEM CAN REACH FOR INSECT ERADICATION?
Our system can run up to 30 floors above ground level.

IS THIS SYSTEM NOISY?
People are always surprised at how quiet the system runs. It is designed for operation in residential settings.

WHAT TYPES OF INSECTS WILL DIE FROM THESE TEMPERATURES?
Most insects die at 122°F but may have to be exposed to that temperature for 30 minutes. If they are warmed to 140°F most die immediately. We can provide you with information on specific insects. We have placed particular focus on the extermination of bed bugs with heat.

CAN YOU USE THE PPC HEAT ASSAULT SYSTEM TO TREAT MOLD?
It will kill mould, but will not remove the dead spores that can still be an irritant.

IS THIS A ONE TIME TREATMENT?
Because the system kills eggs, it should eliminate costly return treatments.

ARE THERE ANY CHEMICALS INVOLVED?
No. The Petty Pest Control system has been designed with safety in mind. There are no chemicals involved, no high voltage, and no steam or pressure vessels.

WHY CAN'T I JUST TURN THE HEAT UP IN MY BUILDING OR PLUG IN SOME ELECTRIC HEATERS?
The PPC Heat Assault System generates from 460,000-500,000 BTU/hour of heat energy. You would require more than eighty (80) electric heaters with 1500 watt capacity, and each of those would require its own 15 amp circuit. A typical home has 200 amp service and an apartment has much less than that. This means that you could only plug in thirteen heaters which will not get the temperatures up into the kill zone fast enough if at all. The PPC Heat Assault System is more than twenty times more powerful than a typical furnace for a house.

IS THERE ANY SMELL?
No, in fact customers have noticed that the smell from smoke or cooking odors has been eliminated from belongings after a heat treatment.

I HAVE ALLERGIES, WILL THIS PROCESS AFFECT THEM?
No because the process uses no insecticides or chemicals. The treatment may reduce your allergic reactions because it will also kill mold spores.

WILL THE HEAT DAMAGE MY BELONGINGS?
There are some belongings that should be removed to avoid being damaged from the treatment. They include prescription drugs, plants, pets, musical instruments, candles, and chocolates. Most of your belongings will be fine as the temperatures are no hotter than a summer day in Phoenix.

IS THERE ANY RISK OF THE SYSTEM BURNING MY BELONGINGS?
No, the heat is produced in the PPC Heat Assault System which is situated outside of the target area. The Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) is pumped to the Heat Exchangers which are located in the target area where your belongings are. Only the heat is left behind.

IS THE HEAT TRANSFER FLUID (HTF) DANGEROUS OR POISONOUS?
The HTF is a propylene glycol water mixture, this is also known as “plumber’s antifreeze” It is safe for food plants, potable water supplies in recreational vehicles and the environment. In the unlikely event that there was a spill it would cause no damage if a pet ingested it.

IS PPC HEAT ASSAULT SAFE?
As safe as the furnace in your basement! The PPC Heat Assault equipment uses environmentally benign propylene glycol that is heated remotely in our system. There are three levels of control to ensure that the system does not overheat. All of the hoses are self sealing to eliminate the chance of leakage. The air isn’t raised above 145°F in the target area, which is no different than a hot day in some tropical climates.

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THE INSECTS ARE DEAD?
Temperature probes are distributed throughout the insect eradication area and monitored. Once they indicate that the temperature has reached the kill zone for the required time (Usually 125°F for 30 mins) then we know that the insect eradication is complete.

WILL IT KILL BED BUG EGGS TOO?
Yes, it will kill eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult insects so it eliminates the need for a costly return visit to kill the newly hatched insects.

MANY INSECTS ARE BECOMING RESISTANT TO INSECTICIDES. CAN THIS HAPPEN TO THE PPC HEAT ASSAULT SYSTEM?
No, because the system uses heat which damages the insect’s exoskeleton and causes them to dehydrate. There is no way for them to become resistant to heat.

WHY USE HEAT TRANSFER FLUID (HTF) AND NOT WATER?
Propylene glycol is superior to water at high temperatures because it will not evaporate nor will it freeze in winter temperatures.

WHY NOT USE ONE OF THE OTHER HEAT TREATMENT SERVICES ON THE MARKET?
There are two older technologies available.

  • The first set up uses air from outside, heats it up with propane fired heaters then blows the superheated air it into the building through 12″ flexible ducts. This is a very inefficient system because all of the air that is comes from outside has to be heated. As air is pushed into the building an equal amount has to leave the building. Obviously there is a huge amount of heat loss when this happens. The PPC Heat Assault System recycles the air inside the target zone so much less energy is required.
  • The second machine uses a 40 kilowatt generator on a trailer. It runs heavy, high voltage electric cables into a building which are then connected to three electric heaters. While the system is relatively efficient in that it recycles the air in the target area it produces less than half of the heat energy into the eradication zone than our system. Many people also have a fear of high voltage cables.