When someone tells you they’re going to heat your home to temperatures of 50°C or above, it’s natural to want to know what that means for the people, pets, and things inside it. Here’s an honest answer to that question.
Is it safe for people?
Yes — but not while the treatment is running. Everyone needs to leave before the heating begins and stay out until the property has cooled back down. The temperatures involved are far too high for anyone to be inside.
Once you’re back in, there’s nothing to worry about. No residue, nothing to air out, no surfaces to avoid. The room is ready to use as soon as it’s comfortable to be in again.
This is one of the clearest differences between heat treatment and chemical sprays. With chemicals, something is left behind in your home that takes time to settle. With heat, once the process is finished, it’s finished.
Is it safe for children?
Yes — and for families with young children, it’s often the better choice for this very reason. Nothing is sprayed or applied to surfaces at any point, which means there’s nothing left on mattresses, bedding, or furniture that a child could come into contact with afterwards.
Chemical treatments require a degree of care even after the technician has gone. Heat treatment doesn’t. Once the property has cooled down and you’re back inside, your children can sleep in their beds and use their rooms without any concern.
Is it safe for pets?
Pets need to leave for the same reason people do — the temperature inside the property during treatment is simply too high. This includes cats, dogs, birds, and fish. Fish tanks in particular need to be moved and switched off before the treatment begins, as the heat will affect the water.
Once you return, your pets can come straight back in with you. There’s nothing in the treated space that presents any risk to them.
Is it safe for your belongings?
For the vast majority of things in your home, yes. Furniture, mattresses, bedding, clothing, books, and most electronics can all stay in place. In fact, it’s important that they do — the heat needs to reach inside furniture and mattresses to kill the bugs hiding there, so taking things out would work against the process.
That said, some items do need to come out beforehand. These include aerosol cans, candles, plants, bottled drinks, certain medications, and anything battery-operated. Your technician will go through this with you before the day and will flag anything specific. If you’re ever unsure about something, take it out and ask — it’s always the safer call.
Will it damage my furniture or mattress?
No. The temperatures used are high enough to kill bed bugs but well within what standard household furniture and materials can handle. Your mattress, bed frame, sofa, and wardrobe will come through without any damage.
Most electronics can stay in the room — they just need to be unplugged. Anything with batteries should be removed. Beyond that, there’s very little you need to worry about.
Will it damage the property itself?
No. The temperature rises gradually and is monitored throughout, so there are no sudden spikes that could cause any problems. Walls, flooring, plasterwork, and the general structure of the property are all unaffected.
Is it safe for people with asthma or chemical sensitivities?
This is where heat treatment has a real advantage over chemical alternatives. Because nothing is sprayed or left behind, there’s nothing to trigger an asthma attack, irritate the skin, or cause a reaction in anyone with a sensitivity to chemicals.
For households where this is a concern, heat treatment removes the worry entirely. You come back to a home that has been treated with nothing but heat — and once the temperature returns to normal, there’s no trace of the process left at all.
One thing worth saying
Heat treatment is safe, but only when it’s done properly. The temperatures need to be reached consistently throughout the whole space — not just in the open air, but inside furniture, mattresses, and the gaps behind skirting boards. That requires the right equipment, temperature monitoring throughout, and someone who knows what they’re doing.
When the job is done correctly, the risks simply aren’t there. It’s when corners are cut — rushed timings, inadequate equipment, poor monitoring — that problems can occur. Choosing a qualified, experienced team is the most important decision you’ll make.
Bug Blitz by Destrodent provides professional bed bug heat treatment across the whole of Surrey, including Guildford, Woking, Farnham, Reigate, Camberley, Weybridge, Dorking, Cobham, Esher, Walton-on-Thames, Hersham, Epsom, and Redhill. Get in touch today for a free consultation.