Bed Bug Exterminator Service Costs [+ DIY ALTERNATIVE]

When an individual finds a bed bug in their home or apartment, one of the first questions that he/she will have is the cost of a bed bug exterminator. More than likely, the renter/homeowner has heard horror stories of the charges associated with bed bug extermination. We have the answers that you need to know when facing a bed bug infestation.

Should You Hire an Exterminator?

Bed bugs are unbelievably challenging to get rid of on your own. They are masters at hiding – they can get into the electrical system of a home via electrical outlets and travel along electrical wires, they can hide in furniture seams, and they can hide behind baseboards and trim work. One mated female bed bug can re-infest a home within a few months, which is why it is essential that every bed bug and bed bug egg is decimated. An exterminator has the equipment and knowledge to rid your home of every bed bug.

Exterminators use a number of treatment strategies to rid your home of bed bugs. These treatment strategies include:

  • Box Spring and Mattress Encasements – Mattress encasements enclose your mattress and box springs to prevent bed bugs from entering these items. When shopping for a mattress encasement system look for a hypoallergenic, waterproof mattress cover that offers a great warranty. Choose a mattress encasement that is breathable, noiseless, and comfortable for improved satisfaction.
  • Crack and Crevice InjectionsBecause bed bugs can hide in small cracks, an exterminator will spray bed bug insecticides along your baseboards, around electrical outlets, and around plumbing pipes to prevent bed bugs from traveling from room to room through your walls. Crevice and crack bed bug injections kill on contact and continue to protect the walls of your home from weeks.
  • Freeze Treatment – Free treatment uses Cryonite freeze technology to kill bed bugs without pesticide residue. The exterminator uses carbon dioxide to freeze the bed bugs and kill them on contact. Freeze treatments are on contact treatments, which means the treatment must hit the bed bugs, nymphs, and eggs to be effective.
  • Fumigants – If a homeowner is experiencing a large-scale bed bug infestation, the exterminator may recommend fumigating your home. The pest control company will seal your home and fill it with insecticidal gas that will kill all bed bugs located within the home.
  • Heat TreatmentHeat treatment systems reach temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit to destroy bed bugs at all stages of their life. These systems allow you to treat items like books, bedding, stuffed animals, and luggage effectively. 
  • Pesticides – Pesticide dust and sprays are highly effective treatments for bed bugs. Liquids, powders, and aerosols exterminate bed bugs and leave trace chemicals behind that continue to work.
  • Steam Treatment – Exterminators often use steam treatment to destroy bed bugs on contact. Dry steam machines with low vapor and dry steam to kill adult bed bugs, nymphs, and bed bug eggs on contact with the power of steam. This treatment must hit the infested area to ensure the bed bugs are exterminated.

A qualified exterminator has the training necessary to determine the treatments needed to destroy the bed bugs in your home. The types of treatments needed, as well as the number of treatments required, are determined how severe the infestation is and where the bed bugs have migrated throughout the home.

Research different pest control companies in your area and see which companies offer a guarantee. This is particularly essential if you have a severe bed bug infestation. The top pest companies for bed bugs will return and complete additional treatments for free if they do not get rid of the bed bugs as per their pest control contract. This is an absolute must in any bed bug service agreement.

Pest control company contracts for bed bug elimination should outline the entire treatment plan, the number of treatments required, the cost of extermination, and the warranty offered by the pest control company. Always read the contract carefully to ensure you are getting what you expect. The best way to minimize your costs is to contact a pest control company at the first sign of a bed bug infestation.

What Affects the Cost of Bed Bug Exterminations?

There are numerous factors that can impact the cost of an extermination treatment plan. The number of rooms in your house, along with the size of the rooms that are affected by bed bugs, the severity of the infestation, the cleanliness of the home, and the type of construction of the house all affect the treatment plan and the cost. To ensure you get an accurate quote, a pest control specialist will want to complete a walkthrough.

  • Clutter and Cleanliness – If your home is cluttered, it provides bed bug with additional places to hide. Furthermore, it takes extra time to clear the clutter and prepare for treatment. A cluttered home requires additional products as well.
  • Construction – The construction of your home can also affect the cost of bed bug treatment. If you are experiencing a severe infestation, the pest control company will need to spray under your house. Bed bugs can be located underneath pier and beam homes, which will require a dry dust treatment under the home. Conversely, a home on a slab foundation does not provide bed bugs with a place to hide.
  • Fumigation – If you have a severe infestation of bed bugs, the pest control may recommend fumigation. This requires your home to be completely sealed using a gigantic tarp. Once the house is sealed, the pest control company will pump fumigants into the home. Fumigation will eradicate all bed bugs; however, the homeowner will not be able to enter the house for a few days.

Heavy infestations require additional time and product. Furthermore, rooms with a lot of furniture require additional time and product to be used. Many pest control companies charge a fee for each piece of additional furniture in a room because of the time it takes to treat each piece of furniture. An additional piece of furniture will increase labor by 30 and 60 minutes.

  • Room Size and Number of Rooms – Rooms that are larger require extra pesticides and treatment.  Many pest companies set a rate per room plus the cost of their materials; however, if the room is cluttered or has a severe infestation, the cost can be higher.

The Costs of Bed Bug Exterminations Explained

On average, you should expect to spend between $1,000 and $2,200 if you experience a bed bug infestation. However, this cost of bed bug treatment can vary greatly depending on the level of infestation and the treatment required. In addition to this, the size of your home can affect the cost of treatment. In fact, larger homes can cost upwards of $6,000 for treatment. Conversely, if bed bugs are isolated to one room, treatment can be as low as $300.

The type of treatment required can also affect the price of the extermination. Let’s take a look at the average cost of each type of service.

  • Freeze Treatment – On average, you can expect to pay around $500 per room for freeze treatment.
  • Fumigation – The average cost of fumigation ranges between $4,000 and $6,000 square foot. Pest control companies may also charge by the square foot. On average, you can expect to pay between $4 and $8 per square foot for fumigation.
  • Heat Treatment – The cost of heat treatment averages between $2,000 and $4,000. Heat treatment costs can also be calculated based on square footage, with the average price per square feet ranging between $1 and $3 per square foot.
  • Pesticides – The average cost of pesticides varies between $200 and $400 per room. The actual price will be contingent on the size of the room, the furnishing in the room, and whether the room is cluttered.
  • Steam Treatment – Steam treatment ranges between $250 and $1,000 for each room.
  • Structural Fumigation Charges – If bed bugs have entered the foundation and are hiding there, the pest control company will recommend structural fumigation. This fumigation runs an average of $30 per square foot.

Many homeowners think their homeowner’s insurance will pay for bed bug infestation treatments; however, this is typically not covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy. Instead, the homeowner will be required to pay for all bed bug treatments out of their own pocket.

How to Prepare for a Bed Bug Extermination

If you decide that the costs of bed bug treatment by a professional are a bit too high for just a service to come out and the problem potentially come back, then check out our Get Rid of Bed Bugs Guide and purchase all of the necessary products that will ensure you get rid of them and if they return you will have the tools to combat them once again and more efficiently because you will not have to wait for these products to arrive from Amazon. Not only will you have a better chance at getting rid of bed bugs but if they ever come back you will not have to pay for all of this again. It is likely that they will return but you will be prepared.

All clothing, linens, drapes, stuffed toys, and other fabric items should be placed in tightly sealed plastic bags and taken outdoors. You will need to dry the items in your clothes dryer for 30 minutes on high before bringing the items back into the house once the house has been treated. This will destroy any bed bugs or eggs.

Furniture will have to be pulled away from the wall. This will make it easier for the exterminator to perform all crack and crevice treatments as well as treating the furniture. Vacuum all carpeting and rugs in your home and immediately dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed trash bag and take to your outdoor trash. Finally, remove as much clutter as possible and empty nightstands and bookshelves.

Bed bug infestations are difficult to overcome. A pest control specialist has the knowledge to handle a bed bug infestation and develop an effective bed bug extermination protocol. Pest control specialists may use a variety of extermination methods, including heat treatment, steam treatment, pesticides, freeze treatments, or full house fumigations.

Bed Bug Bye
BedBugBye.com participates in the Amazon Associates program which means we may earn a commission when you purchase products we recommend.