How Much Does Bed Bug Extermination Cost?
How Much Does Bed Bug Extermination Cost?
Most homeowners spend $1,000 to $2,200 on average to exterminate bed bugs. Depending on the level of infestation, you can expect to pay $200 to $400 per room for bed bug treatment.
$200 – $400 cost per room
$1,000 – $2,200 average total cost for a house
Most homeowners spend $1,000 to $2,200 on average to exterminate bed bugs. Depending on the level of infestation, you can expect to pay $200 to $400 per room for bed bug treatment.
Average Bed Bug Exterminator Costs
Most homeowners spend $1,000 to $2,200 on average to exterminate bed bugs. Depending on the level of infestation, you can expect to pay $200 to $400 per room for bed bug treatment.
Costs depend on the house size and location, how widespread the infestation is, the treatment used, and the number of treatments. A small isolated issue in a single bedroom might cost $300, whereas a large home fumigation will cost about $4,800.
| National Average Cost | $1,600 |
| Minimum Cost | $300 |
| Maximum Cost | $6,000 |
| Average Range | $1,000 to $2,200 |
Calling a professional bed bug exterminator is best as there may be health risks involved with your pest problem.
Pest control experts exterminate your bed bug problem and can also teach you how to prevent bed bug infestations in the future.
Bed Bug Exterminator Costs By Home Size
Pest control professionals charge by the room, by the total square footage, or give you a flat fee, but most infestations require more than one visit. For bed bug heat treatment, most homeowners report spending $300 per room, or $1,600 for their whole home.
Here are the average prices based on home size for a standard treatment.
| Bed Bug Extermination | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 1-Bedroom Apartment | $300 – $800 |
| 2-3 Bedroom House | $400 – $1,200 |
| Whole House | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Per Square Foot | $1 – $3 |
Bed Bug Treatment Cost
Your bed bug extermination service might suggest one or more of the following ways of treating your infestation, depending on the extent of the problem:
| Bed Bug Treatment | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Heat Treatment | $2,000 – $4,000 ($1 – $3 per square foot) |
| Fumigation | $4,000 – $6,000 ($4–$8 per square foot) |
| Chemicals & Pesticides | $200 – $400 per room |
| Steam Removal | $250 – $1,000 per room |
| Freeze Treatment | $500 per room |
| Monthly Pest Management | $110 – 130 per month |
Bed Bug Heat Treatment Cost
Heat treatment costs $1 to $3 per square foot to treat the infected areas or around $2,000 to $4,000 for your whole home. Heat of over 120° is used to drive air into the space infested with bed bugs. This treatment method is chemical-free, 100% effective, and kills bed bugs at every stage of life.
Heat treatment doesn’t harm electronics, and exterminators will often use their own generator to make sure your electric bill isn’t exorbitant that month.
Bed Bug Fumigation Cost
The average cost of fumigation is $4 to $8 per square foot or $4,000 to $6,000 total. Fumigation cost is based on your home’s square footage. The home is sealed off and filled with fumigation gas to kill all the bed bugs and requires vacating the home for a few days to avoid chemical poisoning and breathing in high VOCs.
If done properly, fumigation kills all the bed bugs in the house.
Fumigation costs 3 to 5 times more in the North than in southern states.
Structural Fumigation Cost
If the foundation of your home is found to hoard bed bugs, you’ll possibly need a structural fumigation as well, which can cost as high as $30 per square foot. Most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover the cost as it falls under home maintenance/preventative damage costs.
If the infestation is so bad that your house must be fumigated, put everything you own into a trailer or storage unit and fumigate that as well. Trailer fumigation can cost less than $1,000 and ensures you won’t bring the bed bugs back into the house once it’s been treated.
Chemicals & Pesticides Cost
Professional chemical bed bug treatment costs $200 to $400 per room. Bed bug-killing chemicals are laid or sprayed throughout the home and directly sprayed into cracks and crevices. While you can buy bed bug spray and spray the mattress, your treatment plan needs to be all-encompassing.
Bed bugs are beginning to develop resistance to pesticides.
Bed Bug Steam Removal Cost
Steam bed bug removal costs $250 to $1,000 per room. Machines produce 200°+ steaming heat which kills bed bugs at all stages in the life cycle, on contact. Steam is especially effective at reaching into cracks and crevices.
The steam process takes about 7 hours and is extremely effective.
No follow-up is required unless more bed bugs are brought into the home.
Dry vapor steam is also an option.
Bed Bug Freeze Treatment Cost
Bed bug freeze treatment costs $500 per room on average. Machines use dry ice snow powder to freeze all bed bugs at all stages in the life cycle, on contact. Cryonite machines use a pressure hose to convert liquid carbon dioxide into a dry ice solid.
Freeze treatment is a good alternative to steam vapor because it doesn't cause moisture damage.
The process is much easier and faster than heat treatment, saving money. However, bugs may appear dead and then become active again once they are warm.
Integrated Pest Management Cost (IPM)
Monthly pest management costs $110 to 130 per month on a bi-annual plan. IPM combines the use of pesticides and chemicals with monitors, box spring and mattress covers, heat treatment, and Hepa-filter vacuums into a monthly plan. Most exterminators use a multi-faceted approach.
Monitors can come in the form of detection kits, under-the-bed leg detectors, bed bug lures, and bed bug traps. As soon as a pest is detected, you can treat again and prevent all future multiplication.
Bed Bug Inspection Cost
Many bed bug exterminators will offer a free inspection while some will charge an average of $70 to $180. Visual inspections carried out by professionals will include a thorough look at all the areas mentioned below. Sometimes these inspections can last as long as 4 hours. How does an inspector tell if you have bed bugs?
Hepa-filter Vacuums
Hepa-filter vacuums pick up as many live or dead bed bugs, and their feces and eggs, as possible and give you a good idea of how bad the infestation is.
Bed Bug Sniffing Dog Costs
An inspection by a bed bug sniffing dog costs $300 to $600 and can detect bed bugs with 95% accuracy, both before and after treatments. Well-trained dogs have a higher accuracy level than humans. They are especially useful when locating bed bugs in large buildings and are capable of discovering even low levels of infestation.
Signs of Bed Bug Infestation
By sight – They are usually too small for the naked eye to see, but you’ll see the evidence they leave of brown spots or smears of poop on the sheets.
By smell – Sometimes you can smell something like slightly rotting raspberries, which is the odor they can give off.
By location – You’ll most often find them in your bedroom because they enjoy living in bed frames and mattresses so they can be near their food source at night ... you. They are also often found in luggage, furniture, clothing, pillows, picture frames, pets’ bedding, loose wallpaper, boxes, and any cracks and crevices they find. Your bed bugs love the dark, and they’ll hide out near beds or sofas in large extended families which grow by the minute. They’ll stay hidden, and they love clutter.
Movement – They don’t fly, but they move quickly.
Preparing For Bed Bug Treatment
In order to prepare effectively for the bed bug treatment and prevent a re-infestation, remove every possible infected item from the infested rooms and place them outside. Do not bring the items back in until they and the room have been treated and follow-up has been done.
All fabric – Put all clothing and other soft fabrics—bed linens, bedding, soft toys, drawer contents, drapes—into zipped or tightly sealed disposable bags and put them outside. Run all of the above through a dryer cycle on high for 30 minutes. Drop off all dry-cleaning items at a dry cleaner’s in sealed bags and inform them of the possible infestation. Throw away all disposal bags containing infected fabric. Only bring dried clothes back in in new bags after the first AND follow-up treatments are done.
All furniture – Pull all furniture at least 6” from the walls. Remove all furniture that cannot be heat treated and treat it outside the house with an alternative method. Throw away any furniture that cannot be treated. Don’t leave it on the curb to infect other homes.
Fixed elements – Remove electrical plates and tape outlets. Disconnect or cover smoke detectors.
Carpet/flooring – Vacuum and throw used vacuum cleaner bags in the outside trash.
Clutter – Empty all nightstands and shelving units. Leave nonfabric items bagged in the room. Throw out any magazines, paper, and clutter you can. Wash all baby toys in hot soapy water and seal them in a trash bag.
Pets and food – Remove all pets, plants, food, pet food, etc., and close food utensils in cabinets.
Bed Bug Prevention
How to Avoid a Bed Bug Infestation
Enclose your mattress and box spring in a bed bug mattress cover. Covers cost
$18 to $50, with the SafeRest brand getting the top reviews.
Remove clutter.
Check mattresses and drawers for signs of an infestation before sleeping in hotel rooms.
Seal clothing and belongings in plastic bags when traveling.
Wash all clothes immediately upon returning home.
Fill any cracks and holes in the walls and trim. Glue down loose wallpaper.
Don’t bring used furniture into the house until it’s been checked for bed bugs.
Monitor all the rooms in your house with bed bug interception devices for returning bed bugs.
A good bed bug extermination service will also teach you what to look for and how to prevent any future infestations. They also usually leave you bed bug monitors so you can call them if you see any bed bugs.
Health Risks Of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are not inherently dangerous according to the CDC. A bed bug’s only food is blood, and it’s partial to yours. While they’re not great at spreading disease, bed bugs can give you skin rashes, itching, and blisters. Some people may also suffer from an allergic reaction to bed bug bites which will require immediate medical attention.
All pesticide products used in bed bug extermination must be registered by the EPA and your state’s department of agriculture. Keep in mind these products can be an irritant to the skin and eyes.
Bed bug extermination FAQs
Where do bed bugs come from? How do you get bad bugs?
Bed bugs ride into the house on anything they can from the outside world—clothing, bags, and used furniture can all give them access to your home.
What do bed bugs look like? What are bed bugs signs and symptoms?
Bed bugs are usually too small to see until they mature, but sometimes you’ll see the evidence of their presence—they leave spots or smears of poop on the sheets.
Bed bugs can give you skin rashes and blisters, and you might find yourself with an allergic reaction to bed bug bites. The usual way to treat bed bug bites is with antiseptic or antibiotic creams or lotions to prevent infection.
How much does it cost to exterminate a 1-bedroom apartment?
At a rate of $250 per room or $0.75 per square foot, a 1-bedroom apartment can cost $500 to $600 to exterminate, and more if the infestation requires additional treatment measures.
How to kill bed bugs in leather, cotton, or foam furniture?
Vacuum with a Hepa-filter vacuum, steam, or treat with a disinfectant spray like STERI-FAB Bed Bug Spray (contact spray).
Are there safe, non-chemical ways to get rid of bed bugs?
Yes. A trusted part of natural DIY treatment includes desiccants like food-grade diatomaceous earth powder. It’s a natural killer of bed bugs, dehydrating them until they die. It will kill indefinitely and is safe for pets and children to be around, but powder must be applied with a mask due to inhalation risks.
Boric acid tablets can also be placed in dark corners inaccessible to pets and children.
Neem oil can be applied to all cracks and crevices as a preventative measure.
How much does a bed bug mattress cover cost?
The top-rated bed bug mattress cover designed specifically to prevent bed bugs from taking over is made by SafeRest. Covers cost $18 to $50.
Can bed bug professionals get rid of other pests?
Yes, most pest control services are licensed to get rid of any unwelcome bugs or pest in the home.
How do I get rid of bed bugs myself?
Depending on the type of treatment you choose, you can try and exterminate bedbugs yourself for 25%–50% less than when paying a professional to do it, but keep in mind that you must also do follow-up treatments, use ongoing preventative measures, and absorb the cost of replacing all bedding, linens, and clothing. For the DIY treatment alone, you'll pay $50 to $150.
Hiring An Exterminator
To find your bed bug extermination company, look for him or her to fulfill as many of the following requirements as possible. Then ask for a detailed proposal from your top three and pick the one that appears best.
Licensed contractors – Licenses may be verified by calling the various state departments of agriculture.
Offer a warranty on labor
Are bonded, insured, and have been in business for 5+ years
Have excellent ratings on HomeGuide and Google
Include setup and complete cleanup costs in the quote
Provide excellent communication from your first phone call or e-mail
Make sure your pest exterminator includes a warranty in the contract because it’s normal for him/her to have to treat your home 2 or 3 times to achieve full eradication. Most contractors will offer a 30-day warranty on labor.
