If you have pest issues in your home and you’ve tried all the typical solutions, you may be thinking about turning to a heavy hitter like bug bombs.
Bug bombs create a chemical explosion in your house. You lock the bomb in there and leave it to do its work. It’s often the last ditch attempt by a homeowner before they enlist professional pest control. But before you head down that path, there are some important things to understand about bug bombs.
Bug Bombs Unpacked
Here’s what you can expect when you use a bug bomb in your home.
They’re Messy
Bug bombs are kind of gross.
There’s also a lot of clean-up involved after you let a bug bomb explode in your home. It can be a messy business, and the residue spreads throughout your home and coats every surface.
If you do choose to bug bomb, make sure you check the active ingredients. Not all of them are safe to use indoors, and some contain dangerous chemicals like carbamates that require careful handling. Not only do they pose a risk to you, but they also leave residue all over your home.
They’re Not Great For The Ecosystem
While using bug bombs has no long-term health effects, there is a risk to the animal ecosystem surrounding your home. The chemicals can spill outside of your home and into the yard, which may kill butterflies, bees, and other local wildlife. Bug bombs are also highly dangerous for pet lizards.
The Results Are Temporary
The benefit of a bug bomb is that it works quickly, but the effects are temporary. So you may only have relief from your pest problem for a few days before new pests find their way inside. A bomb will only kill the insects in and around your house at the time you release it. It’s not going to spread wider to protect your home long-term.
Misuse Can Be Dangerous
When used incorrectly, bug bombs can cause serious consequences. A Sydney family of seven almost died when their home exploded after the homeowner set multiple cockroach bombs and triggered a gas explosion that collapsed the family home. In addition to not following manufacturer instructions, the homeowners had left the gas pilot light on. If you have gas heating in your roof void, you can’t set a bug bomb off there. Likewise, you need to turn off the power to your house and disarm smoke alarms.
When weighing the short-term benefits of bug bombs against the various problems they can cause, it’s clear that professional pest control is a wiser way to deal with cockroaches, fleas, and bed bugs.
Cockroach Bombs
Studies have found that cockroach bombs aren’t effective at eradicating these pest populations. Cockroaches can fit through the smallest of spaces, and this means they spend most of their time hidden in cracks and crevices that bug bombs simply don’t penetrate. about:blank
Flea Bombs
Flea bombs are similarly ineffective as they don’t get into the nooks and crannies where pests hide. In addition, bug bombs have been shown to be less effective against flea pupae and cocoons which means the cycle continues.
Bed Bug Bombs
The risk of using bed bug bombs is that generally the ingredients are too weak to finish the job and it leads to the pesky pests developing immunity to further attempts to eradicate them. With bed bugs, the most appropriate way to proceed is with a professional pest controller.
Professional Pest Control
Bug bombs are a fast but band-aid solution to a pest problem – but you’ll likely find yourself stuck in a cycle of treatment and re-infestation. A pest management plan devised by a pest control expert is a safe and effective option for those wanting long-lasting results. A pest controller can deal with the current infestation as well as provide long-term support through thorough inspections and non-chemical options.