Bed bugs are one of the most persistent pests. They multiply quickly and can escape most of our efforts to kill them. Fortunately, unlike flies and other pests, bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases, so their health risk is not as significant as another pest.
Unfortunately, however, Bringing them into your home from outside, especially from hotel rooms after a trip is easy. Due to their small size, it is hard to know if they are in your home until they bite you, indicating an infestation.
Many treatments today can help exterminate bed bugs, both in the long term and in the short term, but for the extermination to be successful, a complete extermination needs to be performed. Think of it as when you are prescribed antibiotics; you must complete the prescribed dosage to get rid of the bacteria. Once you stop taking the prescription, the bacteria come right back.
Now that we know a little about bed bugs Let’s see the average cost of bed bug treatment, what it entails, whether you should DIY it, and everything else you need to know.
Factors That Affect Bed Bug Treatment Cost
The bigger the infestation, the more it will cost to eliminate the bed bugs. But to clarify, a bed bug treatment can cost you anything between $300 and $5000 in the US.
An average American home spends between $1000 and $2000. However, the price can go into five digits in extreme cases and some commercial extermination cases.
Many factors go into consideration when you’re quoted an extermination price. An exterminator can charge by room or square footage or offer a flat fee. In some cases, you will get a separate bill for each visit. Other exterminators will offer a package deal that includes follow-ups.
Level of Infestation
If you discover the infestation early, you could pay as little as $200 to $300 per room. Moderate infestations cost between $300 and $400 per room, while severe ones can cost over $5000.
Size of the Affected Area
If you discover the infestation early, you could pay as little as $200 to $300 per room. Moderate infestations cost between $300 and $400 per room, while severe ones can cost homeowners over $5000.
Location
Living in a city means you pay more for bed bug treatment. Urban areas have higher chances of infestation, with the highest concentration coming from tourist hotspots like LA or New York. Not only are you more likely to need one, but exterminators are in high demand and charge more.
Frequency of Treatments
Under some circumstances, the exterminator will recommend follow-up inspections. They are usually included in the initial cost, while you must pay for additional treatments.
You can also sign a contract for them to perform inspections and treatments regularly. The assessments can be monthly, semi-monthly, or quarterly, which will impact the price. A once-a-year examination and treatment cost about $1000, while a semi-monthly treatment costs between $5,500 and $8,500.
Bed bugs can last a year without feeding, so you will need a follow-up after the initial treatment. If you share your home with many people or travel often, you may need to do an inspection more often.
Type of Treatment
Depending on your living space and the severity of the infestation, you can choose from several types of treatment. The least expensive option is bed bug heat treatment(thermal), bed bug fumigation, and steam and freezing treatments.
Pesticides and chemicals are more effective in targeted areas and unsuitable for treating the entire home. They work in combination with other treatments and will typically add to the cost.
Additional Costs and Services
Certain services will be part of the package, while others can be a bonus. The follow-up inspection is usually included and can add at least another $50 to the bill.
An exterminator will come to your home and inspect each nook and cranny. Since they know what to look for, they will spot the new infestation before it gets out of hand and becomes very expensive. Even when it costs more, it’s a wise investment that can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Sniffing dogs are sometimes available. Bed bugs have a distinct smell, so a trained dog can sniff them out even when there are only a few. Hotels usually use this service because it saves a lot of time. Having a sniffing dog come in can cost up to $600.
Many exterminators also offer other types of pest control. You can also use this opportunity to eliminate mice, rats, cockroaches, termites, and others.
Emergency Treatment
If you find yourself in need of immediate treatment, most exterminators will do that for you. This is particularly useful if you’ve just noticed the bed bugs and want to deal with them ASAP.
However, this will cost you. Expect to spend an additional $200 to $500 for an emergency bed bug extermination.
Pest Management
Once the bed bugs are gone, it’s time to do something to prevent them from coming back. At least make it so you don’t have to call in an exterminator soon.
The first step is to remove all the eggs and larvae. This step is relatively inexpensive compared to the complete extermination you would have to do if you skipped it. Expect to spend at least another $250 for this service;
Bed Bug Treatment cost by Treatment Type
Let’s see how much a professional bed bug treatment costs by the type of treatment.
Heat Treatment
During the heat or thermal treatment, the exterminator will pump hot air into the affected area and raise the temperature to over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Bed bugs can’t tolerate high heat so they will die.
This method is ideal for homes with sensitive individuals, children, and pets. It doesn’t dump chemicals all over the place.
However, the lack of chemicals means there will be no pest management. All bed bugs are killed during the treatment, and there’s nothing to catch those couple of strugglers in the coming days. You can combine heat treatment with the strategic placement of chemicals for the best results.
This treatment costs $1 to $3 per square foot. The average American home can spend between $2000 and $4000 for this service.
Freeze Treatment
Freezing is another chemical-free option for getting rid of bed bugs. Like with high heat, the insects don’t like the cold either.
The principle is the same as above, but it’s time for the exterminator to pump in cold air this time. This results in a snow-like powder that kills the bugs instantly.
This method is suitable for spaces that are sensitive to heat. However, it is less effective on soft furniture like sofas and armchairs. It will also need strategic chemical placement for long-lasting pest management.
The freezing treatment is more expensive than the heat treatment. It will cost between $3 and $6 per square foot.
Fumigation
Fumigation is the most effective bed bug treatment overall. The exterminator tents and seals off your home, then fill the entire space with a gas to kill the bed bugs. This will harm every living creature, so your family and pets must spend this time elsewhere.
Once the treatment is done, the exterminator flushes the house with clean air to disperse the gas. It will be at least a couple of days before it’s safe for you to return home, so make room in your budget for a hotel stay as well.
Fumigation costs between $4 and $7.50 per square foot; some homes could spend up to a whopping $50,000 on this treatment.
Chemicals and Pesticides
Available in liquid and powder form, both chemical treatments and pesticides are ideal for spot treatment. They are often combined with other methods, especially non-toxic ones.
The treatment can cost between $250 and $1000 per room.
Steam Treatment
Due to the high steam temperature, this method works like the heat or thermal treatment method. However, it has one additional benefit. Steam penetrates the upholstery fabric and permeates mattresses. Steam can reach deep into your furniture and kill bed bugs at any stage of life.
The treatment can cost between $250 and $1000 per room.
How Much Does It Cost to DIY a Bed Bug Treatment?
A DIY bed bug treatment could cost as little as the price of a bed bug spray or bed bug heater from a hardware store. You can also try out some home remedies that might help with exterminating bed bugs. See our article on Home remedies for bed bugs treatments
Although you can certainly try to get rid of the bed bugs on your own, and, understandably, you want to try it considering how much a visit from an exterminator may cost. However, it must be understood that DIY treatments, especially for large infestations, are less effective than professional bed bug treatment, and here’s why.
First, the bed bug killer you can pick from your local hardware store is not meant for extensive or severe bed bug infestation removal.
Second, Due to the nature of bed bugs multiplying quickly, missing some bed bugs in your DIY treatment will only result in another infestation, and the wider they spread in your home, the harder to exterminate all of them and the more expensive the bill will be.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Exterminator?
As mentioned above, the cost of an exterminator varies based on your location, square footage, size of the infestation, and the preferred treatment. The national average is $1,750.
Bed bug treatments cost more because they are much more difficult to remove than other pests. Since this pest can go without food for a year, the exterminator must come in for an inspection a few times. Each one of those visits will end up on the bill.
The cost of treatment per square foot of each method is listed above, but here are some numbers to serve as a guide.
Cost of bed bug treatments per number of rooms
- One room: $300-$475
- Two rooms: $750-$900
- Three rooms: $1,050-$1,300
- Four rooms: $3,750-$6,000
- Whole-home treatment: $3,750-$6,000
Cost of bed bug treatments per level of infestation:
- Low: $225-$350
- Moderate: $325-$500
- Severe: $3,500-$4,750
Cost of single, monthly, quaterly, and semi-monthly bed bug treatment:
- A single treatment: $900-$1,100
- Quarterly: $1,800-$2,100
- Monthly: $5,000-$7,200
- Semi-monthly: $5,500-$8,350
