Why 55-60°C is safe for your home
Bed bugs and their eggs die between 45-47°C. We hold 55-60°C at the coldest monitored point to build in a safety margin — but that is still far below the temperature at which household materials are affected. Solid wood furniture doesn't warp until sustained exposure well above 70°C. Upholstery, mattresses and carpets are unaffected. Paint, plaster and wallpaper are unaffected. TVs, computers and most electronics are rated to operate or store at temperatures above 60°C. Your loft on a July afternoon is often hotter than a treatment room.
Live thermal monitoring — the part that matters
The difference between a professional treatment and a cowboy one is monitoring. We place wireless calibrated temperature probes in the coldest spots of the room — inside the bed frame, under the mattress, behind the headboard, inside drawer voids — and they report live to a tablet throughout the cycle. The technician watches every probe: hot spots are managed by repositioning fans and moving air, and nothing is left to guesswork. You receive the full temperature log with your written report afterwards.
The short list of items we remove
A small number of items genuinely don't tolerate heat, and we remove or protect them before the heaters switch on: aerosol cans and pressurised containers, candles and wax-based items, vinyl records, certain medications (we'll flag these at the assessment), fresh fruit and chocolate, live plants and fish tanks, and heat-sensitive valuables such as oil paintings or antique musical instruments — tell us about these and we'll protect or remove them. Everything else stays exactly where it is. In fact, heat treating your belongings in place is the point: books, clothes, shoes and soft furnishings all get de-infested at the same time as the room.
What about electronics, books and photographs?
These are the three categories people ask about most, and all three are safe. Electronics: TVs, laptops, games consoles and routers tolerate 60°C comfortably — we simply switch them off and unplug them. Books: paper doesn't yellow or become brittle until far higher temperatures; heat treatment is actually used by museums and archives to de-infest rare books. Photographs: modern prints are unaffected; if you have very old or irreplaceable photographs, mention them and we'll remove them as a precaution.
Fire safety and insurance
Our heaters are commercial electric units with overheat cut-outs, run on dedicated circuits, and are never left unattended — a technician is on site for the entire cycle. Electric heat produces no flame, no fumes and no moisture, which is why it is the method approved for residential use. We carry full public liability insurance, and every treatment is documented with a temperature log and photo record.
FAQs
Will heat treatment damage my TV or computer?
No. Consumer electronics are rated for storage temperatures above 60°C. We switch them off and unplug them before the cycle, and they go straight back afterwards.
Will it warp my wooden furniture or floor?
No. Wood warping requires sustained heat well above what we use, combined with moisture. Our dry electric heat at 55-60°C leaves furniture, floors and joinery exactly as we found them.
What happens to my houseplants and fish tank?
Both need to leave the treatment room — plants and fish won't tolerate the heat. We'll remind you at the assessment, and our preparation checklist covers exactly where to move them.
Is there any fire risk?
No flame is involved — the heaters are electric with automatic cut-outs, and a technician monitors the room for the entire treatment. It is the safest method available for residential properties.
Do I need to bag up my clothes and books?
No — that's a chemical-treatment requirement. With heat, your belongings are treated in place, which is exactly how we make sure no bugs or eggs survive inside them.
Still worried about a specific item? Call 0204 569 0701 and ask — we've heard it all.
0204 569 0701