Will heat treatment damage my home?
No. Professional heat treatment holds the air temperature at 55-60°C for a controlled period — hot enough to kill bed bugs, but well below the threshold that damages a well-maintained home. Painted walls, plaster, wallpaper, solid wood, laminate flooring, sealed kitchen units, UPVC windows and standard plumbing all tolerate these temperatures without issue. The only risk is where pre-existing damage already exists: loose wallpaper, cracked glass, or old adhesives may fail during normal seasonal temperature swings anyway, and the heat cycle can accelerate that. We walk through the property before starting and flag any areas of concern.
Electronics and heat treatment
Modern electronics are designed to operate at internal temperatures well above 60°C, and they survive heat treatment without damage. TVs, laptops, games consoles, routers, kitchen appliances, alarm clocks and charging cables can all stay in place. We do ask you to remove items with pressurised batteries or volatile components: aerosols, some power-tool batteries, lighters and anything marked with a heat warning. If you have a high-end musical instrument, vintage audio equipment or a large aquarium, tell us during the phone survey so we can plan around it.
Books, photographs, documents and artwork
Books and paper documents are safe at 55-60°C. The temperature is lower than a hot car dashboard on a summer day, and well below the paper-scorching or ink-running range. Photographs printed on modern resin-coated paper are also fine. We do ask customers to remove wax-based artworks, candles, oil paintings with thick impasto, and any antique or delicate item with a known heat sensitivity. If you have a small safe of irreplaceable documents, you can leave it closed in the room — the heat penetrates slowly and the contents will be within safe limits.
The short list: what to remove before we arrive
Pressurised aerosols, deodorants and hairsprays. Candles, wax melts and wax-based cosmetics. Lighters and butane canisters. Vinyl records and some cassette tapes. Live plants, fresh flowers and fish tanks. Unstable medications with heat warnings on the label. Perishables you want to keep (chocolate, soft cheeses, butter). Some high-end musical instruments and oil paintings. Everything else — clothes, books, electronics, bedding, soft furnishings — stays exactly where it is.
How we protect items on the day
The technician carries out a final walk-through before the heaters go on. We remove the flagged items, protect aquariums and sensitive electronics with thermal blankets if needed, and place temperature probes in the worst-case cold spots so we know the heat is reaching every corner. Fans move air continuously to prevent hot spots, and the hold time is monitored at the coldest point in the room. That combination is what makes heat treatment safe for your home while being lethal for bed bugs.
FAQs
Will bed bug heat treatment damage my TV or laptop?
No. Modern TVs and laptops are rated for internal temperatures well above the 55-60°C we use. They can stay in the room, though we recommend closing laptops and removing any external batteries that have a heat warning.
Does bed bug heat treatment damage books?
No. Books and paper documents tolerate 55-60°C easily. The temperature is lower than the inside of a parked car on a hot summer day. Leave them on shelves or in boxes.
Do I need to take pictures off the wall?
Only if they are oil paintings with thick paint, wax-based artworks, or antique frames with old glued joints. Standard framed prints and photographs can stay.
What household items are most at risk from heat treatment?
The items we remove are heat-sensitive or pressurised: aerosols, candles, lighters, some batteries, vinyl records, plants, fish tanks, and unstable medications. These are the same things you would not leave in a hot car.
Worried about a specific item in your home? Call 0204 569 0701 and we'll talk you through it.
0204 569 0701