Say “bye-bye” to your bug problem
Fumigation involves placing a tent over the home, setting off a fumigant, and allowing the house to air out after the fumigant has done its job.
Fumigation isn’t a simple project, so make sure it’s your best or only choice before proceeding.
Make sure you open all cupboards and cabinets and tightly seal any left-behind food if you’re fumigating.
You’ll usually pay around $5 to $20 per square foot for home fumigation.
Fumigation is an inconvenient process, but it’s less inconvenient than paying thousands of dollars to repair damage caused by harmful pests, like termites and bed bugs. Although you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay for a few nights, this pest-killing method is more efficient and effective than other solutions. However, it’s important to know what the process involves before you agree to it. Learn how fumigation works so that you know exactly what you’re getting into.
Fumigation is the process of eliminating pests, such as termites, via tenting the home and exposing the pests to fumigants. Fumigation makes the most sense for more severe cases where heat treatment or other pesticides aren’t possible. This happens when the pest problem becomes widespread, making it difficult to locate the source of the problem.
The gas used to kill the pests in your home can be dangerous to pets and humans, so you’ll need to leave your home for at least 48 hours (sometimes longer). Before you go, there are a few things you should do first:
Make sure to leave all of the doors to your rooms, closets, and bathrooms open. During fumigation, the open doors will allow the gas to travel between rooms and kill the termites wherever they are.
Be sure to remove all pets, plants, and people from your home, and that includes your fish! Fumigation is an invasive process, so you’ll need to plan to make sure you and your furry family members have a place to go.
Your fumigation specialist should provide specialty bags to protect all consumables against the poisonous gas. Be sure to bag all food, medications, pet food, tobacco, and toothpaste; you don’t need to seal unopened canned or jarred food.
The fumigation specialist will put a tent over your home. You should plan to rake gravel or mulch at least a foot away from your house’s foundation before they arrive. If you have plants or bushes next to the house, talk to a professional to decide what to remove.
You may need to shut off gas services to your home for a few days. Your utility company can help you plan when to shut off the service and when to resume it. Make sure you don’t have any package deliveries scheduled for the time you’ll be away. You may even want to ask the postal service to hold your mail for a few days.
First, the extermination company will give you instructions for handling your pets, family, plants, and food. Before gassing out the pests, the pest control company will put a large tent over your home. This tent helps contain the gasses used to kill the bugs.
A fumigant, or gas used to kill pests, is released all throughout your home. After a day has passed, a pro will return to begin aerating your home, allowing the gas to leave your home slowly on its own. Usually after a full day or two of aeration, the fumigation crew will return to remove the tent from your home and test the air to make sure it’s suitable for you to move back in.
The application process takes about six hours, depending on the size of your home. It takes another 24 to 48 hours for the poison to settle and dissipate so that you can return safely. Plan an extra day for preparing your home and returning things to normal once the fumigation is complete.
Once the fumigation process wraps up, the pest control specialist will air out your home, remove the tent, and clean up any materials left behind. You should have your gas turned back on once you’re ready to move back in. Some people feel more comfortable doing a deep clean afterward, though it’s unnecessary.
Fumigation is an effective way to get rid of current infestations. However, fumigation does not prevent pests from reentering the home. You’ll need to take preventative measures to ensure your home stays safe from future infestations.
For certain pests, try standard exterminations before resorting to fumigation to save on costs. Fumigation typically costs $5 to $20 per square foot, or about $1,200 to $2,500 for an average-sized home. On the other hand, a simple cockroach extermination costs between $300 and $700 and is similarly effective.
It’s easier and safer to hire a local pest control company to complete any fumigation work. Professional companies have access to stronger fumigation materials than what’s available commercially. Plus, the pros know how to handle these dangerous chemicals safely. Making a mistake with fumigants could lead to you or your pets getting dangerously sick.
Additionally, tenting your home on your own is difficult and expensive. The complex labor required is enough to deter most avid DIYers away from the project if the risk of fumigant illness isn’t enough already.
Angela Brown contributed to this piece.
Aside from living creatures, like pets, plants, and humans, most things can be left in a home during fumigation, provided they are tightly and properly sealed. That includes food, medicine, furniture, electronics, and the like. So, while you may have to move out for a few days, the rest of your stuff can stay.
All electronics need to be unplugged and turned off during fumigation, and that includes your fridge. Your fridge’s ventilation system may pull in harmful fumigation chemicals if left on. The best thing you can do is aim to eat all of your fresh or frozen foods before fumigation and toss or take with you what you couldn’t eat when the time comes.
Anything that might have been exposed to fumigation chemicals should be washed before use. Wipe down and sanitize surfaces like countertops and tables, and wash all utensils (or take care to store them in an airtight box beforehand), as well as anything else that could find its way into someone’s mouth, like kid or pet toys.
While fumigation chemicals cannot pass through solid objects, they will seep into any openings in walls, doors, or other closed spaces. This allows them to get into tight places where pests may be hiding and causing damage, like termites ruining the foundation of your home. It also means that your home needs to ventilate for 48 hours before returning to ensure that no harmful chemicals remain in your space.
