Fumigation treats an entire building at once. Sealed tarps wrap the structure while a gas spreads into wall voids, furniture and every stored box. It is the most complete bed bug method we offer, and we save it for cases that have spread through a full house.
When Tenting Is the Right Call
- Bugs or signs show up in almost every room.
- An earlier heat or chemical job did not hold.
- There are too many stored things to treat one by one.
- A small detached building needs every room treated together.
How Fumigation Works in California
- Site surveyWe measure the house and give you a written list of what to bag or remove.
- SealTarps go over the structure and warning signs go up.
- FumigateUnder a Branch 1 license, our fumigator releases the gas and holds it for the period California requires.
- ClearanceTarps come off, the house airs out and gas readings must confirm it is safe.
Fumigation in Berkeley
In Berkeley tenting mostly suits detached houses, from 1920s bungalows in Thousand Oaks and Westbrae to larger homes on the steep streets of the north hills. Hillside lots with stairs, decks and retaining walls, and houses built close together in the flats, can make tarping tricky, so our survey checks access on all sides. Apartment buildings and attached units are rarely tented for bed bugs, and heat or a chemical plan usually serves them better.
Preparing to Leave
- Seal food, medicine and pet food in the fumigation bags we provide, or take them with you.
- Plan 2 to 3 nights away for everyone, including pets.
- Soak the soil next to the foundation and cut shrubs back from the siding.
- Clear a path around the house for the tarps.
Fumigation Questions
How do I know the house is safe to enter after fumigation?
The house is aired out and our licensed fumigator tests the air with a gas detector. Nobody goes back in until the readings show it is clear.
Will tenting keep bed bugs out for good?
No. The gas leaves no lasting residue, so bugs that arrive later in a bag or on used furniture can start over. Some plans add a residual treatment after the tarps come off.
What happens when you reach out: Bed Bug Control CA provides bed bug inspection and treatment across California. We book an inspection at your Berkeley home at a time that suits you. You get a written quote before any treatment.