Pros differ on methodology. Some blast the pests in their nests with limestone dust (NIC 325) or diatomaceous earth made of fossilized shells. These non-toxic desiccants kill the bugs but present minimal risk to humans and animals. Says Joel Fagin of New York's Dial-A-Bug. "We shoot NIC 325 into the wall voids to prevent infestation from one apartment to another." Though it's organic, he cautions against dousing your home with the stuff. "You don't want to stir up airborne substances."
A chemical-free alternative, called ThermaPureHeat, basically cooks the bugs to death. The process involves all sorts of gadgetry: thermal-imaging photography (pictured here), remote probes, and hydronic heating tubes or Mylar air ducts. But it's fast, safe, and effective, according to E-Therm president David Hedman. "We're in and out in three to four hours. We know that bedbugs die at a 130-degree surface temperature. And we're gonna kill the bugs."
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