Fumigation treats a whole building at once. Tarps go over the whole house, and a fumigant gas seeps into wall cavities, drawers, closets and every stored box. It is the most intensive bed bug option and is kept for problems that have spread across a house.
When Tenting Is the Right Call
- Activity shows up in the family room, office and closets as well as the bedrooms.
- Heat or chemical treatment was tried and did not work.
- The house holds too many belongings to treat item by item.
- Closets, a garage or storage rooms are packed and hard to reach.
How Structural Fumigation Works in California
- SurveyA fumigator walks the property, measures the house and gives you a prep checklist on paper.
- CoverCrews drape and clamp the tarps around the house and put up warning placards.
- FumigateThe licensed operator introduces the gas and keeps the house sealed for the label period.
- ClearTarps come off, the house airs out and the air is tested.
Fumigation in Lafayette
On a large Lafayette lot, tenting takes planning. Oaks and shrubs close to the house may need trimming so tarps fit, and a sloped or wooded site can make the job slower. If the property has a guest cottage or pool house, ask whether it will be tented too or treated another way. A good quote explains why fumigation is better than heat or chemicals for your home.
How to Prepare
- Pack pantry food, pet food and medicine into the special fumigation bags, or take them with you.
- Book 2 to 3 nights away for the family and pets.
- Soak the soil beside the foundation and cut back oak limbs or shrubs that rest on the roof or walls.
- Open gates and clear side paths so the crew can reach every wall.
Questions About Fumigation
How long is a Lafayette family usually out of the house for tenting?
Usually 2 to 3 nights, until the house has aired out and air testing clears it.
Will tenting keep bed bugs from coming back?
No. The gas airs out completely, so nothing remains to stop bugs that arrive on the next trip. Many companies add a residual treatment afterward.
How your call is handled: Bed Bug Control CA is a free referral service. When you call or send the form, you are connected with an independent, licensed pest control company that serves Lafayette. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.