Fumigants

Fumigants

When you have a severe infestation that cannot be controlled with traditional methods, one of the best forms of pest control is managing the infestation through the use of fumigants. Fumigants are important components in pest management programs because of their unique ability to travel throughout a common airspace and into microscopic voids to eliminate a wide variety of pests.

Fumigation is especially helpful in controlling pests which infest residences and places of business, processed food and wood products and may be the best option to take in situations where other means of pest control will not get good reach.

Solutions Pest & Lawn has a number of products in our inventory that are great to use as fumigants to control a broad variety of pests. On this page we will provide you basic information on fumigation, the pros and cons of using fumigants. You can also shop the top recommended fumigant (gas) products we have in stock.

What are Fumigants?

Fumigants are pesticides which form a gas and are toxic to animals, plants and microorganisms when they are applied. By definition a fumigant is “a chemical which, at a required temperature and pressure, can exist in the gaseous state in sufficient concentration to be lethal to a given pest organism.

Some active ingredients of fumigants are liquid in their packaging but then transform into a gas when released while others remain as gases through formulation, packaging, and release.

Other active ingredients are volatile liquids when enclosed in an ordinary container and, therefore, are not formulated under pressure. Others are solids that release gases when applied under conditions of high humidity or in the presence of water vapor.

The most commonly used fumigants in the US are phosphine (hydrogen phospide), sulfuryl fluroide, and methyl bromide. Fumigants have differing modes of action but in all cases there is some type of lethal reaction to the chemical which results in suffocation.

Conditions for Using Fumigants

Fumigants are used for structural pest control, in food and grain storage facilities, and in regulatory pest control at ports of entry and at state and national borders.

In agricultural pest control, fumigants are used in soil, greenhouses, granaries, and grain bins.

Benefits of Using Fumigants

Some of the biggest advantages that fumigants have which makes it stand out as an effective form of pest control is that fumigants are commonly toxic to all forms of life (insects, mammals and birds) so by conducting a fumigation, you can take care of multiple infestations you may have in a structure.

Fumigation chemicals are also able to get through inaccessible areas than conventional contact and residual insecticides. Where typical treatments would be unable to penetrate, fumigants can get into cracks, crevices, woods and tightly packed areas to kill even the best pest hiders.

A single treatment of fumigants usually kills most pests so there may be no need for a follow up. This also makes fumigants less expensive overtime compared to the need for repeated treatments of other types of formulations.

Fumigant Drawbacks

Often times, the place to be fumigated cannot be adequately sealed for proper fumigation to occur, which isn’t necessarily a fault of the fumigant.

Fumigants are also risky because they are nonspecific to who they harm and can be toxic to humans as well. Fumigants also require people to vacate the area for time until the treatment is complete and the fumes has dissipated.

Sometimes when it comes to fumigation, the target insect would escape and return once the fumigation is complete. Fumigation can also be more expensive to do and would require a lot of specialized equipment.

Our Recommendations

You need a specialized license to purchase true fumigants. We have Nuvan Prostrips and Nuvan Aerosol which release a gas when applied properly but they are technically not a fumigant or used to fumigate a structure of pests.

Nuvan Prostrips Vapona Insecticide - Nuvan Prostrips with Dichlorvos or DDVP Vapona, are for the control of listed insects in household, industrial, and commercial applications. Prostrips control flying and crawling insects by utilizing controlled release technology to slowly diffuse a deep penetrating gaseous vapor in enclosed spaces for up to 4 months.

Nuvan Directed Spray Aerosol - Nuvan Directed Spray Aerosol is an extension of the Nuvan Prostrips; family line for Pest Management Professionals. Nuvan Directed Spray kills bed bugs, bed bug eggs, ants, cockroaches, bees, wasps, flies, and other labeled pests on contact and through its vapor action.

Tools Needed

Fumigants often come ready to use and do not need additional tools. It is important however to have on the necessary PPE prior to handling fumigants for safety.

User Guide

The guide below is specific to Nuvan Pro Strips but we will also try to keep it general for any other fumigant that you happen to use.

Step 1: Use The Proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) For Your Application

At bare minimum we recommend using gloves, safety glasses and protective mask before handling fumigants.

Step 2: Prep the area for Fumigation

Start by sufficiently preparing for the fumigation process. Remove all food from the home, even those in fridges and cabinets or you can seal them in tightly sealed containers. Remove pets, plants and people from the area. Make sure that the entire home is shut and there are no openings of any kind. Shut doors and windows and vents. Seal any holes you see.

Step 3: Apply Fumigant

Place the fumigant in the equipment of choice and set strategically around the home. Then leave the home for at least 15 to 30 hours before returning.

When it comes to Nuvan Pro Strips, open up the package and take a PVC strip out and place it in a plastic cage then hang it up in the area you wish to treat. The strip starts to work when removed from the foil packet and is designed to protect a specified volume of area for up to four months against labeled pests. After the strip expires, simply wrap it in paper or plastic and throw it away. Place a new strip in the cartridge for continued pest control.

Step 4: Ventilate

Air out the home upon returning to let out any remaining gas.

Key Takeaways

  • Fumigants are pesticides which form a gas and are toxic to insects, animals, plants and other microorganisms when applied.
  • Fumigants are best used when infestations have reach out of control proportions or for areas that cannot be easily accessed.
  • Fumigants can be risky because they are nonspecific to who or what they harm. Read your fumigant label carefully before applying.
  1. Size:
  2. Size:
    AMVAC
    Nuvan Directed Spray Aerosol
    $42.96 - $42.96
  3. Size:
    SPECTRUM BRANDS
    Hot Shot No Pest Strips
    $9.31 - $9.31
  4. Size:
    AMVAC
    Nuvan ProStrip - Refill Strips
    $34.99 - $34.99
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