Can You Fog Your Attic For Bugs? [Here’s How]

Bug infestations can be a disgusting problem for homeowners to deal with. Sometimes people don't have the money to hire an exterminator or would simply rather handle it themselves if possible. When it comes to bugs in your attic, you need to know what a safe and effective option is to remove them. So it's natural to wonder, is it safe to fog your attic for bugs? We've researched to find the answer for you.

Most of the time, yes, attics are large enough areas to use a fogger or bug bomb. Stay safe by taking precautions and using the appropriately sized bomb or fog quantity. In terms of effectiveness, bug bombs and foggers will kill any exposed bugs; however, they will not penetrate crevices and insulation. Any bugs that make it into these protected areas are essentially safe from even professional-grade pesticides. While a fogger will kill bugs in your attic, it certainly is not the most effective option.

While not the end-all solution, fogging your attic for bugs can help limit or slow their infestation. If you're interested in what steps you need to take to fog your attic, necessary precautions, or have general questions, we hope you will keep reading as we provide detailed answers and helpful tips to rid your attic of bugs.

A fogging machine being prepared by a worker to fog a whole house, Can You Fog Your Attic For Bugs? [Here's How]

How to Fog (or Bug Bomb) Your Attic - Guidance & Precautions

Fogging your attic is a pretty simple process. Here we will provide a step-by-step guide for properly and safely fumigating.

Simplified Fogging Guide

  1. Research your intended product and the size of the attic you intend to fog.
  2. Read all directions on the bomb/fogger.
  3. Do not use more than the recommended amount of poison.
  4. Cover or double bag all of your food, medicine, or dental products. You can alternatively move them out of the house with you.
  5. Unplug any possible appliances that can spark or create a fire.
  6. Get your family, pets, and plants out of the house and plan on being out of the house for up to a full (24-hour) day.
  7. Activate your bomb or use your fogger, and then vacate the premises.
  8. Stay out of your home the amount of time on the directions of your product.
  9. Wipe down and disinfect any surfaces that come into contact with food when you return.

Necessary Precautions

You need to take a few precautions to make the process as safe as possible. It is not safe to stay in your home when fogging your attic. If you decide to use a bug bomb, make sure to use the proper size for your attic, so you don't over fumigate. Make sure to consider the same thing when using a fogger. Over fumigating can lead to the buildup of dangerous gas around the house and make any occupants ill.

Leave the house and take any pets with you while the gasses are being released. Remember, you're trying to poison these bugs, and the gas is not safe to inhale for extended periods. The gasses are all usually flammable and can be a fire hazard. Unplug any appliances that could cause a spark. This includes refrigerators, stoves, and air conditioners. Also, turn off your pilot lights in your heaters, and make sure not to place the bomb anywhere near them.

If anyone feels ill after coming back into the home, leave immediately. Prolonged exposure can be fatal to children and the elderly and cause lasting effects in others.

To see a specific fogger in action and for some helpful tips for fogging your home in general, check out this video from Cedarcide.

Safety PPE

Perhaps the most important piece of equipment you will use when fogging is a face mask. While we are used to masks at this point, a normal face covering most likely isn't going to be enough to block out the gasses from your fogger. We recommend a mask like this Gas Proof Respirator to keep yourself from breathing in the gas fumes. Click here to see on Amazon.

Foggers

You'll also need a fogger. If you liked the video we embedded earlier on in the post; this Pest Fogger is from Cedarcide, the same company that produced that video. Click here to see on Amazon.

Finally, you'll need the poison you plan on using to fog your attic. If you want to use the above fogger, the best product you can use is CedarCide Original. While it kills and repels a variety of bugs, it also used a natural formula. Click here to see on Amazon.

Always remember to do your research. Know what type of bugs are infesting your attic and look for poisons specifically for them.

What Kinds Of Bugs Live In Attics?

There are quite a few types of bugs that will move into and infest your attic. The most common include roaches, termites, spiders, ants, bees, and silverfish. Roaches love attics because they will go out of their way to stay away from people and remain in dark areas. Attics provide them a great home, but roaches can eventually become a major health hazard for anyone living in the house, so they will need to be removed.

Termites are a detrimental pest. Attics will usually have a ton of exposed wood thanks to roof boards and support beams. Termites can cause thousands of dollars in damages thanks to their wood diet, so recognizing an infestation and treating it can be incredibly important.

Silverfish will eat through paper and clothing. They love the cellulose and starches in these, as well as the humid and warm attic space. If you're keeping documents or fabrics in your attic, make sure they are sealed in hard plastic.

Bees, ants, and spiders are other common attic pests. Luckily there are less damaging and dangerous than the others listed, but it is still important to keep them under control.

Do Foggers Kill Bugs?

Foggers can kill bugs. If you are using the appropriate poison for your infestation, they will kill any exposed bugs. However, it is important to remember that they only kill when in direct contact with the pest. Bugs are small, obviously, but this lets them go into cracks and crevices and hide underneath objects.

In your attic specifically, there are layers of insulation that are a few inches thick. The poison from a fogger is not going to penetrate that, and any bugs underneath the insulation or that can run and hide in it will survive any fogging attempts by you. Generally, fogging your attic is not going to rid you of a pest infestation on its own, and you'll need further action to kill off those pests.

How Do You Clean Up After A Bug Bomb?

If you use a bug bomb, be sure to read the instructions carefully. They will tell you how long to be out of the house, how to clean up afterward, and how to use it in general. Generally, though, you'll want to focus on a few things. Any surfaces that children come into contact with need to be cleaned thoroughly. Make sure to vacuum carpets and wipe down floors. Disinfect any cooking surfaces as well, so you do not accidentally ingest the poisons. For the most part, you can just use normal soap and water solutions for cleaning.

Make sure to ventilate your home. In this article, we are mostly discussing the attic, but vapors from a bug bomb will penetrate the home through vents and other ways. Open up your windows, run fans, or leave a door open to let these gasses out of your home. Remember that if anyone feels ill to leave the home and continue to let the vapor settle. The gas from both a fogger and a bug bomb is pulled down onto surfaces by gravity over time. This is why cleanup is important and why it does not hang in the air perpetually.

How Do You Keep Bugs Out Of The Attic?

The most important thing you can do to keep bugs out is to check for them regularly. Advance notice will let you take action to stop an infestation from becoming a major problem. Regularly fogging or putting out repellants can also help.

If you see open cracks or weak areas, it is helpful to caulk them. This will make it harder for bugs to wriggle into your attic and make a home. Also, make sure to keep any of your valuables stored in the attic in sealed hard plastic. It's unlikely that bugs will be able to gnaw through them and will reduce the available areas for them to take up residence while protecting your belongings. Wood, cardboard, and paper can all provide both a food source and a home for bugs.

Reducing moisture is another helpful option. Repair leaky pipes or any holes in the roof where water can get in. Silverfish, cockroaches, and mosquitoes all need water for breeding and sustenance, so keeping your attic as dry as possible will help reduce the likelihood of their infestation. If there is enough moisture, these bugs will quickly multiply and become a big problem.

Final Thoughts

You absolutely can fog your attic for bugs. Be sure to do your research and follow the instructions that come with your chosen method. Remember that fogging in an area like the attic is not 100% effective, and it may take more to get rid of any infestations.

To learn more about ceiling cracks that could affect your attic infestation, check out 6 Types Of Ceiling Cracks Homeowners Should Know.

To better understand the attic temperatures, check out Is A Black Metal Roof Too Hot? [And How To Reduce Overheating].

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