Regulations

• A professional pest-control company injects lethal gas--sulfuryl fluoride or methyl bromide--into the structure. Each state has strict guidelines for the procedures, the chemicals that can be used and the certification of professionals who offer this service.
  
  

Evacuation

• To prepare for fumigation, the house must be evacuated, and all plants and animals removed. Food should be sealed or, ideally, taken out of the house altogether. The fumigator should have bags available for this use.
  
  

Securing the Home

• The fumigator secures the house with its own locks, then covers the entire house with a heavy tarp, a process known as tenting. Any objects attached to the roof, such as antennas, must be removed, and the ground around the house should be cleared of plants and thoroughly watered so the fumigant does not leach into the soil.
  
  

Fumigation

• Fumigation amounts and concentration vary by each house and the conditions of the infestation. The pesticide remains in the house for up to 48 hours. Afterward, the tenting is removed and the house is aerated with fans. Doors and windows are open to allow outside air to circulate. Aeration lasts for up to eight hours, after which the house is once again habitable.
  
  

Certification

• The house must be certified as safe to enter after aeration. The fumigator must measure the concentration of pesticide as below the maximum level considered safe for people and animals. A reentry notice is then posted on the house.