What is an Insect Fogger?

An insect fogger is a pest control product that spreads poison aerosol all over an indoor space. In theory, these devices are able to cover a wide area with a single treatment, potentially making the process of extermination easier and less time-consuming. There are many experts who don't favor the use of an insect fogger in most situations due to questions about their effectiveness and safety. According to most experts, they're very useful against flies and other winged pests, but not so effective against roaches or ants.

These products usually come in cans with a triggering mechanism on top. They are designed so that the homeowner can set the products out, trigger them and the leave the home while they do their work. If the person were to stay in the home, he would generally be exposed to an uncomfortable level of poisoned aerosol in the air, which may cause coughing or other health problems. When people leave, the instructions usually suggest that they leave drawers open so that the aerosol can reach more pests, and they're also usually instructed to keep their pets outside the home for safety purposes.

There are some complaints about the overall effectiveness of insect fogger products. For one thing, they are aerosols and not actually gases, which means they don't necessarily penetrate all that deeply into inaccessible parts of a home. If people are expecting the products to kill roaches and other pests hiding inside their walls, experts suggest that this is generally unlikely to happen on a massive scale. The devices will often work much better on flying insects, and people with severe housefly problems can sometimes get a lot of relief by using foggers.

According to experts, another common problem with insect fogger products is the behavioral reaction of many pest insects. The poisons used in these products tend to be irritating to most pests long before killing them. This causes the pests to run for their lives and hide from the fumes. It's also generally true that the poisons used in most insect fogger products aren't thought to be especially lethal for many common pests like roaches.

Some people also believe that insect fogger products can be dangerous, but while pesticide manufacturers acknowledge a potential fire risk, they tend to dispute the actual danger of the poisons used. It is true that the products can leave a residue behind on many areas of a home, and people are often urged to wash things off after using them, but there is some question about how dangerous this residue actually is. Some people are allergic to the products, and they may have more severe reactions, but they may not be that dangerous for most individuals as long as there isn't too much exposure.