Your home is precious – its a safe space to relax with family and friends. Therefore, it’s perfectly natural to take the invasion of pests like cockroaches personally. Responsible, proactive homeowners want to know what they can do to prevent roach infestations and exterminate a roach population once it becomes a problem. There are tips and tricks you implement to prevent and eliminate cockroaches, but there are also risks to at-home solutions.
An Introduction To Cockroaches
Cockroaches are infamously hard to get rid of. They can survive at length without oxygen, making them resistant to drowning. They can survive being crushed thanks to their flat bodies and hard exoskeletons. They can survive long periods of time without food. They can even quickly develop resistances to chemical sprays and treatments. This can mean big trouble, since the longer roaches are around, the more they can spread germs, diseases, and parasites throughout your home. These problems aside, knowing how to identify varieties of cockroaches is the first step toward eliminating them from your home:
- American Cockroach: Notable for the figure-8 shape on the backs of their heads, these cockroaches are the largest to invade San Antonio homes. Typically brown or reddish with long antennae and ovular bodies, these roaches can grow over an inch in size.
- German Cockroach: The most common type of cockroaches in the world, these roaches reproduce quickly and are most-recognizable by the two dark dashes on their backs.
- Oriental Cockroach: The only variety in this list without flight-capable wings, these dark-colored roaches are also called “waterbugs.” They can grow quite large, over a half-inch in size typically, and appear to have sturdy exterior plates on their backs.
The Dangers Of DIY Methods For Cockroach Control
Once people spot one or more of these varieties on their property, they often try to remove the populations themselves. While it’s good to act fast, there are dangers to inexperience when dealing with pest control, specifically hazardous chemicals. Over-the-counter sprays and pesticides can contain harmful compounds that, if used incorrectly, can have lasting effects on a household. Even store-bought natural compounds that tout healthy roach elimination are often less than effective. In the end, it’s better to be safe rather than sorry, especially where dangerous pests like cockroaches are concerned.
Lastly, cockroaches are hearty creatures and are likely to become immune to chemicals used repeatedly to attempt to deplete their population. Moreover, roaches are experts when it comes to hiding, so eliminating an entire population without the help of a professional is practically impossible.
Cockroach Prevention Methods
That said, there are some things that the discerning homeowner can do to prevent a cockroach infestation:
- Deep cleaning: Cockroaches can detect the merest of food traces left behind in the home. Making sure crumbs, spills and food serving areas are completely sanitized is important.
- Decluttering: Cockroaches are good at hiding, and they prefer dark, cramped places like attics, basements, closets and other storage areas. As such, reducing clutter in these spaces, and throughout the home, eliminates opportunities for roaches to nest and hide.
- Routine maintenance: No hole or crack should be treated as too small for a cockroach. Many can flatten their bodies and fit through spaces that other pests can’t, so sealing up any areas of concern in and around your home is a good step to take towards cockroach prevention. Pay careful attention to places where wires or pipes run through the wall and floor.
The Ultimate Secret: Professional Solutions
Because at-home methods won’t effectively eliminate cockroaches, it’s best to turn to the professionals for cockroach control. The experts at Romney Pest Control have experience with locating places where roaches hide, and our elimination methods are proven, safe, and cost-effective. Not only can we get rid of cockroach populations at the first sign of an infestation, we can work with homeowners and businesses to prevent future issues with these pests. Regular inspection and treatments by the local professionals can prevent infestations from occurring in the first place.
Don’t try to handle the burden of cockroaches all by yourself, turn to Romney for total pest prevention and elimination.
