How Are Cockroaches Getting Inside My NC Home?

If you have found this article, there is a good chance you are trying to figure out just how cockroaches are getting into your home. Perhaps you keep your home clean, and perhaps you believe your home is tight and secure. So when you flick on the kitchen light at midnight and you see a cockroach scoot across the counter and disappear inside a crack, you are baffled. How are these filthy creatures getting in? In this article, we will answer this question, as well as give some advice on what you can do to make your home less inviting (and less accessible) to cockroaches.

What Draws Cockroaches Close To Certain Homes?

Before cockroaches find ways to get into your home, they first must be drawn in close to your home. There are several conditions that act as a "Welcome To My Yard" sign for cockroaches.

• Clutter in your yard. This means there are hiding places for cockroaches and other insects and animals.
• Water sources. Some of those things probably hold water when it rains. Other things that provide water sources for pests include pet water bowls, leaky spigots or hoses, and areas of hard ground that don't allow rainwater to sink in.
• Weeds and overgrowth to hide in.
• Compost, leftover barbecue food, pet food, and other items pests can feast on.
• Open trash cans that let smells out, and cockroaches in.

What Lets Them Into My Home?

• Gaps, holes, or cracks in your foundation or walls.
• Gaps around items that enter your home such as pipes, wires, and air conditioning units.
• Absent or torn window or door screens.
• Absent or damaged weather stripping.
• Chimneys or vents that allow access to pests.
• Doors or windows that are left open.
• Pet doors that stick open.

Steps To Keep Cockroaches Out In Summer (And All Year Long)

While the only sure way to completely eliminate a cockroach infestation is to partner with a professional, licensed pest control company, there are several things home and business owners can do to try to keep cockroaches from entering in the first place.

• Closely examine the outside of your home and seal up any gaps, cracks and holes that you find.
• Repair or replace any damaged or absent door or window screens.
• Make sure all weather stripping is present and in good working order.
• Install screens over chimneys and vents where possible.
• Make sure all outside trash containers have tight-fitting lids.
• Remove water sources around your home.
• Remove as much clutter as possible from your property.
• Remove weeds and yard waste and keep your grass neatly trimmed.

If you do nothing in the summer months, when the weather outside is comfortable for roaches, how much more will roaches enter your home once the weather turns cooler and pests start looking for warmth and food sources? Cockroaches are filthy insects that contaminate food sources, spread disease, and ruin reputations. If you need assistance in getting rid of roaches in your home or business, reach out to A-1 Termite and Pest Control today.