Cockroach Control 101 What Every Elk Grove Homeowner Ought To Know

Cockroach Control 101: What Every Elk Grove Homeowner Ought To Know

We get many questions about roaches, such as: Are palmetto bugs cockroaches? Do cockroaches play dead, and Can cockroaches drown?" While these pests are extremely common in Elk Grove, most residents don't care to know all that much about them—until they appear indoors. When roaches appear, the questions are many. What kind of roach is this? Why am I finding them lying on their backs in my home when I don't have any pest control applied? Are they coming into my home by way of the toilet? Our goal today is not to go through all of the many questions people have about cockroaches but to zero in on the most important facts that relate to how you can prevent cockroaches from appearing inside your home. If you don't have a cockroach infestation in your home yet, you will find helpful tips here that can stop them before they get in. We'll focus on cockroach Identification, unique characteristics of cockroaches that relate to prevention, risk factors, and exterior prevention tips that really work. If you need information regarding a current infestation, jump to the last section to learn the best pest control solution for Elik Grove homes.

Types Of Cockroaches Found In Elk Grove

All roaches are not equal. Some are dirtier than others and present more of a risk to you and your family. Some are harder to control. The first step in prevention is evaluation. You need to consider the factors that attract different kinds of cockroaches in Elk Grove and the characteristics of cockroaches that relate to their desire to live with humans.

Outdoor Cockroaches:

There are many species that don't prefer to live with humans. They find all they need in exterior environments. Many of these are recognizable by the one way they are different from other cockroaches. These roaches don't mind appearing during the day. You may find them running around on your back porch before you see them inside. You may notice them near overhead lights or the lighting in your landscaping. Outdoor cockroaches are strongly deterred by pest-proofing. If you use a caulking gun and a few cans of high-quality expanding foam and you repair critical points of entry, such as gaps around exterior doors, you can keep these roaches out. If more control is needed, perimeter protection provided by a pest control service technician can help.

Dirty Cockroaches:

We have some cockroach species that have a strong preference for filthy environments. They don't do well inside clean homes. Sanitation has a big impact on these pests. Cleaning your home and protecting indoor human food sources is the first step. The second step is to consider trash management. Keep all trash in covered containers. Keep containers as clean as possible to remove roach-attracting scents. Never leave filled garbage bags outside of containers if you can help it. Do your best to get your exterior trash to the curb weekly. If you miss a week, consider washing your receptacle with soapy water. Dirty cockroaches are often easier to keep out of Elk Grove homes, but, when they get in, they are a greater health risk.

Water Roaches:

Have you heard the names Palmetto bug or water bugs? These are roaches that have a preference for damp environments. Some cockroach species don't prefer to live indoors because interiors are too dry. Moisture-loving pest roaches tolerate conditions that aren't damp enough if they can find food indoors. Fixing plumbing issues, such as leaking faucets, and installing dehumidifiers may provide enough incentive to make these roaches change their minds. Of course, sanitation also plays a part. Together, humidity control, sanitation, and pest-proofing can stop these roaches from living in your home.

Now that you're armed with specific cockroach prevention techniques, let's tie these together with the risk factors involved in having cockroaches in your home. It is not commonly understood that all-natural cockroach prevention provides two benefits: keeping cockroaches out and reducing the risk of roach-related illness.

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Factors That Attract Cockroaches Into Homes

We've touched on the topic of how to deter cockroaches from accessing unsanitary environments. We've looked at how pest-proofing and humidity control help to keep cockroaches out. Now, let's look at the factors that attract cockroaches into your home.

The frontline of cockroach control is the perimeter around your home. When cockroaches are close enough to explore your foundation and exterior walls, they are close enough to find tiny vulnerabilities in your pest-proofing. Removing attractants can reduce roach populations around your home. Here are a few examples.

Cockroaches can smell your trash from a distance. When they detect that aroma carried on the wind, they're going to head toward your home in search of what is making that smell.
Cockroaches eat feces. If you have a dog (or livestock) that leaves waste in the yard, cockroaches will slowly move toward your home as they feed on this material.
Cockroaches hide in damp environments. A damp environment provides essential hydration for cockroaches. Leaf litter, dense vegetation, and tall grass are common attractants.
Certain cockroaches are strongly attracted to wood debris. They'll hide in scrap wood, construction materials, campfire wood, logs, and brush piles.
Cockroaches hide underneath objects to shield themselves from the sun, which acts as a desiccant. Storing yard clutter indoors may deter cockroach encroachment.
Cockroaches eat paper products and decaying organic matter. If you have a stack of old pizza boxes in your garage, you can bet cockroaches will take notice.
Cockroaches are drawn to any pile of junk or garbage because they are thigmotactic. That is a fancy word that means, they like tight spaces.

When you address the factors that inspire cockroaches to live on your property and explore your exterior, you'll have an easier time keeping roaches out of your home with pest-proofing. These provide great protection and they are all-natural. Unfortunately, they require work. If you need help keeping cockroaches out because you can't stay ahead of all that you need to do to deter them, we can help. Bell Pest Control provides ongoing pest control service for sustainable perimeter pest management and crack and crevice protection. Your exterior will always have what it needs to keep roaches out.

What do you do if you already have a cockroach infestation? Do these methods work to drive cockroaches out? In some ways, they do. But all-natural roach control isn't nearly as effective as roach prevention. Let's take a look at how cockroach control works.

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Cockroaches Are Known To Trigger Allergies And Spread Disease

We're sure you know this. Cockroaches are unsanitary pests that make us ill. How ill depends on the environments the roaches are exploring. If they have access to an open trash can or dumpster, they can't help but explore them. A cockroach can quickly move from trash to dish cabinets, stored foods, and food-preparation surfaces. If cockroaches get dirty exploring your bathroom, your toothbrush may become contaminated. Cleaning these areas and guarding objects that cockroaches may contaminate will help to guard you against illness. How do cockroaches make you sick? Here are a few facts to consider.

Roaches are known to spread more than 33 kinds of bacteria. You may know some of these bacteria as their names are in the diseases roaches spread, such as salmonellosis.
Roaches are known to pick up at least six named parasitic worms. These worms are microscopic and undetectable—until you have pains in your stomach.
Roaches are known to spread more than seven human pathogens. These are viral by nature and may spread from person to person after initial contact with cockroaches.
Roaches leave materials in your home that trigger allergies. Recent studies show an alarming increase in hospital visits regarding asthma symptoms for homes that have cockroach infestations.

There are many ways cockroaches can make you sick. Most of them are somewhat preventable with a high level of sanitation and route control. Sanitation removes the germs and microorganisms that cockroaches may spread. Route control works toward preventing cockroaches from accessing sensitive items in your home.

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The Best Cockroach Control Solution For Elk Grove Homes

If you currently have an infestation, what is the best way to get rid of cockroaches? We recommend reaching out to Bell Pest Control for professional pest control in Elk Grove. Why? Because cockroaches are typically a challenge to eliminate. Pest roaches are robust and resilient critters. Many over-the-counter control products don't work because roaches have developed immunities to these materials. Perhaps you've noticed. Have you ever doused a roach and watched it walk away unphased?

When we address your infestation, we apply a multi-pronged control solution that uses several materials and control products to get the job done. We also provide complete roach management by evaluating your problem scientifically and working on the problem until no cockroaches remain in the structure. To achieve results, we follow-up, monitor, and perform professional inspections to catch subtle signs of continued infestation. There is no better way to control cockroaches in Elk Grove. If you'd like to learn more about our control strategies or request to have one of our service technicians check on your cockroach problem, contact us. We have the experience and certifications to provide the results you want.

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