How comfortable are you with cockroaches? Do they freak you out every time you find one in your home? Have they become so common that you gave them names? Have you, perhaps, found some middle ground where you don’t bother them as long as they don’t bother you? Regardless of what your feelings are about roaches, we can take a guess and assume you would rather not have them around. To help you with this, here are ten easy and effective ways you can exclude cockroaches from your Plano home.
Common Cockroaches Around Plano
Cockroaches can be found on every continent besides Antarctica. Although 4,000 unique species exist around the globe, only three are known for invading homes and businesses. Here is everything you need to know about each of these common home-invading roaches.
- The American Cockroach: American cockroaches are the largest native species of roach here in the United States and can grow to be upwards of 2 ⅛ inches long. When inside homes, these reddish-brown roaches can be found in warm, wet, and secluded areas of the home such as basements, crawlspaces, laundry rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.
- The German Cockroach: By far the most common cockroach around the world, the German cockroach is identifiable by the two dark parallel lines right behind their heads and the light brown to tan color of their bodies. When inside homes, German cockroaches will gravitate to areas where people eat and drink. This can include kitchens, pantries, living rooms, and bedrooms.
- The Oriental Cockroach: Also known as “waterbugs”, Oriental cockroaches are best known for their shiny black and sometimes reddish-brown bodies. When inside homes, Oriental roaches will gravitate to cool and damp locations such as crawl spaces and basements.
Problems Caused By Cockroaches
Cockroaches are a lot more than just an ugly face, they are also quite dangerous. For one, cockroaches are capable of carrying and spreading 33 forms of bacteria, seven dangerous human pathogens, and six parasitic worms. That is a lot of ways for you, your family, and your pets to get sick. Another common problem cockroaches pose is with their shed skin, fecal matter, and urine. When these irritants get into the air, they can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions.
How You Can Keep Roaches Out Of Your Home
Keeping roaches out of your home requires some work. The more effort you put in, the more success you will find. To help you manage unwanted cockroaches around your Plano home, here are ten cockroach prevention tips our experts recommend:
- Clean your home thoroughly, and make an effort to keep it as clean as possible.
- Store leftover foods inside airtight containers.
- Pick up and clean up pet food and water after they're done eating and drinking.
- Use a calking gun or some liquid cement to fill in gaps, cracks, and holes in the exterior of your home.
- Check window and door screens to make sure they are all in good working order.
- Repair leaky piping and fixtures around your home.
- Inspect your gutters and make sure they are properly channeling water away from your home’s exterior.
- Inspect used furniture and other larger items for hiding cockroaches and their eggs.
- Place fine wire screens over open vents leading out of your home.
- Invest in professional pest control services.
If you would like to avoid the stress of DIY cockroach control and possibly even save some money in the process, reach out to the professionals here at Adams Exterminating. Our team will successfully keep roaches and other pests out of your Plano home.
We are a family-owned and operated business serving over 10,000 homes in the North Texas area. That said, we have seen us all. Reach out to us with any questions about cockroaches and other unwanted pests and to schedule your free inspection.