In all the world, no other insect is quite like the cockroach. They are highly mobile critters. Would you believe that they are able to run as fast as fifty body lengths every second? It doesn't take long for a cockroach to go from an unsanitary place in or around your home to a place you'd prefer to stay clean, like a cutting board or a toothbrush. It is an unsavory thought for sure, but it is critical to understand this simple fact. Cockroaches are robust animals with a high tolerance for things that make humans sick, and they can crawl in extremely unsanitary habitats. Worse still is that roaches are actually attracted to dirty things because their role in nature is to break down rotting organic matter and clean up waste materials left by other animals. Needless to say, you definitely don't need these unhygienic insects inside your home. So, what can you do to keep them out? Join us today as we tell you how you can prevent a cockroach infestation, explain some of the health risks of having roaches in your home, and give five eco-friendly tips to help you with your roach control. If your desire is to have zero roaches in your home, we'll tell you how to do that too. For immediate assistance with a cockroach problem in Salt Lake City, remember that the Uinta Pest Solutions service team is here to help you find an effective solution and take the burden of cockroach pest control off your shoulders. We offer a wide range of solutions for all the common pests in our service area. When you need Salt Lake City pest control, you can count on us! With that said, let's look at what you can do about roaches.
How To Tell If You Have A Cockroach Infestation
One of the most important things you need to know is how to uncover the subtle signs of a cockroach infestation. Why? Because of how sneaky these dirty critters are when they infest a home. You can have thousands in your home and never see a single roach if you don't go looking for them. Our recommendation is to take a peek every once in a while to see if you have roaches.
Where do I look for roaches? You'll want to check dark, secluded areas that tend to stay humid, such as the space behind your boiler or in a structure that houses your jetted tub. You'll want to look in the cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks. You'll also want to check tight spaces. Cockroaches love to squeeze into every tight space. You can find them hiding under your front door welcome mat or between cushions or mattresses stored in your attic and similar spaces.
What does a cockroach in Salt Lake City look like? As you search for these insects in your home, you may find them in a variety of forms. It is helpful to know the stages you may find a roach in.
- You may find oothecae. These are egg cases that contain cockroach eggs.
- You may see opened oothecae or pieces of these cases as cockroaches eat the material.
- You may see a tiny insect with long antennae racing along a surface at an incredible speed.
- You may find a white insect that looks like a cockroach. Roach nymphs are white after they shed their skins, and they do this several times as they grow.
- You may see a wingless insect that looks like a cockroach but lacks the wings you expect to see. Nymphs don't have wings and some adult roaches only have wing pads.
- When you find adult roaches, you may easily recognize them, particularly if you know that they are typically oval-shaped, having wings that hang past the abdomen, heads that tilt downward, and two tiny appendages on the end of the abdomen called cerci.
What other cockroach signs should I look for? When you don't see roaches, you may still detect them. Cockroaches reveal themselves by the materials they leave behind.
- You may see black pepper-like feces or black spotting on fabrics.
- You may find the shed skins left by nymphs. These look like cockroaches at first because the nymph sheds the entire skin at one time. But keep in mind that cockroaches eat these skins and you may only find pieces.
- You may locate oothecae or broken casings, as we pointed out above.
- You may seek fast-moving insects inside a gap or crevice.
- You might smell roaches. They leave pheromones that have an unpleasant smell.
If you find a cockroach in your house or warning signs that your home has roaches in it, you need to know what to expect from those pests. There are many ways roaches can impact your health. We won't spend much time on this, but it is helpful to know why you should do the hard work of prevention and control or hire a professional to deal with roaches for you.
The Health Risks Of A Cockroach Infestation In Your Home
We could tell you all of the unsanitary things a cockroach may do in and around your home, but we're sure you can imagine these for yourself. What you need to understand most is that they pick up microorganisms that are invisible to the naked eye and spread them around. Here are a few quick facts you should know:
- Cockroaches are linked to salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, gastroenteritis, giardia infections, listeriosis, E. coli and more.
- Cockroaches leave waste as they explore, and their waste is contaminated with the organisms these insects ingest.
- Cockroaches leave their shed body parts which are considered allergens. Researchers have found a correlation between roach infestations and increased hospitalizations for asthma.
- Cockroaches are prone to get onto toothbrushes as they feed on toothpaste and are drawn to the scent of human saliva, particularly decaying bacteria within the saliva.
You get the idea. It is best to keep cockroaches away from your home! What keeps cockroaches away? Let's take a look at five eco-friendly tips.
Five Eco-Friendly Yet Effective Cockroach Control Tips
Long before you find cockroaches in your home, you can take steps to keep them out. We'll tell you up front, it isn't easy. That is why we told you how they can impact your health. But, if you have the energy and inclination, these naturally effective tips will help you stop roaches completely.
1. Reduce Roach Activity Near Your Foundation
If you have fewer roaches near your home, you'll have fewer problems. Cockroaches can't help but get into your home through tiny gaps and holes, and it isn't easy to seal every entry point a cockroach might use. Therefore, reducing cockroach activity plays a big role. Keep your trash receptacles clean and remove trash routinely to reduce smells that attract roaches. Clean gutters to remove moisture and clean up leaves and other organic debris. Along with these, remove objects roaches can hide underneath, such as rocks and wood.
2. Apply Pest-Proofing
There are many entry points a roach may use to enter your home. You can seal these or hire someone to seal them for you. A pest control service provider, like Uinta Pest Solutions, can help to take this uniquely difficult task off your plate. A few examples of pest-proofing are the application of caulk around window frames and door frames, injection of expanding foam around pipes and within joists, and application of mortar patches to foundation walls.
3. Home Improvements
There are many repairs you can make to your home that will help you keep roaches out. You can hire a contractor to do these things or roll your sleeves up and do them yourself if you have the skillset. The best home improvements for cockroach control are weatherstripping replacement, door sweep installation, screen repairs, and siding replacement.
4. Address Indoor Food Sources
Cockroaches eat many things. They aren't only interested in the foods you eat. Consider all of the food resources your home may offer to cockroaches and you can make your home less desirable as a roach habitat. Cockroaches eat human food, pet food, decaying food, skin, hair, dead insects, fecal matter, and more. Sanitation is key to roach management.
5. Address Moisture And Humidity
Cockroaches don't prefer to live in a home that has limited moisture and low humidity, so addressing plumbing issues, and humidity control, can have a big impact. Fix leaks, repair pipes, install fans, and install a dehumidifier.
Do you see how these steps can stop cockroaches from living inside your home? Plus, these steps are all-natural. You don't have to worry about selecting the wrong cockroach control products and causing unnecessary sickness. When control products are required for control, you can trust a licensed pest management professional to select and administer these products for effective cockroach control.
Call The Pros To Eliminate Cockroaches In Your Home
When you find cockroaches in your home, it pays to let a professional handle your roach control. Pest control technicians are trained in the application of professional-grade materials. You can trust that these materials will get the job of cockroach pest control done and that your technician will apply them in appropriate zones. If you have questions about cockroach control in Salt Lake City, we're here to answer your questions. Reach out to Uinta Pest Solutions today. We are your source for smart and eco-friendly pest control.