Cockroaches are difficult pests to keep out of Charlotte homes. They have the ability to scale walls, run across ceilings and slip into very tight gaps. If you want to be able to keep cockroaches out of your Charlotte home, it is important to consider a complete strategy. Here is a step-by-step guide to help.
Step 1: Reduce Attractants
There are many things that can attract cockroaches to your yard. The more cockroaches you have in your yard, the greater your chances of an infestation will be. If you reduce attractants, you can increase your odds of keeping cockroaches out.
Trash
Cockroaches feed on organic matter found in garbage. If roaches find open trash in your yard, they will dine on it. Make sure your trash is bagged and placed in covered containers. It is also important to keep your containers clean. A cockroach can smell rotting food from a surprising distance.
Recycling
If you store bottles and cans for recycling, they can be a strong attractant for cockroaches. Make sure you clean all your recyclables thoroughly, and consider storing these items in a sealed plastic tote.
Food
There are many food sources that can lure cockroaches into your yard. Do an inspection of your property and consider removing fruits, berries, pet food, dead animals, dog feces, birdseed, and other things cockroaches eat.
Moisture
If you have a damp perimeter, cockroaches will take notice. Pest roaches prefer moist habitats. There are many ways the ground around your home can become oversaturated: clogged gutters, damaged plumbing, overwatering of plants, dense vegetation, leaf litter, and more. Reduce moisture to reduce roaches.
Harborage
Cockroaches in Charlotte hide underneath objects in your yard. The more objects you have, the more inviting your yard will be. If you have objects in your yard that don't need to be there, consider storing them inside a shed, garage, barn, or outbuilding. Also consider removing piles of stones, wood, and construction materials.
Step 2: Reduce Entry Points
Cockroaches love being squished. Well, not entirely squished. If they see a tight space, they're going to squeeze right into it. Your goal should be to address any tight spaces around your home that a cockroach might want to squeeze into.
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Seal cracks in foundation walls and between bricks that have damaged mortar.
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Seal open spaces around pipes that pass through your foundation wall.
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Seal gaps around door and window frames.
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Seal unprotected ventilation exhausts.
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Repair damaged screens, door sweeps, weatherstripping, and wood.
Step 3: Apply Treatments
If your cockroach pressures are low enough, you may be able to get control of them with steps 1 and 2. But, when lots of roaches are coming into your yard to explore, or when conditions around your home can't be altered to make it less inviting to roaches, routine treatments are required. These should be selected and administered by a licensed pest management professional to achieve the results you want. A professional will use EPA-approved products and products designed to target cockroaches. When deployed effectively, these can ensure complete exclusion of cockroaches.
What To Do When Cockroaches Get Inside
Most cockroaches don't want to live in your home with you. But there is a select group of roaches that do. We call them pest roaches. However, even in this group, there are some that are more comfortable in your home than others. What makes some pest roaches uncomfortable? Dry conditions. If your home has low humidity and no available water resources, roaches may go back outside. Cockroaches need water more than they need food. A roach can live without food for over forty days. It can only live without water for seven days. Here are a few tips:
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Replace or repair any damaged faucets or showerheads in your home.
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Repair leaky plumbing.
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Install ventilation ducts in key areas where humidity is high, such as the bathroom.
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If you have ventilation in your bathroom already, be sure to use your fan when you take a bath or shower.
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Install dehumidifiers in your basement if it tends to stay humid down there.
Don't Be Afraid To Get Help
If you need assistance with cockroach control, whether it be one-time extermination, or ongoing cockroach prevention, we're here for you. Reach out to Go-Forth Pest Control and request an inspection to get started.
