How Are Cockroaches Finding Their Way Into Lake Worth Homes?

As common as cockroaches are, many Lake Worth homeowners don't really know all that much about them. Do you know why? Because cockroaches are sneaky. They prefer to come out at night when most people are sleeping. They hide in dark voids within homes and move through tight spaces. You can have hundreds of cockroaches between your kitchen floors and the subflooring and not know it! We're not saying that you do, so don't panic! We're pointing out the sneaky nature of cockroaches. The more you understand how cockroaches behave, the better equipped you'll be to stop them with all-natural cockroach control and prevention. Join us as we look at how all-natural cockroach management works. We'll discuss common cockroach entry points, cockroach attractants, home remedies that actually work to control cockroaches, and how a professional can help you with a cockroach infestation. 

If you're dealing with a frustrating cockroach problem and the cockroaches are driving you crazy, jump to our contact page for immediate assistance with pest control in Lake Worth. You don't have to read a clever and insightful article (like this one) about cockroach control to get a solution to your cockroach problem. Our service technicians are always ready to help.  

Typical Cockroach Entry Points For Homes In Lake Worth

A cockroach can enter your home in one of two ways. It will find an opening in your exterior or it will hitch a ride. The cockroaches that commonly hitch rides into Lake Worth homes are German cockroaches. These roaches love living inside man-made structures and commonly move between structures passively. They hide in furniture, stored boxes, and other things. When these items move, the roaches move with them. But most of the time, cockroach infestations begin outside of a home, even German cockroach infestations. If you find a cockroach in your home, it is likely that it was first in your yard. Exclusion works and general home repairs can keep cockroaches out. Here are some typical cockroach entry points to consider.

• Gaps around pipes. Roaches are attracted to moisture, and the condensation of pipes lures them to these gaps. A cockroach will follow pipes into your home and come out underneath your kitchen or bathroom sinks.
• Cracks in foundations. Cockroaches are attracted to tight spaces. They are thigmotactic. When a roach sees a crack in your foundation, it will explore it. Use a foundation repair kit to seal these cracks and keep roaches out. 
• Gaps underneath doors. If you have an exterior door with a missing or damaged door sweep, roaches will take advantage of this vulnerability. Install new sweeps.
• Gaps around exterior doors. Cockroaches scale walls and run across ceilings, so it should come as no surprise that they can easily access any gap around your doors. If you can see sunlight leaking past your exterior doors, replace your weatherstripping and realign your door to seal it.
• Wood holes. When wood rots and insects chew, holes develop in the wood of your home. These holes are often the result of a moisture problem. Cockroaches love damp habitats and will quickly take advantage of wood holes. Use a caulking gun or a can of expanding foam to seal holes in the wood of your home. Expanding foam is cheaper, but you'll want to use it in locations where curb appeal is not a concern. It can look a bit messy.
• Weep holes. Homes that have weep holes need weep hole protectors. A protector will keep roaches from accessing the humid spaces inside your wall voids.

There are several ways cockroaches may get into your Lake Worth home. When you roll your sleeves up and seal these holes, it is worth the effort. Exclusion work offers long-lasting deterrence and can make a big difference. When you add another level of protection on top of your exclusion work, such as removing attractants, you have even more chance of keeping roaches out. 

What Is Attracting Cockroaches To My House?

Once you've done the hard work of sealing potential entry points that roaches may use to get inside your Lake Worth home, consider attractants. The goal of removing attractants is to reduce roach activity and prevent cockroaches from finding any tiny entry points you failed to seal. Roaches don't need much of a hole to get into your home. It is easy to miss some of them. There are a few primary attractants that increase cockroach activity. Some of them may surprise you.

Trash: Cockroaches seek out smelly things. The sent of decaying organic matter is like a dinner bell. If you have dirty receptacles, you can bet roaches will notice. Getting your trash to the curb weekly and cleaning your receptacles if they acquire an odor is critical for cockroach control.

Junk: cockroaches hide underneath piles of garbage or junk. They also feed on garbage. Roaches eat paper, cardboard, clothing, glue, hair, and other strange things. Make sure all trash and junk are correctly stored

Leaves: Cockroaches love to hide under leaves. Leaf litter traps moisture and helps roaches stay hydrated. They can also find a meal of insects underneath leaf piles and leaf debris. Roaches have a preference for eating dead insects. 

Waste: Cockroaches feed on feces. Stay on top of pet waste clean-up in your yard to deter cockroach activity. 

Dampness: Cockroaches prefer to explore damp areas. A clogged or broken gutter, dense vegetation, and other moisture issues can inspire roaches to explore your exterior. Maintain a dry exterior to deter them.

Your goal should be to give cockroaches no reason to want to hang out near your home. When combined with exclusions, you'll have a lot of protection. But there is more you can do. 

Are There Any Home Remedies To Deter Cockroaches?

We get this question quite a bit. What customers are curious about are ways to exterminate cockroaches with home concoctions. We don't recommend this approach. When you do this, you'll only attack the symptom of your problem, not the source. The source of your problem is breeding sites and food sources. The best home remedy is one that targets the reason roaches want to live with you.

• Inspect your home. Look in every dark void for the presence of oothecae. These are cockroach egg cases. Clean and disinfect the areas where you find these cases to make them less habitable for roaches.
• Deep clean. Roaches find food in hidden places. If they can't find grease, oil, food particles, juice stains, and other sources of nutrients, they may choose to live elsewhere.
• Clean drains. Cockroaches can get inside your drains and feed on organic sludge. Use a botanical product and keep your drains clean.
• Protect your food. Cockroaches can chew through cardboard and paper packaging. Store your food in sealed plastic containers to keep roaches out. 
• Store dirty dishes in a sink of soapy water. Roaches can get into your dishwasher. That is not a safe place to put your dirty dishes and it will provide lots of food for roaches.
• Put pet food down only during meals. Cockroaches have no problem eating pet food.
• Clean your bathrooms. Roaches feed on dead skin, hair, feces, toothpaste, and other strange things. They love your bathroom. It is a food-rich environment that tends to stay nice and humid.
• Use your fans. Along with cleaning your bathrooms, be sure to use your fans when taking showers or baths to vent the moisture out and reduce humidity.
• Fix leaks. Cockroaches need moisture. Faucets and showerheads that drip provide a constant source of moisture for roaches. 

Do you see how it works? With a little hard work, it is possible to make your property and home less inviting to cockroaches. If roach pressures are normal, this might be all you need. When cockroach control products are required for control, we recommend contacting a licensed pest management professional.

Professional Cockroach Control For Lake Worth Residents

Are you in Lake Worth? If so, you're in our service area. You can reach out to Above And Beyond Pest Control when you see signs of a cockroach infestation—or long before. We offer industry-leading solutions to arrest roach activity and provide service plans that can keep cockroaches out of your Lake Worth home all year long. Our service plans also cover a long list of other pests that can present a threat to your health or damage your property (like those roaches do). Jump to our contact page and reach out and connect with one of our friendly and knowledgeable agents. We'll guide you toward a cockroach control solution that best suits your needs. We can also help you get your roach control neatly into your budget. When finances are tight, you can count on the service team at Above And Beyond Pest Control to tailor your services to find the greatest level of protection for your hard-earned money. Are you ready to start? We're ready to hear from you! Connect with us today and say goodbye to your cockroach problems for good.