You should always enjoy coming home. It’s a place of comfort, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones. However, if you’re coming home to a cockroach infestation, you’re not just experiencing the discomfort of pest problems, you could also experience serious health issues as well.
The Risks Of Roaches In Jacksonville
The roaches most common to Jacksonville are the German cockroach, American cockroach, and Oriental cockroach. The two largest species of home-invading cockroaches in America, the Oriental and American cockroach can be rather scary-looking inside your house. Their dark-brown bodies are typically an inch-and-a-half long, with two sets of wings along their backs.
The German cockroach is much smaller. Only a half-inch long at the most. These light-brown pests are far more invasive since they are able to squeeze into much smaller areas than the two larger roach species. You’ll typically see larger numbers of German cockroaches in a home, but all of these roach species are pack insects.
No matter what kind of cockroach is invading your Jacksonville home, these insects are bad news. Frequently found in highly-contaminated areas like sewers, landfills, and dumpsters, they have built up a tolerance for the dangerous bacteria in these areas. Once they invade your home, they’ll carry this bacteria to your frequently-touched surfaces and meal-preparation areas, putting you at risk for serious disease incursion. Plus, they have been known to cause allergic reactions in many adults and children.
Prevention Practices
Since cockroaches can be so dangerous to have inside your home, preventing an infestation is key. However, this is a lot tougher than you might think. Cockroaches were designed to be nature’s best survivors. They can live on just a few small crumbs per day and very little water. Plus, they have a very tough and flexible outer shell that makes them nearly crush-proof. It also allows them to flatten their bodies to squeeze through cracks.
Since they’re nocturnal and highly averse to human interaction, seeing one in your house during the day is a pretty sure sign of a much larger infestation, but you really never know how big the problem is until you enlist professional help.
While roaches can squeeze through small cracks and crevices, you can limit the things that could attract them in the first place. With the following prevention methods, you can limit your chances at a cockroach infestation:
- Moisture control: cockroaches are attracted to areas of high humidity and moisture buildup. You can limit this in your home by utilizing a dehumidifier in basements and crawl spaces while also monitoring your pipes for leaks.
- Regular cleaning: since roaches can survive on just a few crumbs, limiting loose crumbs is essential for prevention. Wipe off tables and counters regularly after meals, and make sure to clean the floors in both high and low-traffic areas. Also, reduce clutter both inside and outside the house since clutter provides plenty of hiding opportunities for skittish roaches.
- Food and trash storage: with roaches’ special ability to squeeze through small spaces, you have to be careful about how you store your food and trash. In both cases, use tightly-sealed containers with secure lids.
If you find that, in spite of your best efforts, you still have roach problems, don't panic. There really is no guarantee when it comes to DIY pest-prevention methods, but Havard Pest Control is here to help. The best way to protect you and your family from the dangers of cockroaches is with our professional prevention services, so give us a call today. We'll get you back to being roach-free in no time.