How To Prevent Cockroach Infestations In Atlanta

In Georgia, the one thing you can count on is a hot and humid summertime. As the temperature rises, so does the number of bugs. Most pests, like cockroaches, are coming out of hiding to seek food and shelter in your home or business. Cockroach infestations are nasty. Preventative measures are usually the best practice when it comes to these pesky pests, but not everyone has the time to full proof their Atlanta residence. That’s why it is important to look out for the early signs and take steps to prevent a cockroach infestation before you even think you have one.

The Signs of Cockroach Infestations

There are a few different ways to identify if cockroaches have invaded your home.

Visible Activity—Target Spotted! Like most pests, cockroaches typically come out during the nighttime. They spend their time searching for a source of food or water during the quiet hours because this is when they feel the safest. Once they start to comfortably appear in your home during the day it could mean you are dealing with an infestation.

A Nasty Smell—Cockroaches give off a variety of odorous smells. The most common scent is an oily or musty smell that lingers in the air. These odors might be hard to describe, but usually, if you notice something generally “unpleasant” paired with another sign on this list it could mean an infestation is coming.

Visible Droppings—Finding droppings in your home or business is a dead giveaway that you have a pest issue. Cockroach droppings look like ground pepper/coffee grounds and are commonly found in drawers or on countertops. The fecal matter they leave behind may even cause dark stains in the corners of the rooms in your home.

Bite Marks—Ironically, cockroaches are like mice in a few ways. They eat both plants and animals and they will take any measures to feed. Roaches like starches, sweets, greasy foods, and meats—but aren’t particularly picky when they are desperate. They will eat anything that is derived from a once-living organism, like cardboard. These insects feast on the fibers of the organic material and then use the box as a breeding ground. So, be sure to check your home for stray boxes!

Dead Cockroaches—Exoskeletons, shed skins and even smushed cockroaches speak to an infestation. Signs of feeding are also something to look out for like the number of bodies from other dead insects could also point to how bad the infestation may be.

Allergic Reaction—The presence of cockroaches is rotten for your overall health. Their exoskeletons and droppings contain proteins that most people are allergic to when exposed. Most of the time these symptoms are respiratory in nature, but some of the most common ones include wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing, tightness in your chest, and irritated eyes.

All of these signs do not have to come all at once. Infestations can pop up with one or two, but becoming familiar with the most common signs can easily help you prevent or scale back an impending one.

Tips to Treat a Cockroach Infestation

For Cockroach treatment, always remember to check, clean and call! Now that we know the signs of an infestation, we want to check some of the most common areas to see if we have one.

• Kitchen: Check under smaller appliances that live in stagnant places on the countertop and under large appliances like stoves and refrigerators. These dark environments create the perfect place for them to hide out until the lights turn off. The sink can be another culprit. Make sure that you aren’t keeping dirty dishes full of food in them for too long, and that there are not any leaks coming from underneath.
• Laundry Room: Roaches tend to hide underneath washers, dryers, and any stand-alone pile of clothes. Keep the underbelly of these appliances dusted and clear so that you can ensure no creepy crawlers snuck in when you weren’t looking.
• Bathroom: Water is everywhere here. Pipes, drains, toilets, sinks, bathtubs, and showers provide the perfect moist environment for cockroaches. If a fan or airway is accessible for this room, try to keep them running and open so that moisture doesn’t sit and linger. Used wet towels and standing water of any kind create a free path to a resource they cannot live without.
• Storage Areas: Known for how they can squeeze and stretch their exoskeleton, cockroaches make their way through cracks in the foundation, stray holes in the walls and hide in places most people don’t traverse too often like the attic or basement.
• Outside Spaces: These can be one of the most unassuming places. Old sheds or uncovered spaces that are easily filled with standing water are prime homes for cockroaches. You want to check for accessible food sources. Rotten or wet wood should be the first thing to go in a backyard clean-out! Also, Aim for areas that are easily forgotten. If you haven’t checked that one corner in your backyard for a while, then this might be the time to do so.

The next step is to clean! Before you decide to make an appointment for pest control services, its best that you take care of a few areas first:

Keep a tidy kitchen. This first one might seem obvious, but cover and store any open food that you have sitting out. By getting rid of their access to food and water you take your home off the target list. Carefully clean your counters, sinks and appliances. Each and every crumb can be a contributor to a cockroach’s late-night snack, so be sure to use certified cleaning sprays! Cockroaches can easily find their way into boxed foods or open containers. Use food-safe containers that seal tightly, and regularly go through your pantry for a clean.

Remove any standing water. If in your check process of the bathroom, you noticed any water-prone areas, do your best to find a way to drain them. Wipe counters dry, empty your pet’s bowl often, and get into the habit of wiping up any water before bedtime. The smallest bit of water is an open door for roaches, so keep it dry!

Seal it up. Cockroaches may be gross, but they have a pretty incredible exoskeleton. They are able to squeeze through cracks almost a fourth of their actual size. A good rule of thumb is if you can see daylight from a breach then cockroaches can make their way in. Seal most of these spaces with caulk since it is an easy fixer-upper. Larger holes might take steel wool or foam, and fine mesh should be used for any bigger opening that leads outdoors.

If you still plan on calling a professional to help, be sure to clean around any areas where you have seen cockroaches. This is the main area that the professionals will spray, so you want to make sure it is easily accessible. 

Call Us Today!

If you still feel an infestation brewing, the last step is to call for help!

Lookout Pest Control, formerly Any Pest Inc., is cockroach certified and will happily help defuse any kind of infestation issue. Our treatments work hard to take care of infestations. It is important to make sure you keep sanitation to an extremely high level to allow all the services to work as swiftly as they can. Our treatments at Lookout Pest Control minimize exposure while keeping existing or potential pests out of your home. After treatment, we will also monitor your results and follow up with you to make sure your pest control needs are being met. We never want to leave our clients alone.

A frequently asked question is, “How long will it take to get rid of my infestation?” Well, this all depends on the species and size of the infestation. Our team will work hard to help you conquer this problem, and do not advise that you try other methods during our treatment plan. Many over-the-counter products homeowners use often, or DIY treatments prove ineffective against a cockroach infestation. Cockroaches are extremely adaptable and may even be resistant to some home extermination methods, which is why it is best to hire professionals to handle this for you!

Our team provides an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to residential and commercial pest management. We abide by EPA standards by the University of Georgia Entomology Department. We provide FREE consultations 7 days a week a rapid response to inquiries, service calls at no additional charge, top-notch quality of work, exceptional customer service, and guaranteed customer satisfaction! Don’t wait for cockroaches to invade your home. Call us today, and let Lookout Pest Control conquer your infestation issues.