How Do Cockroaches Get In?

There is no pest as common and aggravating as cockroaches. These gross bugs will visit even the cleanest house. It is most efficient to take preventative action against cockroaches, as then the bugs cannot enter and reproduce in your home.

There are some obvious points in which cockroaches enter one’s home such as cracks in the wall, through unsealed window points, and door openings. However, there are some less noticeable ways for cockroaches to enter such as their ability to climb through drains,  their attraction to paper products, and being brought into your home. Taking some simple preventative action will help prevent your home or business from cockroaches. 

Cracks in the Wall

Like all insects, Cockroaches can easily enter a building through cracks in the wall or foundation. While cockroaches are quite large compared to other insects, they can enter cracks as small as 1/16th of an inch.

In order to prevent these sneaky insects, it is important to inspect your home or business for any cracks. Make sure to look at crevices in the foundation of your building, along with any holes in walls or near pipes. Once you locate these crevices, you will need to seal them up with a caulking device.

You can similarly use weather stripping, copper mesh or steel wool to seal a crevice. While trying to spot all possible pest entries into your home may seem troublesome, this will prevent all sorts of pests from entering your residence. 

Windows and Doors

Similar to small foundational crevices, roaches will frequently enter a home through windows and doors. If you frequently leave your windows open, this will bring in all sorts of pests into your home or business. A great tip is to close them to prevent any type of insects from entering your building.

However, it is often necessary to have them open for ventilation and airflow. If you need your windows open, consider opening them only during the day, as, at nighttime, the light from your home will attract bugs to your residence. Possibly get a fan to curb the heat and to prevent roaches and other annoying insects from entering your home.

Another obvious way roaches come into a house is through a gap between your door and its foundation. The light from under your door will attract roaches into your home, and these roaches will enter through the door crevice.

An effective way to curb roaches from slipping through these cracks is to add a door sweep to the bottom of your door and its foundation which will seal off the crevice to bugs outside.

Similarly change your lights near doorways from white light to yellow light, as bugs are less attracted to these lights. Windows and doorways are very obvious entry points for unwanted insect visitors, therefore it is very important to address these cracks and seal off your home from roaches. 

Pipes

A less obvious way roaches enter a building is their ability to survive in pipes and eventually crawl their way out of a drain. Drains provide roaches with everything they need to thrive, namely food and water. Roaches in drains are particularly common in apartment buildings, as the pipes connect through a variety of different residences.

To prevent roaches from living in your pipes and arriving in your home, first take a flashlight and observe if your pipes have any noticeable damage and seal away any cracks or crevices. Also, seal any gaps between your pipes and the wall. Also, many pipes will produce condensation on their exterior and the moisture will naturally attract roaches, so curb this by wrapping your pipes with insulation tapes. Similarly, check faucets for any leaks and fix them to prevent any standing water. Also, make sure to seal all gaps in between the sink and its foundation.

An effective way to prevent roaches from entering your home through the drain is to plug your drain at night. Roaches are nocturnal animals, so they will most likely enter your home at night. Similarly do not leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight, as this will attract roaches. Also keep your counter and sink space as tidy as possible, so roaches won’t be attracted to the area. If you frequently wash food scraps down your sink drain, make sure to follow up with a sink-friendly cleaner to remove these scraps in your drain. 

Cardboard and paper are extremely attractive items to cockroaches, so it is important for you to quickly discard them. Paper items like cardboard boxes and newspapers naturally attract roaches as they use paper to produce pheromones to communicate with other roaches. Thus it is essential to regularly dispose of paper products. Also replace any cardboard storage boxes with a different material, like plastic or metal. These materials are sturdier and will not attract unwanted roaches! 

Hitching a Ride

Cockroaches can surprisingly enter a building by simply climbing onto an item that you are bringing inside. Roaches and their eggs can be found on a variety of personal belongings such as luggage, clothing, backpacks, and namely paper grocery bags. As mentioned earlier, roaches have a natural attraction to paper and thus they are frequently found within paper grocery bags. which are even harder to notice.

While it is difficult to fully inspect every item you carry into your home or business, you should regularly clean your bags and other personal belongings. Also consider limiting your paper bag usage and immediately discarding them to prevent roaches. 

In Conclusion

Roaches are such a common pest due to their ability to sneak in anywhere and thrive. Thus it is important to take preventative measures so they do not get inside your residence. Make sure to seal all foundational cracks, as roaches can easily sneak into any crevice. Also close your windows and get a door sweep to further limit additional entries. At night, plug your drains and be sure to put dirty dishes away. Similarly dispose of any paper material as soon as possible. Also regularly clean and inspect personal belongings, so they do not attract any roaches. All these preventative actions will keep roaches away! 

If you want an added layer of protection, call the cockroach extermination experts at Pure Pest!