Say Goodbye To Cockroaches In Your Yakima County Home

Do you suspect that your Yakima County home has a population of cockroaches? Have you found one in your bathroom or heard noises that sound like the skittering of little roach feet? Today, we're going to tell you what it means to find one roach in your home and explain how to tell if you really have a cockroach infestation. We'll look at the dangers of living with roaches and explain what steps work to effectively arrest infestations. Then, we'll end by sharing five simple tips to help you prevent future cockroach infestations or stop an infestation before it happens. If you have questions and would like to speak with a professional, remember that we're here to help. Your Prosite service professional knows all about common cockroaches in Yakima County. With that said, let's look at how you can broaden your understanding of these mysterious pests.

How To Tell If You Have A Cockroach Infestation

House cockroaches are sneaky insects. They hide from view and come out at night to hunt for food. So, even if you are familiar with cockroach identification, you may not know you have a cockroach infestation. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to check.

What You're Looking For In Your Home

Get a flashlight, wear a pair of rubber gloves, and put on a protective mask to go looking for cockroaches. These are the signs cockroach will leave for you to find. 

• Insects: You may see a cockroach if you go looking. We have four common species: German, American, oriental, and brownbanded cockroaches. Take a few minutes to look at pictures of each of these on the internet. Make sure to look at photos of the nymph stages as well. Young cockroaches look different. 
• Waste: Cockroaches leave droppings behind. If you see black specks on floors, walls, surfaces, or ceilings, cockroaches are likely to blame.
• Skins: Cockroaches shed their skins as they develop. A cockroach skin looks like a cockroach, only there is no roach inside. Yes, it is more than a bit disturbing.
• Ootheca: Cockroaches produce small purse-like cases to store eggs. An ootheca is typically brown and generally about 1/4 the size of an adult cockroach. If the eggs have hatched, you'll only find the ootheca casing.

You aren't likely to find these signs out in the open unless you have a severe infestation. You're going to have to go searching.

Where To Look For Cockroach Signs

Cockroaches are nocturnal insects with a preference for hiding in dark spaces. They prefer damp or moist environments because they need to stay hydrated. You'll also find them in exceedingly tight spaces. Here are some specific hiding places we've seen them in:

• In the cabinets underneath sinks
• Behind ovens
• Underneath refrigerators
• On pantry floors and shelves
• In bathroom voids
• In storage rooms
• In attic spaces
• Within stored furniture in attics
• Around boilers
• Around pipes
• Near sump pumps
• Around garbage receptacles

If you find one cockroach in your home, does it mean you have a full infestation? No. It is possible for one cockroach to enter your home. Performing an inspection will help you determine whether or not you have others. Also keep in mind that, if one cockroach can enter your home, so can more. You should take steps to seal exterior entry points or contact a licensed professional for perimeter protection. Contact Prosite for help with this in Yakima County.

The Dangers Roaches Bring Into The Home

If you find cockroaches in your home, should it concern you? Are they really as bad as everyone says? The most concise answer we've ever seen comes from the World Health Organization. They refer to them as, "unhygienic scavengers in human settlements." That sums it up. Cockroaches are dirty. They climb around in unsanitary places and feed on unmentionable things. They're also prone to getting into homes and businesses to explore. As they move about, they spread harmful bacteria, deposit fecal matter, and shed allergens.

• Harmful bacteria spread by cockroaches come in several forms. Experts say cockroaches are able to spread more than thirty-three kinds of bacteria, including salmonella.
• Cockroaches pick up parasitic worms in filthy places. Roaches collected during research studies in urban centers have found roaches with as many as six different species of parasitic worms.
• Exposure to cockroach droppings can lead to sickness. Roaches contaminate stored items, insulation, surfaces, packaged food, and more. Among the many pathogens linked to cockroaches is poliomyelitis.
• The shed insect parts of cockroaches have proteins linked to allergic responses. For some people, contact with roaches during sleep can result in a rash. Some people experience general respiratory ailments. Individuals with asthma are severely impacted, and hospitalizations for asthma symptoms rise in infested homes.

It is wise to take effective measures to remove and exclude cockroaches from your home. Contact a licensed professional for scientific, results-based cockroach control. If you need professional cockroach pest control in Yakima County, contact Prosite.

Call The Pros To Eliminate Cockroaches In Your Home

One question people ask us is: "How do I get rid of cockroaches in my house?" But dealing with a cockroach infestation is about more than eliminating the roaches. It is a process with many aspects. When you contact a pest management professional, these are a few ways your professional will solve your problem:

• An inspection is performed to locate cockroach activity, evaluate routes, and catalog conducive conditions.
• The findings are shared with you, and a cockroach treatment plan is developed.
• Cockroach bait is deployed in appropriate locations where roaches will come in contact with the products.
• If necessary, dust products are applied within outlets and wall voids.
• Cracks and crevices may require treatment.
• Moisture points are inspected, and exclusion work is done to create physical barriers and keep cockroaches out.
• Products are deployed to monitor cockroach activity and evaluate the success of the treatment plan.
• Perimeter pest control, such as an exterior barrier treatment, is typically applied to prevent cockroaches from continuing to enter.
• Follow-up inspections are done to check monitoring devices and inspect for continued warning signs of cockroach activity.

These are only some of the many ways your home pest control professional will work to resolve your cockroach problem. The products used are professional-grade and the methods used are field-tested by pest control technicians.

Five Simple Tips To Prevent Future Cockroach Problems

Once the cockroaches in your home are gone, there are a few ways you can work to prevent future infestations. While house cockroach prevention takes effort, it is simple to understand. Here are five simple tips to help you keep your home roach-free.

1. Address Exterior Cockroach Food Sources

Cockroaches eat things that you don't consider food. The first step in keeping roaches out of your home is to remove the "food" from around your home. What do cockroaches eat in your yard? They feed on human food, pet food, organic material in your trash receptacles, dog droppings, paper, cardboard, clothing, hair, dead skin, and more. Sanitation is key. You have to do more than remove human food and pet food. You have to consider strange food sources, such as a stack of pizza boxes.

2. Address Exterior Moisture

Cockroaches need moisture. Some need it more than others. A dry perimeter is resistant to cockroach activity. You can remove moisture directly and indirectly. A direct solution is gutter cleaning. An indirect solution is leaf removal or trimming landscaping.

3. Seal Routes

Cockroaches enter your home through available openings. They don't tunnel through wood like carpenter ants, termites, and other wood-damaging pests. A little home improvement can go a long way. Replace some weatherstripping. Patch damaged screens and make sure you don't have any gaps around your screens. Patch cracks in your foundation walls. Use expanding foam to fill in wood holes or gaps between wood members.

4. Address Interior Cockroach Food Sources

Cockroaches eat everything. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to remove the food. Removing food options will, in many cases, help to guard against cockroach-related sickness. Clean and deep clean your home, including your bathrooms. Clean dishes as you go. Store food in sealed containers. Store pizza boxes in a sealed bin or a covered kitchen trash receptacle.

5. Address Interior Humidity And Moisture

A dry home is a significant deterrent for certain cockroach species. Repair any leaks in your plumbing. Take showers a few hours before bedtime so that cockroaches don't have moisture when they come out at night. Use the fan in your bathroom to vent moisture while showering or taking baths. Consider installing a dehumidifier if you have any humidity issues inside your home.

Now that you know how to deter cockroaches, keep in mind that you don't have to do it alone. When you have year-round pest control service, you'll have layers of pest protection in place to keep roaches and other pests out. For pest control in Yakima County, contact Prosite. Our residential service plans provide comprehensive pest control combined treatments to reduce the overall cost and give you the best control for your hard-earned dollars. Reach out to us today to learn more.