When you find a cockroach in your home, your first reaction might be to crush it. And while that's not a bad thought, one cockroach generally spells the omen of other cockroaches, and killing one cockroach won't destroy all the other hidden ones in your home. Find out the best way to handle cockroach infestations in your Raleigh home.
Try To Identify The Cockroach
Whether or not you manage to kill the cockroach, you should try to identify it. There are several types of common cockroaches in Raleigh, and perhaps the most well-known type is the large, reddish-brown American cockroach. You might also come across the German cockroach, which is smaller and has two dark bands on its head. While smaller, the German cockroach can be even more of a nuisance than American roaches.
The local wood cockroach prefers to remain outdoors, but they will sometimes enter homes in search of food or shelter. But regardless of species, all local cockroaches can survive for weeks without eating and days without drinking, meaning these stubborn Raleigh pests can survive through even the harshest of conditions.
If you can't identify the cockroach, let the pest control expert use their expertise to identify it. In addition to discerning the cockroach species, a professional can tell you more about how to best eliminate these cockroaches.
Look For Potential Entrances
There's only one way a cockroach gets into your home - from the outside. So how did it travel from the outside to the inside? Usually, there are a few potential entrances; they could enter your home through gaps around your pipes, cracks in your foundation, or under doors and around windows.
Inspect all of your doors, windows, and overall foundation, sealing up potential entrances with caulk as you go. If you don't see any obvious openings, call in a pest control professional to find and seal up any hidden cockroach entrances. Even if you eliminate the cockroaches from your home, they'll return if you don't seal up your entrances.
Call An Expert
As soon as you find a cockroach in your home, contact a professional. Cockroaches reproduce quickly and take over homes before you know it. If you don't call a pest control professional right away, you could have a major infestation.
Cockroaches spread diseases and trigger allergies. With your health on the line, you shouldn't hesitate to get professional help. It's essential to call immediately, or the cockroaches could present serious consequences for your health.
Why DIY Methods Don't Work
Rather than call for professional help, some people choose a DIY approach for cockroach infestations. They might try to crush every cockroach in sight, which still leaves behind hundreds of others.
Or, they might rely on a more chemical approach; using harsh chemical sprays or baits, they try to eliminate all of the cockroaches from their property. A chemical approach is dangerous, as many over-the-counter products use toxic chemicals that could cause harm. Unfortunately, most DIY efforts end with trouble.
Do You Know Who To Call?
Now that you know what to do when you find cockroaches in Raleigh, do you know who to call? If you haven't done the research, you will need to scramble to find a company. You might not have time to pick the right person for the job. To avoid setting yourself up for failure, know who to call for your pest control needs.
Here at Go-Forth Home Services, we understand the importance of acting quickly. When you first find evidence of a cockroach, call us; we'll inspect your home and determine the best pest removal strategy. With our customized approach, you can know that your home is safe. The next time you see a cockroach, call us for guidance ASAP.