Cockroach issues have hunted Reston homeowners for years. Roaches are not only a nuisance. Such pesky critters can be carriers of dangerous diseases and cause serious allergic reactions. This is the reason you must identify and control a roach infestation before the problem gets out of hand.
Just like other pests in Reston, cockroaches will invade your home for food, water, and shelter. You can try to control their presence by making your home less attractive to them. But if preventative efforts still fail and you end up with a roach issue, you can hire a pest control company to help you address the issue.
Understanding Reston’s Roach Issue
Cockroaches are a common problem in Reston and you must take steps to take control. First, you must know the common kinds of roaches that make the city their home. Some species of roaches are the German roach, the American cockroach, the Oriental roach, and the different species of wood cockroaches. When these species move inside, they can spread disease organisms. Also, their feces, body parts, and shed skin can become allergens and cause rashes, serious asthma attacks, and other allergic reactions.
Preventing Roaches
Cockroaches like warm, humid climates. To keep them outside your house, you must get rid of their food, water, and shelter sources. Roaches can survive for several weeks without food, so ensure you keep your home clean and free of food crumbs. This means wiping down counters, keeping food stored in airtight containers, and sweeping floors. Take the trash out regularly and ensure the kitchen sink does not have dirty dishes.
In addition, you can make your home less attractive to roaches by fixing plumbing leaks and water damage. Also, consider using a dehumidifier in the bathroom and laundry room. Make sure to check the drains and pipes for standing water.
Lastly, roaches love to hide in crevices and cracks. So, make sure to seal up gaps in the windows, doors, and walls. Use weatherstripping to ensure they cannot get inside. All items you want to store in the garage or basement must kept in sealed plastic boxes so that roaches cannot create a home there.
Roach Control Strategies
If you still deal with a roach issue despite your efforts to prevent roaches from infesting your home, there are methods you can employ to control the problem. Baits, traps, and sprays are options you can consider. If these do not work, hire a pest control company to eliminate the roaches from your home.
Baits are easy to use and can be effective for up to one year. They work by attracting roaches to a poison. The roaches will then take back the poisoned baits to their nests, wiping out the whole colony. For spot treatment, sprays can be effective. However, you cannot rely on them as a long-term roach control solution. If you do not want to handle the roach issue with chemicals, you can try traps. However, traps can only capture a few roaches at a time.
If the roach issue persists despite those DIY solutions, contact a pest control expert. This expert will identify the infestation source as well as use specialized equipment and solutions to get rid of the roaches.
