Did you know that cockroaches are contagious? You see, cockroaches themselves aren’t contagious to people but to homes. If one home on the block has an infestation of cockroaches, they can be spread to neighboring houses. This happens through the use of utility piping that runs beneath the ground between homes and under the street. Major pipelines and smaller pipes that run in and out of your building act as highways for dirty cockroaches looking for new places to call home. All this being said, if your neighbors have roaches, your home could be next. Today we will be talking about how you can protect your home's “immune system” against the dangers of roaches.
Common Types Of Pest Cockroaches
No two cockroaches are exactly the same. Here in Texarkana, we have 4 unique species of cockroaches that can be commonly found trying to get into your Texarkana homes.
The American Roach: The American cockroach is known for being the largest invasive species of roach here in the U.S. When in homes, these reddish-brown roaches can be identified by the light yellow bands around their shield-shaped heads.
The German Roach: The German cockroach is the most common home invader amongst roach species here in the U.S. These pale brown roaches can be identified by the two dark-brown stripes behind their heads.
The Asian Roach: Almost identical to the German cockroach, the Asian cockroach is another common home invader here in the U.S. Unlike German cockroaches that rarely fly, Asian cockroaches are adept flyers and often find their way into homes through open windows.
The Smoky Brown Roach: Just like Asian cockroaches, smoky brown roaches are incredible fliers. These roaches can be identified by their shiny appearance and uniformly black and mahogany-colored bodies.
The Dangers Cockroaches Pose
As scary as cockroaches look, the dangers they pose when they get into homes are much more frightening. You already know that cleanliness directly coincides with health. What you may not know is that cockroaches are as far away from clean as it gets. When they are not crawling or flying around in your home, they are probably somewhere dirty such as in a trash can or sewer, eating something dead or decaying. This behavior causes them to pick up dangerous bacteria that, when carried through a home, can contaminate food and food surfaces threatening a family with some pretty serious sicknesses. Just a few of the diseases cockroaches have been known to spread include Salmonella, Polio, and Dysentery.
To top it all off, cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions with the skin they shed between their stages of development from egg to adulthood.
How You Can Keep Cockroaches Out
There are two major ways you can keep cockroaches out of your home. The first includes sealing their ways in. The second involves making your house as unattractive to them as possible. Here are some practical ways you can do these things.
- Use a caulking gun to seal up cracks and openings found in your home’s foundation.
- Make sure all of your screens are fitted properly and rip and tear free.
- If your trashcans do not have tight-fitting lids, invest in ones that do.
- Clean up food and drink messes as they occur.
- Fix any leaks around your home.
- Repair broken gutters.
- Install dehumidifiers in humid areas of your home.
- Store leftover food inside airtight plastic containers.
The Best Tip For Dealing With Roaches
There is no easy way to deal with cockroaches without the help of a professional. Here at Pest-Pro Services, Inc, we are committed to serving our community with quality, reliable solutions to their pest problems. If you are up against a cockroach infestation in your home or are looking for the best way to keep cockroaches out, we are here to help. If you have questions or would like to schedule services for your Texarkana home, give us a call today.