How To Keep Roaches Out When The Weather Gets Colder: Charlotte Homeowner’s Edition

It happens every year. As soon as the temperature starts to drop, pests find their way inside, seeking shelter from the elements. At the time of year when you’d rather be visiting with family and staying warm by the fire, pests can wreak havoc on your property. Cockroaches in Charlotte are attracted to the easy food and water supply inside of homes year-round but are especially attracted during cold months. Luckily, there are things you can do to keep roaches outside of your home or business.

Types Of Local Cockroaches

First, it pays to know what you should be looking for. There are a few varieties of home-invading cockroaches in Charlotte:

American Cockroaches
The largest variety of home-invading cockroach, these reddish or brown bugs are oval-shaped and can grow to over 2-inches in length. They have wings but generally only flutter rather than fly. You can distinguish these roaches by the figure-8 shape on the back of their heads.

German Cockroaches
These are the most common type of cockroaches in the world thanks to their prolific breeding and tendency to seek shelter indoors. These roaches are brown, narrow and oblong in shape, with two long antennae.

Brown-Banded Cockroaches
So-called for the dark, horizontal striping found on their backs, these roaches like to avoid light, so they are often only seen at night and they congregate in darker areas of a structure.

Dangerous Problems Of An Infestation

Not only do cockroaches look nasty, they can bring some very nasty problems with them as they move into your home.

• Diseases: Cockroaches have been linked to some of the worst illnesses in the books, including plague and salmonella. As they root around in dumpsters and sewers, germs and bacteria stick to their bodies, making it easy for them to transmit these pathogens.
• Allergies: As if diseases weren’t bad enough, cockroaches also track harmful allergens and dander around. Their mere presence in a building can cause asthmatic attacks and allergic reactions, particularly in vulnerable populations.
• Squalor: Cockroaches contribute to generally unsanitary conditions, leaving waste and egg sacs behind that stink up a house. Plus, their oily bodies and secretions can leave stains behind on walls and clothing, etc.

Cockroach Prevention Tips

Knowing what cockroaches look like and why it pays to keep them out is one thing, knowing how to keep them out is another. The following are helpful and easy household measures you can take:

• Seal entry points: Cockroaches can squeeze through tiny holes and cracks, so regularly inspecting walls, floors and windows for faults is a good idea. Seal up problem areas you come across.
• Regular cleaning: Cockroaches are constantly seeking out food, and they can survive on very little. Eliminating residue and buildup can make your home less attractive to cockroaches.
• Moisture control: In addition to food, roaches need water. They congregate in areas where moisture is readily available, meaning leaking pipes or areas of poor ventilation and water buildup are all places of concern. Address them before roaches take up residence.

The Best Way? The Professional Way!

Cockroaches are infamously hard to kill. They can survive being stepped on, drowned and are even resistant to many over-the-counter pesticides. So the best way to eliminate cockroaches is to turn to the experts. At Aruza Pest Control, we have a proven record of eliminating cockroach populations and helping businesses and homeowners with prevention methods. Don’t wait out the winter before dealing with cockroaches and the problems they cause, call Aruza right away.