How And Why Cockroaches Invade Homes

It isn't easy to deter cockroaches from getting inside your home. The more you understand how and why they invade your space, the greater your chances of keeping them out. Let's break it down.

Why do cockroaches enter your home? Several factors determine whether or not cockroaches will find their way indoors. Some may surprise you. Here's how they get in, why they get in, and how to keep them out.

Entry Points: Cockroaches will likely enter your home through tiny gaps, cracks, and holes. They are highly mobile insects. They can scale walls, run across your ceilings, and squeeze through a gap of more than half their height. Here are a few common entry points:

• A gap under your door will give quick entry to a cockroach. Ensure that all exterior doors have working sweeps.
• A gap around your door can let a roach squeeze in. Cockroaches walk across walls and defy gravity. It is nothing for a cockroach to slip through a horizontal gap. Ensure that all weatherstripping around exterior doors creates effective seals. If you see light leaking in during the day or leaking out at night, you have gaps a cockroach may use.
• A gap around a window or door frame can be used by a cockroach, even if it is barely visible to you. A caulking gun can make sure your frames are properly sealed. 
• A gap around a pipe is like a superhighway for roaches. They are attracted to moisture points. It is critical to seal exterior cracks, inspect where pipes come in underneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks, and seal gaps there as well.

Seal every gap, crack, and hole, no matter how small. Doing so will not only deter cockroach pests but a long list of other, potentially harmful, Chicago pests.  

Attractants: Cockroaches often enter homes because they are first attracted to the exterior. There are a few things that attract cockroaches. By controlling those attractants, cockroaches may not give you trouble.

• Clean your trash receptacles to remove the scent of decaying organic matter, and get your receptacles to the curb weekly to prevent smells from developing.
• Pick up food sources around your home, particularly food near your grill or soda cans left on the back deck. Sweet condiments and sugary drinks are strong attractants.
• Pick up yard clutter and remove all objects cockroaches may hide under.
• Do you have a dog? Stay on top of the waste cleanup in your yard. It is an unsavory thought, but cockroaches feed on feces.
• Do you have compost? Make sure to mix it properly and remove the odor. When properly mixed, cockroaches won't be as drawn to it. 
• Clean your gutters and fix broken splash blocks or downspouts. A damp perimeter is ideal for all cockroach pests.
• Cut tall grass, remove weeds, rake leaves, and trim landscape vegetation to remove preferable environments for cockroaches.  

Fixing and removing the above items will go a long way to help prevent cockroaches.

Hitchhiking: German cockroaches sometimes hitch a ride from one location to another. If you buy used furniture or other household items, you may acquire a roach infestation. You can prevent this by inspecting used items. Look for these warning signs:

• Look for black fecal pellets or fecal spotting.
• Look for shed skins. These skins may appear in hollow cavities, inside pockets, or within seams. 
• Check for insects. Keep in mind that cockroach babies are nymphs. They look like adult roaches, but they don't have wings and are black on the sides with tan in the middle. An immature nymph may look like a black roach with a tan spot in the middle of the back. 

It is far better to prevent a cockroach infestation than to deal with applying a cockroach treatment. DIY cockroach control products often fail, and residents find themselves in a bitter battle with these frustrating pests.