How To Get Rid Of Roaches On Your Christiansburg Property

If you have not been formally introduced to the pest known as the cockroach, allow us to do this today. When considering how to get rid of roaches, or drive them away from your Christiansburg property, you need to understand what you're up against. These are formidable insects with incredible adaptive abilities. When a cockroach survives exposure to a dangerous chemical, it can shed its skin and create a new skin that gives it better protection. This alteration in its exoskeleton is on a gene level. That means the cockroach is able to share this with its offspring. When new roaches are born, they already have a tolerance to the dangerous chemical that was found in their environment. Now imagine property owners in the United States throwing hundreds of chemicals at cockroaches for over a century, and you have some idea of the challenge you face when attempting to get rid of Virginia roaches. Does this mean you can't kill cockroaches with chemicals? No. It just means you have to know which products to use, how to apply them, and when it is necessary to apply them. It is best to let a professional handle the task of applying cockroach treatments when roaches get into your home but, if roaches haven't gotten in yet, chemicals may not be needed. There are many things you can do to deter and repel them naturally.

Exclusion

It is nearly impossible to keep roaches from getting into your Christiansburg property but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to keep them out. The first step should always be to inspect your home and seal any gaps. Here are a few examples of how this works:

• Your exterior doors could have missing sweeps, damaged sweeps, gaps in the weatherstripping, gaps around the wood frames, holes in the wood frames created by wood damaging pests, damaged screens, or gaps that have developed because a door is warped or not properly aligned.

• Windows could have gaps around the frames, wood holes created by pests, broken window panes, damaged screens, and other vulnerabilities.

• Foundations could have cracks, or there could be gaps around objects that penetrate your foundation walls, such as pipes, wires, conduits, and more. There could also be gaps forming between the foundation slab and the walls of your home.

• Wood rot can develop in many places. This one can be difficult to detect if it is under vinyl siding, or some other material, but often you'll see wood rot. Cockroaches are attracted to damp wood. If there is even the slightest hole or splinter, rotting wood will help to give roaches entrance to your home.

Perimeter

Now that you've taken the time to seal your walls, you need to consider the perimeter around your home. There are conditions that can invite cockroaches to explore your exterior.

• Remove leaf piles, leaf litter and debris.

• Remove dead branches, and never stack branches near your home.

• Move campfire wood, scrap wood from a construction project, wood pallets, and any other source of wood away from your exterior.

• Remove weeds, grass, and other unnecessary vegetation in your landscaping.

• Remove man-made objects that cockroaches can hide under.

• Keep your lawn mowed.

• Trim landscaping, so that there are no dense areas that trap moisture.

• Make sure your gutters are working to catch rainwater from your roofs and drain it away from your home.

• Address any other conditions that create moisture, puddles of water, or containers of water.

• Store fertilizer well away from your home, or inside sealed plastic bins.

Food Sources

Cockroaches have an impressive diet. They'll eat things that you would never eat, and even things you wouldn't consider to be food. It is important to remove cockroach food sources.

• Cockroaches have a preference for food that is rotting. Store bagged trash in containers that have covers. Do your best to keep your containers free of strong odors. The scent of decaying organic matter in your trash will lure roaches from a distance.

• Cockroaches eat cardboard, especially if it is damp. If you have stacks of cardboard, these can attract roaches.

• Cockroaches eat feces. If you have a dog that leaves waste in your yard, it is important to stay on top of cleaning that waste up.

• Cockroaches eat compost. If you have compost, it is important to mix it properly to prevent odors that attract roaches.

• Cockroaches eat rotting plants. When you keep your landscape plants healthy, you make them resistant to cockroaches.

• Cockroaches love rotten fruit. If you have a fruit-producing tree, clean the fruit up from the ground as much as you can.

When More Control Is Needed

It is actually surprising how much success you can have deterring cockroaches by simply keeping your yard dry and free of clutter. If there are conditions you can't correct, it may be necessary to use control products. These should be selected and administered by a licensed professional to ensure success. If you're in Christiansburg, reach out to All Pest Control for assistance. We'll guide you toward the right solution.