Cockroaches in your home are unsightly and stomach-churning, but they can also harm your property and your family’s health. You should get rid of these ugly insects as soon as you see them because they reproduce quickly. One female cockroach can create a widespread infestation in your home in mere days.
The good news is, Poulin’s Pest Control can help. Our Calgary team of professional exterminators will investigate your cockroach infestation, control the population and find solutions to prevent them from returning. Contact us in Calgary at the first sign of cockroaches in your home.
Why cockroaches are dangerous
Cockroaches are one of the most common pests in Calgary homes. They don’t have stingers and very rarely bite humans. However, they can carry and spread pathogens that can make you sick.
Cockroaches often live in dirty places that may have high concentrations of harmful pathogens. They feed in garbage cans, dumpsters, and sewers. They also eat human and animal excrement. In these unsanitary areas, cockroaches can pick up dangerous bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella on their bodies and track them around your house, contaminating exposed food, kitchen countertops, utensils, and more.
Besides spreading harmful bacteria, cockroaches can also trigger asthma and allergy attacks. Their droppings, dead bodies, and shed body parts (exuviae) are contaminants that can be more aggravating than pet dander. These health hazards are why you need to eliminate cockroaches from your home at the first sign of an infestation.
Signs you have a cockroach infestation
Cockroaches like to hide in dark places. Therefore, you may not see these insects in your home until it’s too late. Look for the following tell-tale signs that cockroaches leave behind:
- Droppings. Cockroach droppings look like coffee grounds or black pepper.
- Egg casings. Cockroaches lay egg cases (oothecae) that are long, oval-shaped and light brown.
- Bad smells. These pests emit odours to communicate. Their scent is typically oily and musty and can become quite intense.
- Dead cockroach bodies. Cockroaches live in cramped, dark places. If you think you have cockroaches, look for dead bodies under appliances and in your cabinets.
If you notice any of these signs, contact the professionals at Poulin’s Pest Control in Calgary immediately.
Treating cockroaches
Here are a couple of tried-and-true methods of eliminating cockroaches from your home:
- Insecticide. You can use sprays and dust to kill the cockroaches in your home. A professional exterminator will apply the product in cracks and crevices throughout the home, even where no evidence of the insects is present. After the treatment, you must vacate your home for four to six hours. If you are pregnant, have asthma or other health issues, stay away longer. Infants and seniors should also stay away for extended periods.
- Gel baiting. Using gel bait is a less invasive approach to killing cockroaches than applying insecticide. The roaches eat the gel bait and consume the poison. However, the gel baits need to be placed strategically where foraging cockroaches will find them. Baits are lesseffective if there are other food sources around and may require more time to work than insecticide treatments.
Controlling cockroach infestations
You can do several things to prevent cockroaches from thriving in your home, including:
- Removing food sources. Cockroaches are omnivores and eat anything, including fruit, vegetables, dry goods and meat. Ensure you store all your food in sealed containers or in your refrigerator. Clean regularly and wipe up any food bits from the floor and under your appliances. Moreover, empty your trash bins regularly. Store your garbage in a sealed container well away from your home.
- Eliminating water sources. Cockroaches are attracted to dark, moist places. Ensure there are no slow plumbing leaks under your kitchen and bathroom sinks, your drains are clear, and you have no leaky pipes in your basement.
- Eradicating hiding places. Seal cracks in your foundation and around windows. Use caulking to seal gaps around your baseboards and pipes and fill cracks in cabinets and drawers. Remove stacks of newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes. Cockroaches use these items for shelter and food.
Cockroach control services in Calgary
The professionals at Poulin’s Pest Control have the training, tools and experience to tackle your cockroach problem. We use the latest cockroach control methods to identify and remove the source of the infestation and kill the insects, so they don’t come back. Contact us in Calgary to schedule an appointment with our technicians.