The question of how frequently to carry out pest control for roaches in your home or business has no direct answer. There are a lot of factors to consider. Some of the factors are the weather conditions, previous level of infestation, age of the building, and the extent of the previous extermination.
When roach infestation has been brought under control, it makes sense that pest control for roaches should be done quarterly.
When an infestation occurs, most pest control companies will carry out a survey to understand the major sources of the roaches and eliminate the conditions that have led to any infestations. They will also assess the sites repeatedly to ensure that new roach infestations don’t occur.
Depending on a host of factors such as environmental elements, landscape, weather conditions, and infestation history, the frequency of preventive pest control will vary. Some commercial areas do this on a monthly basis while residential areas mostly stick to quarterly pest control.
The factors that determine the frequency are discussed below:
Age and construction
If your home or business is in an older building with apparent symptoms of aging, it may be a good home for roaches. They will likely have cracks and fissures that allow pests to enter the premises. As a result of this, it would be a good idea to carry out monthly or quarterly pest control for roaches.
Infestation history
A property with a history of cockroach infestation will necessitate more regular and consistent inspections. In addition, if there is a repeating tendency of pest activity, the frequency of pest control treatment should be increased.
Quality of pest control treatment
Treatments for pest management may differ. This includes service quality and treatment methods that impact efficacy and effectiveness. Insufficient service coverage or ineffective treatment for previous infestations may necessitate more frequent pest control.
Surrounding conditions
Homes in high-risk pest zones are more vulnerable to infestations. As a result, frequent treatments and inspections are required.
Other factors such as weather conditions, rapid epidemics, and neighboring building infestations may influence roach treatment frequency.
How often should pest control be done in a restaurant?
It’s very obvious that pest infestation can be damaging to a restaurant, much more than it can do to a home. It’s best to minimize the negative implications of having a pest infestation in your restaurant, so, you should have it treated for pests regularly. Generally, it is recommended to have your restaurant pest control done quarterly.
However, the actual frequency with which you should get it treated is determined by several factors. You need to talk to a pest control professional in order to establish a working plan on how often your restaurant should be treated for pests. An inspection, evaluation, and custom plan recommendation should be made with a professional pest control company so that you can set up an efficient treatment schedule for your restaurant.
How long does it take pest control professionals to get rid of roaches?
When exterminators provide treatment for your roach infestation, they may do so by using baits or spraying insecticides. No matter the method used, the roaches will not die off right on the spot. Some of them will die instantly, and most of the roaches will take a couple of days.
For a few days after treatment, you may see more cockroaches than ever. This does not mean that the treatment did not work. On the contrary, it shows that the treatment worked exactly how it was supposed to. The roaches are coming out of their hiding places because they are dying after being exposed to the insecticide. This process can take a couple of days up to several weeks.
Different factors affect how long it takes cockroaches to die after treatment. The species of roach involved will make a difference. For example, it can take up to five weeks to eliminate German cockroaches on your property following treatment. However, their numbers should reduce by 70% to 80% during the first week alone. The extent of the infestation also matters. It may take longer for a severe infestation to be completely eradicated and may even require several treatments to resolve completely.
How often do I need to spray for roaches?
The level of infestation and the extermination technique will determine how many times you have to spray your home and how often. When you have successfully treated an infestation, and you do not see any more roaches, it is recommended to spray insecticides once every 30 to 60 days inside and outside your home to help keep the problem from recurring. It will help you get rid of roaches and keep all other pests out of your home.
Will roaches come back after extermination?
If you’ve ever successfully treated a roach problem, you’ve probably wondered why the roaches keep coming back after extermination. The short answer is, yes, roaches can come back after extermination, even after professional treatment. Eradicating the roaches is only one part of a long-term pest control plan.
How to avoid roach infestation reoccurrence
A proficient pest control plan should include treating thoroughly for roaches, but it should also cover preventative measures like blocking roach access to your home from the outdoors. Many roaches that people see inside their homes come in from outside. Oriental and American cockroaches are easily identifiable and are two varieties that often make their way inside. These cockroaches are brown or black, grow from 1.5 to 2 inches long, and are about a half-inch wide. They typically live outside and create nests in a damp rotting matter like dead leaves, decaying logs, or old tree stumps.
Have an effective pest control plan
A solid pest control plan to treat roach infestation should include regular yard work to eliminate breeding grounds around you. As odd as it might sound, trimming bushes and trees, and clearing away dead leaves and fallen tree limbs from your yard will help in your fight against roaches.
Maintain your home frequently to avoid outdoor roaches
Maintaining your home can also help you avoid roaches. Outdoor roaches often come into homes through tiny cracks and gaps in the exterior, including weep holes in brick exteriors, rips in window screens or screen doors, and gaps around exterior vents. Repairing rips and plugging gaps with caulk or steel wool will help to prevent roaches from coming inside. Replacing worn-out thresholds on exterior doors also helps keep pests out.
Monitor your pipes and other openings to limit access to food and water
Indoor roach control measures are equally necessary. Outdoor roaches often come in through water pipes and even drains in your sinks. When roaches come inside, they look for water and food. If they find a steady supply of both, they’ll stay as long as they can. Repairing leaky indoor pipes or faucets will limit access to water indoors. Always keep your kitchen clean by wiping up spills, splatters, and crumbs to help limit their food sources.
Store your food properly
Storing all pantry food in airtight containers also helps combat roaches. Indoor pet food and water bowls can also cause roaches to stay put in your home, so it’s a good idea to stow these away overnight when roaches are most active. Similarly, you should keep indoor garbage and compost bins tightly covered so they don’t find their way inside them to multiply.
Is an exterminator worth it for roaches?
Even though your DIY solutions may be cheaper and easier to use for roach infestations, they have several downfalls.
- Setting poison traps in your home can pose a significant threat to any pets or small children in your home. Even if you hide them well, your mischievous dogs or toddler could get their hands – and worse, their mouth – on the venom. Using boric acid or poisonous traps will probably be out of the question if you have pets or children.
- Those DIY treatments only attack specific areas of your home. For example, if you place boric acid in your kitchen, the cockroaches may lose a portion of their population and move to a different area of your house. To truly rid yourself of a cockroach infestation, it is probably best to call in some professional help.
When should you call an exterminator for roaches?
When to call an exterminator for roaches is primarily up to you and what you can handle on your own. The following are some of the factors to consider:
Type of cockroach
If you see a German cockroach, it’s a sign of an existing infestation, so it may be best to immediately contact a professional. The experts will come and assess the situation and make a treatment plan to ensure every last roach dies. On the other hand, if you saw an American roach, you may not need professional help. If you’ve seen a bug that just looks like a cockroach, then there’s no need to actually worry at all.
Number of cockroaches
If you see more than one, especially a baby, that is a sign of an already large roach colony that may require an exterminator’s help. If you’ve seen cockroach poop, that’s another sign of a large infestation and it will be safer to seek professional help.
Location of the cockroaches
Having roaches in your kitchen is probably the worst nightmare. You don’t want disease-carrying bugs crawling around your food and eating spaces unless you get rid of them in an instant. If you want an immediate solution to roaches in your kitchen, an exterminator may be the best choice. However, finding cockroaches in other, lesser-used areas of your home may not require an exterminator and the decision is yours.
The people in your home
Having kids and pets at the mercy of cockroaches is enough to cause terror for anyone. Plus, you don’t want kids or your pets to also be affected by any poison left out for the cockroach. If you have pets or children, you may want to call a professional as soon as possible for an immediate, complete roach removal.
Even though the exterminator’s removal process will also involve chemicals, it is a one-time occurrence, and you can take your family out of the house. They also have safety measures to put in place and will advise you accordingly depending on the potency of the insecticide.
Moisture sources
If you have a mold problem or leaky pipes, doing cockroach treatments like traps and poison may work for only a short period. The constant presence of moisture will attract cockroaches until you can treat the source and get rid of such triggers. By contacting an exterminator to take care of cockroaches thriving in a humid environment, you can eliminate the cockroaches at one time. Once they are gone, you can focus on the moisture problem and tackle that, so the cockroaches don’t come back.
Should you call an exterminator?
Take some time to consider the factors explained above, if your survey confirms that you should hire one, then please do that without wasting time.
How to find a professional pest control service near you
If you want to prevent or control roach infestation on your property, feel free to use GoTreeQuotes. It offers a free service that quickly matches you with the top-voted pest control experts in your area.
Using the website, you can get 3 estimates fast by real certified experts in your area in just 2 minutes. Here is how it works.
- You scroll to the top of the page and enter your Zip code.
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- You will then receive a price estimate for the job and some friendly advice.
IMPORTANT: There is no obligation to hire. This is a free tool and service to be used at your pleasure.
