Cockroaches are small insects that can cause big problems for you and your family. In San Jose, the German and oriental cockroaches are the two most common species found in homes and businesses. If you think you have seen these pesky bugs around your property, the professionals at Citra Pest Control know how to stop them in their tracks. We are your superior San Jose pest control company, and we can help you keep roaches out of your home. 

How To Tell If You Have a Cockroach Problem In Your Home

Cockroaches like to stay hidden in the darkest crevices of your home. They usually only come out of their hiding spots if they are sure no people or large animals are around. If you are unable to see these creepy insects crawling around with your own eyes, there are still signs to look for that will help you determine if you have a cockroach infestation in your home. Some of the telltale signs of cockroaches include:

• Roach droppings: Cockroaches leave tiny, black droppings that look like ground pepper.
• Dark smear marks: Roaches have dirty bodies that leave behind dirt, fecal matter, and other grime. As they walk across your walls and other surfaces, they may leave dark smear marks behind.
• Musty odor: If you have a mild roach infestation, you may notice a wet, musty odor coming from your walls, closets, or other hard-to-reach areas. As the infestation becomes more severe, the smell will become more noticeable. 
• Shed Skin: Before a roach reaches full maturity, it will molt around five times, leaving skin casings around your home. 

Instead of laying individual eggs, a female cockroach will lay an egg sac, called an ootheca, that can hold up to 30 baby cockroaches at one time. The ootheca is dark brown, shaped like a rectangle, and usually about eight millimeters long. Seeing an ootheca or an ootheca shell in your home is also a good indication that cockroaches are living somewhere in your house.

Why Cockroaches In Your Home Is A Major Health Risk

Cockroaches are filthy insects that can carry a lot of diseases and viruses. Some harmful illnesses you can catch from a cockroach include salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery, and gastroenteritis. There is also a wide range of bacteria and other harmful pathogens that roaches carry around on their bodies and spread to you when they walk over or around your food. 

If you have a severe roach infestation, you may experience asthma attacks or have trouble breathing. The enzymes found in cockroaches’ excrement, shed skins, eggs, and saliva can cause allergic reactions. As a roach’s waste continues to accumulate in your home, it could trigger severe asthma attacks and allergic reactions.

Five Tips To Keep Cockroaches Away From Your Home

Prevention is the best form of cockroach control. Try these easy tips to keep roaches out of your home:

• Fix any leaky pipes or faucets around the house.
• Make sure that your crawl spaces, basements, laundry rooms, and other areas that may be moist or humid are well-ventilated.
• Seal up any cracks and gaps around your home.
• Keep all of your pantry food and pet food in tightly sealed containers.
• Don’t let your indoor trash cans get too full, and make sure to keep tight-fitting lids on your outdoor trash cans.

Another way to help ensure that roaches are not living in your home is to remove all old boxes, piles of clothes, and other clutter to eliminate any potential hiding spots.

Call The Pros To Completely Get Rid Of Roaches

Nobody wants to see roaches crawling around their home. Call us today if you want to keep your San Jose home roach-free. At Citra Pest Control, we have years of experience in the home pest control industry and know the best ways to eliminate these disgusting insects from your home for good.