The Dangers Cockroaches Bring To Your Westchester County Home

Cockroaches and Westchester County homes go together like peas and carrots. Why? Because cockroaches thrive in urban centers that have high humidity and lots of moisture. Common pest roaches like German, American, and Oriental cockroaches find it easy to grow their populations in our county. This is a serious concern because pest roaches present health risks. Let's look at why cockroaches can make you sick and what you can do to prevent the spread of sickness.

Cockroach Habits

If you could put a tiny camera on a cockroach and watch where it goes during a typical day, you would be disturbed. Cockroaches are drawn to every gross thing. The grosser, the better. This may sound like an exaggeration, but consider this:

• Roaches eat feces.
• Roaches eat rotting food.
• Roaches eat gunk in drains.
• Roaches eat the grime on the sides of ovens.
• Roaches eat compost.
• Roaches eat dead animals that are rotting in the woods.
• Roaches live in sewer systems.
• Some roach species lay their eggs sacs in the gelatinous decaying goop in the bottom of dumpsters and trash bins.

These are not clean insects. Don't let anyone tell you that they are. While cockroaches are a dining delicacy in some countries, they're only edible when they are raised entirely in captivity. A wild roach is a filthy insect, and an urban roach is the filthiest.

Ways Cockroaches Make You Sick

It would take several pages to give you all of the many ways cockroaches can make you sick. Here are a few of the most important ways. These should give you a clear idea of what you're up against.

Exposure To Harmful Organisms

When cockroaches get into your home, they don't suddenly become domesticated. They will leave their feces in many areas of your home. They will get into your trash. They will get into your drains. They will get into your cat's litter box. They will climb on dirty mops, dirty toilet rims, and every other nasty thing they can find. It is how they're wired. So, it is safe to assume that you will be exposed to every dirty thing in your home. If you have food sitting in your trash compactor, the microorganisms in that food can be picked up by roaches and carried into your dish cabinets, silverware drawer, and food storage areas. If you don't have a good seal on your trash or your trash receptacle is dirty, bacteria can be moved from your trash to your food-prep surfaces in a matter of seconds. Good sanitation is vital for the prevention of cockroach-related illness and also for the management of cockroach populations.

Cockroaches In Your Ventilation System

Ventilation ducts are a common hiding place for cockroaches. While in your vents, cockroaches will leave their droppings and shed their skins. This can lead to airborne particulates. Experts believe that this is one of the ways cockroaches aggravate asthma symptoms and cause an increase in hospitalizations due to asthma-related symptoms.

Cockroach Mobility

When considering how cockroaches make you sick, it is important to note the impressive mobility of a cockroach. It can climb a wall and run across a ceiling at full speed. At night, while you're sleeping, cockroaches zip around your home, spreading harmful microorganisms to many sensitive places, including your toothbrush. (Roaches eat toothpaste.)

Cockroach Resilience

It is hard to kill a roach. If you try to get rid of roaches by spraying chemicals, those roaches could spread those chemicals to surfaces, dishes, silverware, and food. We strongly recommend that you have a licensed professional select and deploy cockroach-control products to prevent harmful exposure.

Cockroaches Chew

Are you aware that cockroaches can chew through paper, cardboard, and thin plastic? When they get into your stored food areas, they may chew their way into your packages. They will have a greater incentive to do this if your food is past due. Be sure to routinely check your due dates and throw stuff away that is old. You may also consider putting your food in sealed containers to keep smells in and keep cockroaches out.

Cockroach Control In Westchester County

You should never allow cockroaches to live with you. At the first sign of roach activity (or long before you see signs) reach out to Parkway Pest Services. We help families in Westchester County get roaches out and keep them out. Contact us today for advice or service.