Cockroaches are one of the most common and hated household pests worldwide. Not only are they unsightly and unpleasant to encounter, but they also carry diseases and trigger allergies in some people.
These pests can be challenging to eliminate and often require professional assistance. This is where exterminators come in handy. Exterminators are the superheroes of the pest world, armed with the right tools and techniques to rid roaches from your living space.
This article will explore the various methods and techniques exterminators use to eliminate cockroaches. Whether you are dealing with a small roach problem or a full-blown infestation, understanding the methods used by professional exterminators can help you take the proper steps to protect your home and family from these unwanted pests.
Why You Should Hire a Cockroach Exterminator
Swift action is imperative if you discover roaches in your home. Addressing a small number of cockroaches is relatively manageable. Conversely, a severe infestation necessitates professional assistance. Professional exterminators have the expertise and knowledge to handle chemicals and other pesticides safely.
Furthermore, many over-the-counter insecticides have become less effective due to the widespread use of certain active ingredients, causing some roaches to develop resistance over time.
This means that even if you think you’ve successfully eliminated them, there’s a high chance that some may have survived and will continue to reproduce. In addition, exterminators have access to a range of effective treatments and techniques that can help to eliminate roaches more thoroughly and prevent re-infestations.
When to Call a Cockroach Exterminator
If you spot a cockroach scurrying around your home, don’t panic; it might just be a lone roach that has separated from its colony. However, if you start noticing an increase in cockroaches or see their droppings, egg cases, or dead bodies, you might have an infestation at hand.
In that case, it’s high time to call a professional exterminator. While trying a DIY approach using store-bought baits is tempting, this may not always be effective, especially if the infestation is severe.
Whether you’ve seen multiple signs of cockroaches or have seen one scurrying around your home, it is time to begin clean-up efforts to rid them of their food source. However, if this has not triggered them to leave, it’s time to schedule an exterminator to take a look.
When eliminating cockroaches, it is always best to take action and call an exterminator sooner rather than later. Remember that the larger the roach infestation, the more difficult and costly it will be to eliminate them.
Preparations for Cockroach Control Services
Proper preparation is critical to ensuring the success of pest control treatments. While each company may have specific instructions for prepping for service, homeowners can follow some general guidelines to make the process smoother and more effective.
Exterminators will typically provide homeowners with a list of preparation activities that must be completed before their visit to ensure the treatment is effective and safe. These preparations may include cleaning and decluttering the infested areas, removing food and water sources, and sealing cracks and crevices to prevent re-entry by the pests.
Inspections
Before commencing the extermination, the exterminators conduct inspections, which are also essential. The inspection process carried out by exterminators involves a thorough search of the most common areas where infestations occur, such as the kitchen, bathrooms, baseboards, closets, basements, attics, and dark and damp places.
Inspections help identify the source and areas of the infestation, such as cracks or crevices that provide entry points for roaches; it also helps determine the severity of the infestation.
Before the treatment, exterminators identify the specific type of cockroach that has infested your residence, considering numerous species worldwide, with German, Oriental, and American cockroaches being the most common.
While these winged pests can fly, they usually prefer to scurry across floors and walls. Therefore, identifying the roach species enables the exterminators to determine the best method of eliminating roaches.
Gel Baits
Gel baits have become the go-to solution for controlling and eradicating cockroach infestations and are widely used by exterminators today. These insecticides are typically applied as tiny gel bait beads strategically placed in areas where cockroaches are known to frequent or feed.
These baits are formulated with slow-acting poison and come in user-friendly syringe packaging that allows easy application in hard-to-reach areas such as cracks and crevices where roaches often hide.
When the roaches consume the gel bait, they die slowly in their nest; they may also carry some poisoned bait back to their nests, where other cockroaches feed on it and die. This results in a chain reaction, leading to the death of multiple generations of roaches until the infestation is eliminated.
Fumigation
When dealing with roach infestations, fumigation is a reliable solution effective in eliminating roaches in hard-to-reach areas in a home. The exterminator sprays poisonous gaseous chemicals to eliminate roaches and their eggs in hard-to-reach places like cracks, crevices, ceilings, and electronics.
This pest control treatment can stay after application, providing ongoing protection against new infestations. In addition, when sprayed around the perimeter of the house, it creates a barrier that can deter cockroaches from entering the building.
Following a fumigation treatment, waiting at least 2-3 days is recommended before re-entering the treated area. This allows sufficient time for the chemicals to dissipate and the environment to return to a safe and habitable state.
Tent fumigation is often considered a last resort when faced with a severe cockroach infestation. Fumigation is expensive and poses potential risks to humans and pets. Hence, it is typically used only when all other control measures have failed.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming is another effective method used by exterminators to control cockroach populations. Cockroaches can be drawn to the suction of a vacuum cleaner and can be easily removed from their hiding places, such as cracks and crevices.
However, simply vacuuming alone may not eliminate a cockroach infestation. Cockroaches can lay their eggs in hard-to-reach areas that may not be accessible to a vacuum, and some species may even be able to survive in the vacuum cleaner itself.
Therefore, vacuuming should be part of a comprehensive cockroach control strategy, including baiting, trapping, insecticides, and sealing cracks and crevices to prevent future infestations.
For this reason, a professional exterminator assesses the severity of the infestation and determines the most practical combination of methods to eradicate cockroaches from a property.
Heat Treatment
With heat treatment, exterminators use high temperatures to kill roaches and their eggs. This method is effective for residential properties and is environmentally friendly since it does not use chemicals.
Heat treatments involve raising the temperature in the space to a level lethal to roaches, typically between 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit. This method can be completed in hours and does not require individuals to vacate the premises for an extended period. However, there are better solutions than this method since some roach species can survive high temperatures.
Chemicals Exterminators Use to Eliminate Cockroaches
Pest control companies use a variety of chemicals to control and eliminate cockroach infestations. The type of chemical used may depend on several factors, such as the severity of the infestation, the location of the infestation, and the type of roach being targeted.
Common chemicals used by exterminators include:
Boric Acid
Boric acid is a common chemical used to control cockroach populations. It is typically applied as dust, evenly distributed over surfaces around the house, and blown into cracks and crevices where cockroaches tend to hide.
Roaches come into contact with the dust as they crawl over these surfaces and get coated in the powder. Additionally, they ingest boric acid when grooming themselves. Since boric acid retains its efficacy for a prolonged period as long as it remains dry, it provides an excellent solution for long-term cockroach control.
Hydramethylnon
Hydramethylnon is a highly effective compound used by exterminators to eliminate cockroach infestations. This chemical acts as a metabolic inhibitor; its termination action is triggered only after ingestion by the roaches. It swiftly disrupts their metabolic processes and energy production, leading to death.
This highly effective insecticide is particularly effective against German cockroaches, one of the most common and troublesome household pests. With hydramethylnon, you can rest assured that your roach problem will be quickly and effectively addressed
Indoxacarb
Indoxacarb is a potent insecticide and has proven to be an excellent solution for eliminating cockroach infestations. Typically incorporated into gel baits, it is a preferred choice by pest control experts for effectively exterminating roaches.
Indoxacarb’s lethal impact is not limited to the cockroaches consuming it. When other cockroaches come in contact with contaminated feces or carcasses of the poisoned insects, they, too, become infected with indoxacarb.
Efficient pest control treatments can wipe out up to three generations of cockroaches.
Fipronil
Fipronil is a common pesticide used to control roach infestations that comes in liquid or powder form. This chemical works by affecting the nervous system of pests, either killing them or driving them away from your home.
As a toxic spray, it should only be applied by licensed and experienced pest control technicians. These professionals take precautions to ensure your safety and will inform you of the treated areas within your home.
This will allow you to take necessary precautions and avoid coming into contact with the chemical.
Do’s and Don’ts Before and After Extermination
After treatment, the pest control company leaves instructions for homeowners to follow so they don’t interrupt the therapy. Following these instructions will help ensure the treatment’s effectiveness and prevent unintended consequences that may impact its success.
Some of the recommended do’s after treatment include:
- Following the instructions provided by the exterminator
- Keeping children and pets away from treated areas
- Cleaning and sanitizing surfaces that may have come into contact with the treatment
- Disposing of any food or water that may have been exposed to the treatment
- Sealing cracks and crevices to prevent future infestations
Conversely, there are certain don’ts to adhere to:
- Don’t touch or disturb treated areas
- Don’t vacuum or sweep treated areas for the recommended period
- Dont apply any additional insecticides or treatments without consulting with the exterminator
- Don’t move or relocate any treated items or furniture
- Don’t allow anyone to enter the treated area
By following these guidelines, one can ensure the success of the treatment and minimize any unnecessary exposure to treatment chemicals. If there are any questions or concerns about the after-treatment care, it is advisable to contact the exterminator for clarification.
Cockroach Extermination Costs
The cost of hiring an exterminator to get rid of roaches can vary depending on several factors, such as the infestation’s severity, the property’s size, the type of treatment used, and the property’s location.
A one-time roach treatment can range from $100 to $500. However, some exterminators may charge a flat fee or offer package deals for ongoing treatments. The cost may be higher for severe infestations as more treatments may be necessary to eradicate the roaches.
Some exterminators may also recommend a follow-up treatment to ensure the infestation is eliminated. However, it is essential to note that the cost of the treatment is not the only factor to consider when hiring an exterminator.
Choosing a reputable and experienced exterminator who uses safe and effective treatment methods is also essential. To get an accurate estimate of the roach extermination cost, obtaining quotes from multiple exterminators and comparing their pricing and services is recommended.
How Long Do Exterminators Take To Get Rid of Roaches?
Exterminators take a few hours to a few weeks to get rid of roaches depending on various factors, such as the size of the infestation, the type of treatment used, and the level of preparation done before the extermination.
A typical roach infestation requires one to three treatments. A small infestation may be eliminated in a single treatment session. In contrast, a larger infestation may require multiple visits from the exterminator over several weeks or months to ensure that all roaches and their eggs are eradicated.
The type of treatment method also affects the duration, as some procedures may require longer exposure times or follow-up visits for monitoring and reapplication. It is best to contact the local pest control services beforehand to understand the treatment plan’s estimated duration better.
Use Professional Exterminators to Get Rid of Roaches
Cockroaches can be difficult to detect, and sometimes these pests can live in your home without you even noticing. Fortunately, professional exterminators have the knowledge, skills, and tools to identify the areas and sources of infestation and effectively eliminate these pests from your home.
From bait traps to chemical sprays and fumigation, there are a variety of methods and techniques that exterminators can use to get rid of roaches. You can ensure a roach-free home and peace of mind by working with a professional exterminator and taking proactive measures to prevent infestations.
