5 Reasons to Rid Your Home of Roaches Right Away

If you recently found a cockroach in your home, call an exterminator as soon as possible. For every lone cockroach you find out in the open, there could be hundreds or thousands more hiding out of sight. Cockroaches aren't just annoying and gross; they're also a health risk for you andyour family.

Unfortunately, most over-the-counter treatment methods only provide a temporary fix. To completely eradicate the problem, you need professional pest control services. Here are just four of the reasons you need to get rid of roaches permanently.

1. They Multiply Quickly

If you think you're safe because you've only seen one or two roaches in your home, you're not. Cockroaches multiply at a rapid rate. Not only that, but they don't require mates of the opposite sex to reproduce. Female virgin cockroaches reproduce through a process known as parthenogenesis, which allows for asexual reproduction.

Once hatched, German cockroaches are ready to reproduce in just a few short weeks. Throughout their lifetime, one cockroach can give birth to about 35,000 additional roaches. That mental image alone should be enough to want roaches out of your home for good.

2. They Contaminate Your Food

If you've found a cockroach in your cabinets, be concerned for the safety of your food. You may think that your containers are secured, but that might not be the case. Cockroaches can squeeze into bread bags, cereal boxes, and other food containers. Unfortunately, once cockroaches get inside the packages, your food may longer be safe to eat.

Particles of everything a cockroach has walked through are on their feet, which could include feces and decaying flesh. If you haven't seen cockroaches in your cabinets, there's still cause for concern. They may not have left germs and bacteria in your food, but they have traveled across your counter tops and cooking surfaces.

3. They Leave a Foul Odor in Your Home

If you've been smelling a foul, stale oil odor in your home, chances are good that you have a cockroach infestation. Cockroaches emit a variety of odors that leave your home permeate through the air. One specific scent is designed to let other roaches know that the area is inhabited. Another scent is emitted once a roach dies.

That scent is designed to warn other roaches of an immediate threat. Finally, there's the odor that female roaches emit to attract potential mates. Any of the above-mentioned odors will affect the way your home smells.

4. They Worsen Allergy and Asthma Symptoms

If your allergy or asthma symptoms have gotten worse, the culprit may be inside your walls and vents. Cockroach allergies can cause a variety of symptoms such as post-nasal drip, skin rash and unexplained coughs. This allergy can also exacerbate asthma symptoms, which include chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. You may also find that your sleep is interrupted.

These symptoms are caused by the deposits that roaches leave throughout your home. When roaches shed their skin, they leave their exoskeleton throughout the house. In addition to the exoskeletons, roaches also deposit feces and urine in your air ducts and on the other surfaces in your home. These particles are then circulated through the air, where they end up in your lungs and inside your nose. The more roaches you have in your home, the more severe your allergy and asthma symptoms become.

If you've discovered a roach in your home, don't wait to take action. One roach is enough to cause significant damage to your home. If you're in the Melbourne, FL area, contact us at Bobby Grisson's Pest Management. We have a seven-step pest control program that will keep you pest-free for an entire year.