When To Call An Exterminator for Roaches: What You Need to Know

If you find unwanted visitors, you might wonder when to call an exterminator for roaches immediate assistance. But is it necessary to panic over a single roach? Let’s review the signs that it’s time to get help from pest control experts to get rid of roaches.

When Should You Call an Exterminator For Roaches? 6 Signs

Determining how cockroaches got into your home can be difficult because these pests are so small that they can sneak in through any open crack or crevice. That’s why it’s essential to hire a cockroach exterminator at the first signs of an infestation.

The first step is to determine whether seeing that roach was an isolated incident or an indicator of a larger problem. For example, if you find one by your door, it could have wandered into your home. But if you find two roaches, you should quickly take pest control action. Regardless of the type of roach, spotting multiple unwanted visitors indicates that there is an infestation hiding in your home. Here are the surefire signs that it’s time to hire a local roach exterminator to help you handle your roach problem.

1. You Found a Roach Near a Food or Water Source

Cockroaches need food and water like all other animals and humans, which is why they’re attracted to your home. Kitchens and bathrooms are two of the most common places to find cockroaches. You can likely find them lurking where there’s food (like your pantry) or moisture (like your basement or laundry room). Look in cabinets, corners and crevices, and other out-of-the-way spots for live bug sightings or signs of infestation.

Even if you’ve found one cockroach in one of these hotspots, it’s time to call in a pro. You cannot be sure they haven’t invited others—or laid eggs for the next generation—without a professional inspection. If it was a lone visitor, you can be proactive in keeping out others from stopping by in the future.

2. You Found Their Droppings

A cockroach’s fecal matter resembles coffee grounds. Unless you spilled some French roast while making your morning cup of Joe, finding small, brown droppings likely indicates a roach infestation.

If you find roach droppings anywhere in your house, it’s time to call the pest control pros. While there are natural ways to kill roaches, you should not attempt to DIY clean droppings unless you’re wearing protective gear. A roach’s fecal matter contains bacteria and other elements that can trigger allergic reactions and illness in humans.

3. You Found Their Shed Skins

If you dislike when other household members leave their clothes on the floor, you’ll hate it when you find cockroach exoskeletons lying around—that’s the scientific term for the skin they shed. The discarded exoskeletons look like flakes of skin. 

Finding these shed skins in your home is even worse than seeing the actual live creatures. Why? It’s evidence that they’ve taken up residence in your home and have settled in quite nicely to their life cycle. These left-behind skins are a clear indication that you need to hire an exterminator.

4. Egg Casings

If you spot cockroach egg casings in your home, that’s a surefire sign of a larger infestation. These casings are brown or black and contain many tiny roach eggs. You may find them in hidden locations, such as underneath or within furniture, or floor corners. Identifying egg casings should prompt you to hire a professional roach exterminator immediately.

5. Your House Smells Musty

Unless you can trace the odor back to the source and it’s remedied when you clean or remove it, you could have a bigger problem underfoot. An unknown musty smell, especially in the kitchen or bathroom, could be cockroach pheromones. This smell is how cockroaches and other bugs communicate with each other. In this case, if you smell something and have seen a cockroach, they could be “inviting” others to come to the party at your house.

6. You Feel Sick

Have you been experiencing allergic reactions or asthma attacks at home? It could be the result of cockroaches—their feces and other emanations are known to trigger health issues like asthma and allergies. For the safety of you and other members of your household, call an exterminator to eradicate your roach problem.

How to Prevent Roaches From Returning

It’s understandable that a cockroach sighting might put you in a panic. After your exterminator clears out the roaches, you should take preventative measures to ward off another roach infestation.

Seal Up Cracks

Check for cracks and gaps in doors, windows, and your foundation. If cockroaches or other pests can’t get in, they’ll move on. Use caulk to seal any cracks and gaps, and inspect the exterior of your home regularly for new roach access points.

Store Food Safely

By removing available food sources, you’ll make your home less hospitable for cockroaches. To do so, clean up dishes after each meal and store any leftovers in sealed containers. Make sure any opened bags of dry food—everything from cookies to chips to loaves of bread—are sealed. You don’t want to make it any easier for insects to get to a food source.

Resolve Any Leaks

If you’ve got a leaky faucet, fix it quickly. Roaches need a water source and will seek out moist spots in your home. Hire a plumber if you can’t tighten up those pipes or faucets on your own.

Cockroaches are survivalists. The more quickly you react when seeing any evidence of them in your home, the more quickly you can ward off an infestation. 

Avoid Indoor and Outdoor Clutter

Roaches love to hide in dark, quiet spots, especially near your garbage or yard debris. Eliminate their hiding spots by keeping your indoor and outdoor areas tidy, minimizing the amount of clutter. Don’t create piles of trash, cardboard, paper products, and be sure to clean up garden waste like excess leaves and shrubbery to avoid making hidey-holes for roaches.