There are so many great apartment buildings in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and the Virginia/Washington D.C. area. Old apartment buildings have great charm and historical character, but they can also have some not-so-great hidden gems as well.
Living in an apartment building means it is harder to keep your apartment pest-free, and older buildings are even more of a challenge. These older dwellings tend to have more water problems caused by leaky pipes, and that means more standing water pools and wet, rotting wood – two things that roaches absolutely love.
Living in Close Quarters
Living in close proximity to your neighbors means that if you have neighbors that are not so neat and clean, roaches from their apartment can quickly become your problem. Unfortunately, roaches might be nesting in common walls and traveling back and forth between apartments. If the walls are insulated, the chances are that roaches are actively breeding year-round in these cozy, warm surroundings. Neighbors who leave dirty dishes in the sink or trash in bins are not only creating a roach problem for themselves but for the surrounding apartments as well.
Roaches love nooks and crannies, and these bugs have an uncanny ability to squeeze through most of them. Old buildings tend to have more holes and cracks in walls, windows and around pipes. If this is a problem, bring it up with your landlord and ask them to seal up any cracks that may exist.
Roach infestations in an apartment dwelling can quickly spiral out of control. These insects are associated with numerous health problems, and kids can particularly be susceptible. Just as susceptible are elderly people and people with allergies and other respiratory diseases. Roaches pick up diseases and transmit them to kitchen countertops and other surfaces. These insects also shed skin, and these skin particles greatly impact allergies and asthma.
Treat the Entire Building
When there is a roach infestation, the entire building must be treated. It doesn’t work to just treat one apartment. Many apartment dwellers make the mistake of thinking they can set off a fogger in just their apartment, but that only will drive the roaches into nearby apartments.
It is also important to make sure that trash and debris are as far away from the building as possible. Move trash cans away, and have an apartment cleanup day to remove wet leaves and wood away from the building’s foundation. This type of debris provides the perfect nesting ground for roaches which then easily enter the building through cracks and crevices.
As for your own apartment, keep food sealed and counters clean. Clean floors regularly to remove food and shed roach skin and debris. If you’ve seen even one roach, there are likely many more lurking inside your apartment walls. Hiring a professional like Presto Pest Control is a great way to remove these unwanted guests from your apartment building once and for all, so give us a call.