How Dangerous Is It To Have Cockroaches In My Norfolk Home?
January 15, 2021
Sure, no one wants cockroaches in their home. What most people don't realize is that cockroaches aren't just filthy creatures, they're also dangerous. Learn about the dangers of having cockroaches in your Norfolk home.

Cockroaches In Norfolk
To fully understand the dangers of cockroaches in Norfolk, you need to know about the local types of cockroaches. There are two very common cockroaches, and each one can cause damage to you and your family. First, there is the American cockroach. Also known as the palmetto bug, the American cockroach enjoys living outside. It sometimes makes its way indoors, however. You can identify this type of cockroach by its large size, reddish color, and yellow figure eight on its head.
Another common Norfolk cockroach is the German cockroach. Slightly smaller than the American cockroach, this species loves indoor living. They're more likely to be found inside your property, and are easily identified by the two black stripes on their heads. Although they have wings, German cockroaches do not typically fly.
What Makes Them Dangerous?
None of the cockroaches found in Norfolk are notorious for causing physical damage. Unlike termites and carpenter ants, cockroaches won't damage your wood or cause costly structural repairs. However, they can damage your belongings with their urine or feces. You may have to throw away sentimental belongings because of a cockroach infestation. Cockroaches also have a foul smell that could make your property smell musty.
Health Hazards
While cockroaches only cause minor property damage, they can still cause significant damage to your health. Most cockroaches enjoy living in sewers, alleys, and dumpsters. As they walk around, cockroaches pick up pathogens and bacteria. They then take those pathogens and bacteria into your home and contaminate your surfaces. If they get into your food, cockroaches will contaminate that as well.
Cockroaches have the potential to spread deadly diseases. Even one cockroach in your home could be devastating. If you have children or elderly people in your home, they are particularly vulnerable to the diseases spread by cockroaches. To protect them, you need to take steps to deter cockroaches.
Trigger Allergies
Not every cockroach carries disease, however, every cockroach does contain a protein that can trigger allergies. When a cockroach infestation is serious, you or someone else in your property may experience constant allergic reactions. Sneezing, coughing, or itchy eyes could indicate a cockroach problem.The health risks of having cockroaches in your home are serious. When your home is vulnerable to cockroaches, everyone's inside it is in danger.
Cockroaches Are Resilient
One of the issues with cockroaches is their resilience. For centuries, cockroaches have endured droughts and famines. One cockroach can survive on a crumb for over a week. Furthermore, it doesn't need much water to survive. Regardless of the effort you put into keeping food and water away from cockroaches, you might not have much luck.
How much food do you have in your home? There's a good chance that you have dried food in your pantry, and there's also a good chance that you produce some crumbs when you eat. Besides not eating in your home, how can you keep food away from cockroaches?
In addition to finding food almost anywhere, cockroaches are quick breeders. It only takes a few cockroaches to make a large infestation. Once you have a cockroach problem, you need to eliminate all of them. If a few roaches remain, they will continue to reproduce. The best way to protect you and your family from the dangers of cockroaches is with professional help. Here at Hometown Pest Control, we're ready to help you get rid of these pests for good. Contact us today!