Where Can Cockroaches Enter Homes?

Cockroaches hide during the day and may go unnoticed for months once inside a home. At night they search for food and water, carrying bacteria, filth and fungi on their body. Food, surfaces and food utensils can become covered in a cockroach's filth, which can cause medical concerns for humans. This makes the lowly cockroach a pest that needs to be kept outdoors.

  1. Windows and Doors

    • Keep windows and doors shut to avoid creating easy entrance points. Holes in doors, windows, and screens also allow access to a home. Poor-fitting screens are another entrance point for cockroaches that can easily be fixed. Caulking around screens and caulking any holes in or near doors or windows will help limit possible entrance points.

    Pipes and Electrical Lines

    • Openings where electrical lines, water pipes, cooling pipes and steam pipes enter homes can create spaces for cockroaches to also gain access. It is important to seal these openings outdoors with caulk or other materials to prevent entrance. Also seal areas where water pipes, cooling pipes, steam pipes and electrical lines cut through floors and walls indoors. Plumbing leaks and moisture from water pipes attract cockroaches to an area, increasing the chances they will enter a home.

    Outdoor Cracks

    • Cockroaches can basically enter a home through any crack they find that leads indoors. Check for cracks in the foundation and make sure they are properly sealed. Check for cracks or holes in the siding of a home where entrance could be possible. Make sure that all cracks found on the foundation, siding, window sills and outside walls are repaired to prevent cockroach entrance.

    Items Brought Inside

    • Cockroaches can often be brought inside a home accidentally by the homeowner. Homeowners that bring garbage containers indoors need to make sure they are clean and free of cockroaches. Make sure no cockroaches or cockroach eggs are present on firewood that is being brought inside. Also check any garden vegetables, cardboard boxes and pet food or pet food containers to make sure no cockroaches are present on those things to prevent accidental cockroach entrance.