Phoenix ranked 4th 'roachiest' city in America. Here's how to prevent cockroaches

According to a recent study, Phoenix was ranked fourth for cities in the U.S. with the worst cockroach infestations.

The study was conducted by pestgnome.com, a home services company that specializes in connecting people to pest exterminators in their area.

The study stated that the ranking is partially due to the, "historical average number of extremely hot days," citing metrics sourced from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau.

Because of high temperatures year-round, cockroaches are able to survive, requiring temperatures no less than 45 degrees to create hospitable conditions, the website stated.

James Adams, the area manager for Truly Nolen Pest Control, stated that cockroaches in Arizona have always been an issue, although he noted that the problem is expanding this year.

"What we are seeing this year is an elongation of what we'd consider the period... of heavy roach activity," Adams said. This is largely due to warmer temperatures in the Valley that have lasted into the fall and winter, he added.

"When we don't get those cooler temperatures to drive the pests into hiding, they come out... for much longer periods of time." Adams said.

According to Adams, he receives calls regarding roach activity, "on a daily basis."

He went on to identify the two different species of roaches that primarily serve as pests in Arizona, being the American cockroach and the German cockroach. According to Adams, American cockroaches are slightly bigger and more commonly found outside in damp areas, whereas the thinner German cockroaches are, "the ones more commonly seen inside the house," requiring human activity to survive, Adams said.

He went on to add that the German variety prefer to live in dark, hidden spaces in homes, such as in cracks, behind cabinets, and underneath sinks.

While both species are normally nocturnal by nature, American cockroaches can be spotted outside homes during both the mornings and the evenings, Adams said. However, if a person notices a cockroach inside their home during the day, it's usually indicative of a more serious problem, such as very heavy infestation, he added.

What causes cockroaches to invade homes?

While cockroaches are mostly active in the summer, one of the biggest causes of roach infestations in homes is excess water, such as overwatering lawns and irrigation systems, according to Scott Preller, owner of Green Organics Pest Control in Phoenix.

"Roaches and water go hand-in-hand," Preller said.

Preller went on to add that poor sanitation, broken drip systems, and faulty or neglected plumbing are also leading factors in roach problems in homes.

"A dry drain is a direct route to the sewer," Preller said. "It's like a highway right up into your house."

According to Adams, many roaches are brought into homes, "by accident," such as being attached to grocery or retail items that are then carried into the house. When those items are stored away, cockroaches then, "reproduce very quickly," Adams added.

What can homeowners do to prevent cockroaches?

Applying weather stripping to doorways is one of the best ways to prevent cockroaches from entering the home, according to Preller, who went on to say that doors are a common entry point for the pests.

However, one of the most important methods to prevent roaches is to control water usage, according to both Preller and Adams.

"Water your plants and your lawn at an acceptable rate to where the moisture is the amount of liquid that the plants need to survive, but doesn't keep the ground wet for an extended period of time," Adams said. "Reducing the amount of water you're putting in your yard can really help with that."

Another preventable roach treatment is to maintain that all drains in the home stay wet and that pipes and plumbing are functional and properly maintained, Preller and Adams stated.

For roaches that may be inadvertently brought in, the best thing people can do is to inspect their groceries before putting them away, Adams said. This helps reduce food sources if cockroaches enter the home, he added. If they're found, Adams suggested to dispose the products either down the garbage disposal or outside.

Both Preller and Adams stated that good sanitation habits and regular cleanliness are key to keeping the pests at bay.

"Maintaining sanitation in the kitchen is a really big part of it," Adams said. "Every now and then, pull the stove out. Cleaning underneath, behind, and down the sides of the stove will help reduce the amount of food sources in the kitchen for those roaches to feed on."

What if there are cockroaches in the home?

If cockroach problems persist, Adam recommended that homeowners contact their city government, as it may be indicative of the neighborhood sewers needing treatment, he said. He also advised for people to contact plumbing services, who may be able to send someone out to perform leak tests and check for broken plumbing lines in the home, he added.

For more environmentally-conscious options, Preller suggested heat treatments, which can be applied directly to the pests. This provides a more eco-friendly and organic process that helps get rid of roaches without the need of chemicals or added toxins, Preller stated.

For more serious infestation problems both inside and outside the home, Adams recommended homeowners to contact any local pest control service for professional help, adding that, "most homeowners are not going to have the skills or the materials to eliminate a roach infestation that's gotten to that point."

How can cockroaches affect health?

According to both Preller and Adams, cockroach infestations can lead to a number of adverse side affects on those living in the home.

"You can actually be physically allergic to roaches," Preller said. "They travel in dirty areas and carry all kinds of bacteria that can make people sick."

Long-term respiratory issues due to cockroaches can also be a serious concern for homeowners, Adams said.

"German roaches specifically are considered one of the leading causes of asthma in children," Adams stated, adding that this was largely due to skin molts left behind by the pests.

"Those skin molts are very fine exoskeletons that get left behind and crushed up. They get up in the air and breathed in by the people in the home." Adams said.

Another problem that cockroaches pose is the spreading of diseases, according to Adams.

"By walking across their own feces and other dirty surfaces in the kitchen, and then walking across clean surfaces, we inadvertently consume things that we don't want to be consuming from the other areas that those roaches have walked across," Adams said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix ranked among worst cities in US for cockroaches