The non-stop rain during the eve of the new year 2020, makes several cities in the greater Jakarta area flooded. More than 1,300 homes in 74 districts across greater Jakarta were heavily damaged due to flooding.
Image source: France 24
When few days passed and the flood had begun to recede; many problems arising when homeowners returning to their home after a flood. It is because floods cause a series of problems, including:
- Devastate property.
- Destroy security documents.
- Potentially increase the transmission of water-borne disease.
- The emergence of pest problems, such as cockroach.
After a flood, those risks may be higher than just cause structural house damage, yet it also brings unwanted pests like cockroaches to get out of their nest and try to get into your house for findings of the new shelter and food sources.
This article will focus on discussing the cockroach infestation at home post-flood, including:
- The reasons what brings cockroaches out after the flood
- The negative impact cockroaches can bring post-flood
- Post-flood cockroach prevention tips
What brings cockroaches out post-flood?
There was a photo of dozens cockroach on the wall that was viral on social media during the flood. Like it or not, but the phenomenon seeing dozens of cockroaches out after the flood is something that can’t be avoided because severe cockroach problems can develop both during floods and after the flood has retreated
Naturally, the sewer system is one of the habitats of the American cockroach species. But when the flood comes and the sewer systems overflow, it will compel cockroaches inside the sewer system to flush out. When this happens, cockroaches will migrate to find new shelter elsewhere, including in your home.
Cockroaches can’t and don’t swim, they can float on the water but they rarely do. Therefore, when the water rises up from beneath the surface, cockroaches will search a way out through water pipes.
What is the negative impact cockroaches can bring post-flood?
There are at least two negative impacts that cockroaches pose post-flood:
- Cockroaches are attracted to humid and warm conditions. It’s not impossible if you find out cockroach grow well in a home post-flood. Besides they are able to breed very quickly, a flood may open the door to future cockroach problems at your home.
- Leptospirosis is an infection caused by the cockroach, which becomes one of the diseases that have a close associated during flooding. People commonly get leptospirosis when they have direct contact with flood water or soil containing cockroaches’ urine, faeces and vomit.
How to prevent cockroach infestation and its danger posed post-flood?
Follow these 4 piratical tips below to clean cockroach infestation post-flood:
1. Eliminate any debris that carried into your house post-flood
Flood debris generally consists of organic materials and objects that not only become negative effect on your family health, yet it will also become a strong magnet for a pest like a cockroach to exploit.
2. Remove moisture as quickly as possible inside your house
Can’t be denied that flood will increase the moisture levels around your house, and even worse it can take several weeks to completely dry out a flood. Mould or fungi that arises due to damp conditions is one of the cockroach attractants.
There are a few things that might help you to prevent the damp conditions post-flood, such as:
- Drying items outside the house for direct sunlight exposure.
- Open the windows in all rooms, even those which don’t appear to be wet.
- Use air fan to circulate air over wet surfaces, such as towards wet carpets or wooden flooring.
- Invest yourself with a dehumidifier to create a drier climate inside your house.
- Dispose of all your weathered and damp furniture. Damp furniture could be the main choice where cockroaches will stay if you still keep it!
3. Get rid of any kinds of medicines, food and other consumable items that have contact with floodwater
Do not consume any consumable items that have been exposed to flooding, because these items are definitely no longer safe for consumption due to potentially contaminated by bacteria that cockroach might brings.
4. Fix any leaks or broken pipes
Leaks or broken pipes are the common damage that flood brings. Not only affect in the moisture level inside your house, but cockroaches will also take advantage of this to fulfill their thirst needs soon after floods have retreated.
If you found the cockroach infestation getting severe after a flood, contact Rentokil immediately to get rid of them.
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