How Pests Can Spread Easily in a Crowded Apartment Complex

 

Crowded apartment buildings are a hotspot for pests at the first sign of an infestation. If you live in a crowded apartment or condominium, you must not only be concerned with the four walls of your home but also the habits of neighbors that could attract pests to spread within your building.

Sanitation Is Key

Although it may be difficult to control the your apartment neighbors’ cleanliness, keeping each apartment clean and sanitary is one way to prevent pests from invading and spreading from home to home.

Insects and rodents are on the lookout for food, water, and shelter to survive. By eliminating sources of food and standing water, most indoor infestations can be avoided completely. Apartment residents should be encouraged to keep their homes free from clutter and garbage that could provide shelter for indoor pests.

It’s also essential for apartment maintenance staff to check for moisture issues periodically since indoor pests like roaches may be attracted to areas of standing water caused by leaky faucets, sweating pipes, or broken pipes in the walls.

This is one area where apartment residents can work together to report any areas of moisture as soon as they occur. For example, if a pipe has broken in a hallway or apartment unit, the apartment manager should be notified immediately so that the pipe can be repaired and water damage cleaned up. If the maintenance staff is vigilant to deal with water issues as quickly as possible, pests will be less likely to infest and spread in a building.

Seal Cracks and Holes

In an older apartment building or condominium, you may be more likely to find cracks and holes in the walls and flooring. In this circumstance, it’s important to contact apartment management immediately to seal up crevices, cracks, and spaces, especially located around pipes.

Any unsealed cracks will invite insects to enter and potentially nest in walls or flooring. The most likely culprits would be cockroaches, who are known to enter apartments in search of water and crumbs as a source of food.

Even worse, a cockroach infestation in a crowded apartment building can easily spread bacteria and disease. Cockroaches have been known to trigger asthma and allergies; this is why it’s critical for an apartment management company to seal up any cracks and crevices throughout a building to keep cockroaches out!

At the first sign of infestation, an apartment complex should contact a pest control company so that a professional exterminator can assess the building and eradicate any indoor nests or insect habitats.