Most cockroach calls we get from Walmer homes are about the large, reddish-brown American cockroach, and most of those cockroaches live outside the house, in the drains, manholes and damp corners of the garden. They wander in at night through floor drains, gaps around pipes and under doors. Treat the drains and the entry routes, and the night-time visitors mostly stop. If the cockroaches are small, fast and living in your kitchen, that's a different species and a different plan, and we cover both below.
Why older Walmer properties have drain cockroaches
A lot of Walmer houses have plumbing that has been there for decades. Over time, old sewer lines crack, joints shift as tree roots push through them, and the covers on garden gullies and inspection chambers go missing or get buried under garden beds. Every crack and open gully is an invitation. American cockroaches breed in sewers and stormwater, and an older drainage system with a few weak points lets them come and go freely.
Large gardens add to it. Thick leaf litter under mature trees, compost heaps, wood piles and damp beds near the house give them somewhere to shelter between trips indoors.
Know your cockroach
- American cockroach. Big, around four centimetres or more, reddish-brown, with wings, and able to fly a short distance on warm nights. Usually seen alone, at night, in bathrooms, kitchens and near drains. Mostly an outdoor and drain insect.
- German cockroach. Small, light brown, with two dark stripes behind the head. Lives indoors in kitchens and bathrooms, in large numbers, behind fridges, inside stove panels and under sinks. Arrives in boxes, second-hand appliances and shopping bags.
If you're not sure which you have, a photo on WhatsApp will tell us straight away.
How we treat cockroaches in Walmer
For American cockroaches
- We find the drains, gullies and manholes on the property, and check floor drains in bathrooms and kitchens.
- We apply an odourless, non-staining residual treatment in and around the drains, at entry points and along the outside of the house.
- We point out missing covers, broken gully grids and gaps around pipes so they can be closed.
For German cockroaches
- We find the hotspots: behind and under appliances, inside cupboard hinges, around the geyser and under the sink.
- We place gel bait in the cracks where they hide. They feed on it and carry it back, which is what clears a colony.
- We come back for a follow-up, because eggs protected in their cases hatch after the first visit.
You don't need to move out for either treatment. Keep children and pets off sprayed areas until they're dry.
Cottages, flatlets and outbuildings
Many Walmer properties have a garden cottage, a flatlet or a staff room with its own small kitchen. German cockroaches often build up there unnoticed and then spread to the main house. If you're treating the house, treat the cottage at the same time.
Shops, offices and food businesses
Businesses around Walmer Park and along the main roads need cockroach control that runs on a schedule, not just when someone spots one. We set up regular visits around trading hours and keep a record of every treatment.
A Walmer tip: find your gully covers
Walk around the outside of the house and find every drain gully and inspection chamber. In older gardens, some will have lost their grids or be half-buried in soil and mulch. A proper cover or grid on each one, and a clear space around it, cuts off the main road cockroaches use to reach the house.
What people get wrong
Spraying a German cockroach problem with a household insecticide. It kills the ones you see, while the rest move deeper into the walls and appliances, and the spray can make bait less attractive when it's finally used. With German cockroaches, gel baiting is what works. With American cockroaches, spraying the kitchen floor misses the point; the drains are the source.
What does it cost?
The species matters most. American cockroaches from drains are usually a single treatment of the drains and perimeter. A German cockroach infestation in a kitchen needs baiting and a follow-up, and more if a cottage or several rooms are involved. Businesses are priced on the size of the premises and how often we visit. If you only see the odd American cockroach in summer and your drains are covered, you may not need us at all. We quote once we know what we're dealing with.
For more about how cockroaches breed and spread, read our cockroach guide, or see the full Port Elizabeth cockroach service. We also treat cockroaches in Summerstrand flats and restaurants. Ants in the kitchen as well? See ant control in Walmer, or our guide to Walmer's common pests. Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the cockroach.
Questions we get asked
Why do I only see one big cockroach at a time?
That's typical of American cockroaches. They live mostly in drains and outdoors and come in one at a time at night, unlike German cockroaches, which live indoors in groups.
Can cockroaches come up through the toilet?
It's rare. Floor drains, shower drains and gaps around pipes are far more common routes into the house.
Do tree roots really cause cockroach problems?
They can. Roots crack and shift old drain pipes, which gives cockroaches from the sewer a way into the garden and towards the house.
How long does a German cockroach treatment take to work?
You'll usually see a big drop within a week or two. A follow-up catches the young that hatch from eggs after the first treatment.
Is gel bait safe in a kitchen with children?
Yes, when placed properly. It goes into cracks and hinges out of reach, not on worktops or where food is prepared.