Do Roaches Come Up Through Drains?

Nobody likes cockroaches. No matter where we spot one, the first reaction is to remove it immediately if not to kill it.

Some of us are just unfortunate enough to have certain corners of our homes made into a nesting haven for cockroaches.

The two most infested cockroach infested spots in a home are the bathroom and the kitchen. Especially the bathroom where there are plenty of corners for the little bugs to hide. But where do the bugs come from? There are several answers to this but the most commonly seen one is through the bathroom drain.

Most people who bring in exterminators complain of roaches in the drain inside their bathroom. The shower drain, floor drain as well as basin drain are all spots from where cockroaches gain access to the insides of your bathroom.

Do Roaches Come Up Through Drains?

Do Roaches Come Up Through Drains

Yes, cockroaches come up through the various drains in the bathroom. No house has cockroaches from the very start. It always comes from the outside and drain pipes are a very common source of infestation. They crawl up through the pipes and then lay eggs and build a whole legion of cockroaches somewhere inside your house.

Drains serve as a connection between the outside world and the interior of the house. Drains are also directly connected to the sewer lines. Now, there is something you should know about cockroaches and that is they are not exactly known for being picky about cleanliness and can thrive almost anywhere and especially in cold, dark, and dirty places.

They draw nutrients from the feces of humans and animals alike and therefore the sewer lines happen to be perfect for them.

The menace that cockroaches in the drain are especially severe in apartments and condos where the drain pipes are treated as pathways between the units.

So if you have a neighbor with a cockroach infestation in their bathroom and who refuses to get rid of them properly, you will have to face the disaster of having to see roaches in the shower drain, floor drain, etc, of your bathroom even if you are a clean freak and keep your bathroom spotless and clean. 

Then there is the fact that during winters and generally cold places, the pipes and sewers become too cold for the cockroaches to comfortably thrive there. Moreover, roaches that are about to lay eggs naturally look for places that are warm and have sources of water and sustenance. Therefore the bathroom makes a perfect place for the bugs.

So if you see cockroaches in the shower drain, it is probably because the roaches sensed the warmth from the stream of water flowing out as you were taking a shower. 

Moreover, if they crawl out through the basin and the shower drain they also get to drink the residue water from before. It is a complete win-win situation for them.

Another reason why cockroaches crawl up through the drain is that they are drawn to the mixed odor of the wastewater and sewage that flows through it. That smell may be pungent and putrid for us but it informs cockroaches about the possibilities of food and water.

Besides, using the drain pipes is quite convenient for them especially if there are cracks in them, as they can easily crawl into tiny spots and have multiple exit and entry points while they scour your house in search of food and water.

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The Bottom Line

Since the drains are such a favorite spot of the cockroaches, the first thing that you should do at the first sight of a cockroach is to make the drains inaccessible. Cover it using metallic plugs after the water dries up completely.

Covered drains may be an inconvenience in homes where the bathroom is used frequently but the good news is that cockroaches won’t be able to crawl in if water continuously flows through the drains. But at night, when the usage decreases, or during absences from home, the drains should be covered with plugs to avoid a cockroach infestation.

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