German cockroaches spread rapidly between living spaces, often moving from one apartment or unit to another through hidden pathways, and even the cleanest of houses can have an infestation. German cockroaches actively migrate through shared walls, plumbing lines, electrical conduits, and other interconnected spaces. In environments where infestations are heavy, like restaurants or multi-unit buildings, German cockroaches can also hide in personal belongings and be unknowingly transported into a new environment where they can quickly grow in numbers.
In multi-unit buildings, roaches can easily traverse between apartments, using:
- Shared wall cavities
- Plumbing and utility pipes
- Electrical channels
- Ventilation systems
Once in a building, they quickly find and colonize areas with:
- Readily available food sources, such as crumbs and open food containers
- Moisture from leaks or damp areas like leaky pipes, basements, or standing water
- Dark, cluttered spaces for hiding, such as cracks in walls and gaps in permanent fixtures
Their ability to squeeze through tiny openings and reproduce quickly makes them particularly challenging to control on your own. Professional roach pest control is essential as roaches can spread from one unit to multiple others before residents even realize an infestation is developing.