Creepie crawler etc. (Phoenix, Tucson: HOA, condo, houses)

[bgoeres]

moving to phoenix, will have condo inspected for termites and assume roach control done periodically by HOA ... but for self controlling them, when I was looking at houses, one lady told me she pours bleach down her drains once? a week and keep her drains closed ALL THE TIME? she says this virtually keeps the roaches out.

is this true? other tips?
hate hate hate spiders more, but know the cautions, where to look, shake out shoes and towels (for scorpions too) but know almost nada about roaches. don't want a roach ranch, all help appreciated!

[KarmaPhx]

Use the search function, tons of info posted already.

[lyzzard]

Depends on where you live I think. We have never seen a roach, even a sewer one, where we are now and we have irrigation too. Bleach down the drains would work fine (we never have), borax works if you actually have a problem (sprinkled around doors/walls etc). You can spray for spiders yourself (wall edges, windows, doors). If you have a black widow problem, you do it once a month until the problem is solved, otherwise every 3 months or so works fine. Use a black light to find the scorpions and take it from there for them.

Your CC&R will tell you if your HOA actually sprays.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by bgoeres

moving to phoenix, will have condo inspected for termites and assume roach control done periodically by HOA ... but for self controlling them, when I was looking at houses, one lady told me she pours bleach down her drains once? a week and keep her drains closed ALL THE TIME? she says this virtually keeps the roaches out.

is this true? other tips?
hate hate hate spiders more, but know the cautions, where to look, shake out shoes and towels (for scorpions too) but know almost nada about roaches. don't want a roach ranch, all help appreciated!

LOL. An Arizona roach can push open a silly drain plug.

[Steve-o]

Bleach down a drain? Pfft. Wont do a dang thing to deter roaches. Roaches can survive nuclear blasts and the radiation that follows, a little bleach will probably tickle them at most.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by bgoeres

moving to phoenix, will have condo inspected for termites and assume roach control done periodically by HOA ... but for self controlling them, when I was looking at houses, one lady told me she pours bleach down her drains once? a week and keep her drains closed ALL THE TIME? she says this virtually keeps the roaches out.

is this true? other tips?
hate hate hate spiders more, but know the cautions, where to look, shake out shoes and towels (for scorpions too) but know almost nada about roaches. don't want a roach ranch, all help appreciated!

Very interesting, Bgoeres.

I relocated to Arizona in '97 (Tucson, not Phoenix) and have yet to spot a Spider, a Scorpion or a Roach inside my home.

Small Lizards, once or twice a month during the Summer, are the only uninvited critters and they are harmless . . . tough to catch in order to return to the great outdoors but 100% harmless.