Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
No, not all of them have cockroaches. But it's a problem that is not confined to one area or another. That's why you need to go there, look at a few apartments and decide which one you like better and move. Older building have places where they can hide and be very difficult to remove, no matter how clean you are.
As a precaution, every time we move, before moving our stuff to the new place, we like to bomb the rooms to kill everything that might be there.
I totally understand where the OP is coming from. I am terrified of Water Bugs, Flying Roaches, Palmetto Bugs, or whatever cute lil name they have. I lived in NYC in 1988-1989, for 3 years, and never ever saw a water bug, but I did ocassionaly see the smaller German roaches in the home (which I sprayed and trapped so much that i kept it at just that, a few) and a few huge roaches in the basement of the school (maybe water bugs,mostly dead). I was a grad student at Teachers College, Columbia U and lived in the grad student housing, so maybe they sprayed a lot. I would have died if I had seen huge water bugs. Lately, I read a lot of posts that discuss water bugs in NYC, so maybe things have changed due to global warming. I also lived in Atlanta, GA (1989-1993) and only ever once saw a flying roach (water bug) in my apartment (came in the one time i left the window open and left) But, I was crazy vigilant. I never left windows open unattended. I would air out the house, but I would sit and watch to make sure no bugs crawled in. When I left, I would close the windows and use the air. I lived in a brand new apartment,(was not wealthy but my goal was no huge bugs), had it sprayed regularly and set traps when needed. I also had the grounds out doors treated with roach bait poison. Yes, I am vigilant but I have a phobia and so that is what I am willing to do to deal with fears. Some may think it is crazy, but it is no more crazy than a person who is afraid to fly. It is just a fear, a phobia. I am still afraid and very cautious about where I will live or travel. I think this post is valid and I think the judgmental people should be more considerate. Why bother to reply if u think it is silly. The point of the board is to feel free to ask questions, no matter how silly, and get helpful replies. A phobia may seem irrational, well because it is, dah, "an irrational feal" but it is very real.
We never had a bug problem, apart from the occasional fruitfly, until this last spring/summer. (note I don't live in NYC but we still live in a multifamily dwelling in NY).
Then this summer, a few things happened.
#1--the slobs across the hall who had a cat (nice people but slobs) moved out and in moved another family who are not the cleanest in the world. I think the cat kept some of the bugs (or at least the mice) at bay.
#2--It was very dry and hot this summer and according to the exterminator this can be a problem.
We've had multiple mice (so have MANY of the neighbors), roaches, ants, and fruitflies.
My husband usually cleans up at night after dinner and we are very, very clean (even more so).
If you live in a good property where they get on the problem and deal with it asap it helps. Here they were in denial until (I guess) someone threatened them with the health dept.
If you seriously don't want roaches in your home which is bound to happen at some point simply because you purchase groceries and one can come in with the groceries, in addition to keeping things clean you need to have a pest control company come and inspect and spray your home. Outside of that if you have spiders you will not have roaches (most of the time) because spiders eat roaches. I live on the outskirts of town and I am deathly afraid of mice but I have mice in my basement all winter long, I don't like it but I deal with it because I like where I live. We have an indoor cat but she would no more know what to do with a mouse than Wiley E Coyote knows what to do about catching the Road Runner, not all cats are mousers. Our home is clean, no food is left out overnight, none of the food for any of the animals in left outside of an airtight sealed container but we still have mice, spiders and an occassional roach that came in with the groceries, there is no way around critters coming into your home.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
