Sachse, TX · Roaches
Big roaches coming up from the drain or the garage
A large reddish-brown roach — well over an inch long — in the bathtub, under a sink or crossing the garage floor at night is usually an American cockroach or a smokybrown cockroach. Texas A&M AgriLife lists both among the most common roaches in Texas; they live mostly outdoors and come in through poorly sealed doors, roof soffits and floor drains.
Texas pest control businesses are licensed by the TDA. The call carries no obligation.
Where they come from
Outside, mostly. Mulch beds, leaf litter, attic eaves, woodpiles and the cool damp space under decks hold large roaches. From there they get into garages under the door seal, into the house through weep holes and gaps along the slab, and into the attic along the roofline.
Drains and sewer lines. American cockroaches also live in sewer systems and can come up through floor drains and dry drain traps, which is why they turn up in the tub or a rarely used shower.
The house is a refuge, not a home. Unlike kitchen roaches, these rarely breed in the living space. The work is outside and at the entry points.
What the visit involves
A technician checks the outside first — flowerbeds against the brick, weep holes, the garage door seal, the AC line entry, water meter and cleanout boxes — then the garage, plumbing access points and the attic. Treatment targets where they live outdoors and the gaps they use to get in, plus baits where they are being found.
Tell the operator
- How big the roaches are and how often you see them
- Which rooms, and whether near a drain
- Whether they appear after rain
- Whether you also see small roaches in kitchen cabinets
Say what you found and where. Call to check whether a visit is available today.
(866) 204-1244Questions people ask
Does one big roach mean the house is infested?
Not necessarily. These roaches often wander in from outside. Seeing them regularly, in several rooms, or seeing small ones too, points to something more established.
Why do they come in after rain?
Heavy rain floods drains, mulch beds and other outdoor spots where they live, and they move toward drier shelter, which can be your garage or bathroom.
Are they the same as the small roaches in the kitchen?
No. Small light-brown roaches in kitchen cabinets are German cockroaches, a different problem that lives entirely indoors and needs a different treatment.
Other things people find
- Winged insects swarming inside the houseDark, small, many at once near a window — then wings everywhere
- Mud lines running up the slab or the garage wallPencil-width dirt tubes on the foundation, brick or sheetrock
- Fire ant mounds popping up after rainLoose dirt mounds across the lawn, ants that swarm up and sting
- A trail of small ants across the kitchenTiny ants along the counter, sink, window or dishwasher
- Found a scorpion in the housePale yellowish scorpion in the tub, on a wall or in shoes
- A brown spider in the garage, closet or storage boxesPlain brown spider, long legs, found in boxes or clothes
- Small roaches in the kitchen cabinetsLight-brown roaches with two dark stripes, near the sink or appliances
- Scratching in the attic or walls at nightScurrying overhead after dark, usually once the weather cools
- Droppings in the pantry or kitchen drawersSmall dark pellets near food, under the sink or in drawers
- Waking up with bites in a line or clusterItchy bites after sleeping, dark specks on the mattress seams
- Mosquitoes make the backyard unusableBites on the patio at dusk, or even in the middle of the day
- Fleas in the house even after treating the petsBites around the ankles, tiny jumping insects in the carpet
- Pests in a house that was just builtCrickets, ants or scorpions in a home that is a year or two old
ZIP codes covered
Mostly built since 2000
Older neighborhoods, 1970s–1990s