Many of the older houses in New Farm and nearby suburbs sit on stumps, with open space between the floor and the ground. On a raised Queenslander this space can be tall enough to walk through. On workers cottages it is often just a subfloor. Either way, it is shaded, often damp and full of places to hide, which makes it a breeding ground for American cockroaches.
Cockroaches living under the house come up into the rooms above through gaps between floorboards, around pipes and through old wall vents. If you see big cockroaches mainly at night, especially near the kitchen, bathroom or back door of an older home, the subfloor is often where they start.
- A check of the subfloor for activity, damp ground and leaks
- Dust on beams, bearers and gaps where cockroaches shelter
- A targeted spray on stumps, walls and ground-level entry points
- Attention to pipes and drains that pass through the floor
- Advice on clearing stored items, timber and leaf litter
You can help by keeping the space under the house tidy and dry. Store items in sealed plastic tubs rather than cardboard, move old timber and garden waste out, and fix leaking taps or downpipes that keep the ground wet. Good airflow also makes the space less inviting to cockroaches, so avoid closing it in with solid sheeting unless it has vents. The crew will also note any spots where water pools after rain, since damp ground is what draws American cockroaches to a subfloor in the first place.
Subfloor treatment is usually booked as part of a wider cockroach control visit on older houses. Call 07 3543 7765 to book subfloor cockroach treatment in New Farm with an upfront price.
