Cockroach Exterminator in Columbus

Identify the roach before anyone treats. The indoor species and the basement species need different work, and a company that sprays the same way for both is wasting your money. A photo settles it quickly.

Which roach do you have?

German cockroach: apartments and doubles

The University of Kentucky's cockroach fact sheet (revised March 2026) describes the German cockroach as light brown, about 1/2 inch long, with two dark stripes behind the head. It lives in warm, moist spots in kitchens and bathrooms, in cracks under sinks and toilets. It does not need to go outside, and it breeds fast: "A single mated female can produce thousands of new cockroaches in less than a year."

That fact sheet also says German roaches travel between rooms and adjoining apartments through walls and ceilings, and along pipes and wires. That matters in Columbus. 56% of occupied homes in the city are rented, and 17% of homes were built before 1940, according to Census data for the 25 city ZIPs we cover. A pre-war double in Old North or German Village shares a wall and a basement with the unit next door, and often the plumbing chases too. Treating one side of a double while the other side has roaches is a slow way to spend money.

American and Oriental cockroaches: basements and sewers

The American cockroach is about 1 1/2 inches long, reddish brown, with a pale yellow band around the shield behind the head. UK says it favors basements and crawl spaces and gathers around floor drains and sump pumps, and in laundry areas. It also lives in sewers.

The Oriental cockroach is shiny black or dark brown and about 1 inch long. It lives in cool, damp places such as sewers and cellars, and comes in at thresholds and vents. In an older Columbus house with a stone or block foundation and a floor drain, this is the roach you are likely to meet in the basement.

One big roach by the drain is a moisture and entry-point problem. Small roaches in the kitchen in daylight mean a German cockroach population that is already large.

Gel bait vs sprays

For German roaches, gel bait is what I would want used. UK puts it directly: "Most householders will achieve better results against cockroaches with insecticides formulated as baits." A roach that eats bait typically dies within one to three days, and a substantial reduction should show within a few weeks.

What good baiting looks like:

• Many small placements in cracks and along cabinet hinges and edges where roaches hide, especially near the sink and behind the stove and fridge.
• No spraying of open walls and floors. UK notes roaches spend very little time in those places.
• No cleaners or sprays on top of the bait, since that keeps roaches from eating it.
• Bait refreshed on the follow-up visit if roaches have eaten it.

Why I would avoid foggers and bug bombs

Skip them. In a 2019 study published in BMC Public Health, NC State researchers set off total release foggers in infested apartments in Raleigh and found the foggers "failed to reduce cockroach populations." Homes treated with gel bait instead, a consumer brand and a professional brand, saw significant drops in roach counts at two and four weeks. The foggers also left pesticide residue on kitchen surfaces averaging 603 times the baseline level. UK's fact sheet says the same thing in plainer words: foggers are "NOT recommended for cockroaches," because almost none of the product reaches where they hide.

For American and Oriental roaches the work is different. Expect sealing around pipes and the floor drain, attention to the sump and the laundry area, drying out damp spots, and a treatment around the foundation and the basement entry points.

To have a licensed company identify the roach and put a plan in writing, start with an inspection.

How many visits does it take?

For a German roach problem in a single house or unit, I would expect an initial treatment and at least one follow-up about two weeks later, with more visits for a heavy infestation. The follow-up is where the technician checks which bait was eaten and fills the gaps. Ask the company to put the number of visits and what each one includes in writing.

Be careful with long contracts. UK notes some companies require customers to buy a full year of general pest control to get roaches treated, and says "it should not take a full year to eliminate cockroaches" when treatment is done correctly. I would sign for a defined roach program with follow-ups, and decide on ongoing service later. Our one-time vs quarterly guide covers that choice.

On price, This Old House (updated March 16, 2026) publishes these ranges, based on Angi data:

Job	Published range
Single professional treatment	$100 to $600 (average $200)
Small infestation	$100 to $400
Major infestation	$300 to $700
Severe infestation	$2,500 to $7,000

These are national figures, not our quotes. Our Columbus cost guide covers other pests, and is this quote fair helps you check a number you already have.

Renters: getting the landlord to treat

Columbus residents filed 757 "Pest Infestation/Rental Property" code complaints through 311 in 2024 and 2025 combined (see our Columbus pest data). That is the request type to use for roaches in a rental.

Ohio law puts the building on the landlord. ORC 5321.04 requires a landlord to comply with the building and housing codes that materially affect health and safety, and to do whatever is reasonably necessary to keep the premises fit and habitable. German roaches that move between units through shared walls are a building problem, and treating only the unit that complained rarely ends it.

What to do:

1. Report the roaches in writing (email works) with the date and where you see them. Keep a copy.
2. Ask in writing that adjoining units be inspected and treated too.
3. If nothing happens, ORC 5321.07 lets a tenant who is current on rent give written notice and, if the landlord does not fix the problem within a reasonable time or 30 days, whichever is sooner, deposit rent with the clerk of the municipal court or ask the court for other relief. There are exceptions, so read the statute or talk to legal aid before you stop paying the landlord.
4. File a "Pest Infestation/Rental Property" request with Columbus 311 (614-645-3111 or columbus.gov/311).

Our Ohio renters guide covers notice, the rent deposit process and what to do if you get pushback. If you also see bites or blood spots on the sheets, mention it to whoever inspects. That points to bed bugs, which need a different plan.

Why it is worth fixing quickly

Roaches are a health problem as well as a nuisance. UK notes cockroach allergens can cause congestion and watery eyes, and that cockroach-triggered asthma is especially common among children in densely populated housing.

We only refer companies that hold an Ohio Department of Agriculture pesticide business license and send licensed commercial applicators. Ask for a free inspection and a written price before any treatment.