Branch 2 general household pest control
Cockroach Exterminator and Roach Control
You turned on the kitchen light and something moved along the backsplash, or you found a large dark roach on the garage floor by the water heater. Which one you saw changes everything about the visit. Cockroach control is not one job; it is two very different jobs depending on the species, and the Apex technician identifies it before treating.
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Estimates come from your home’s square footage and what you are seeing.
SourcesWritten from the interview with Jeff Alexander, Apex’s verified business facts, and the references linked at the end of the page.Last updated September 2026.
Apex Pest Control has been a roach exterminator for Sacramento-area homes since 1978 under Branch 2 general household pest control registration No. 2770. In recent years the big outdoor roaches have become one of the most common problems the company sees, and indoor German cockroaches remain the one that takes the most preparation.
Roach Pest Control for Homes
Apex is a residential company; about 99 percent of its work is single-family homes, and roach work is quoted the same way as everything else. The office gives an estimate by phone from the home's square footage and what you are seeing, and the estimate is confirmed at the home.
Which Cockroach Do You Have?
Three species account for nearly every roach call in the Sacramento area. The identification decides the plan.
German cockroaches: kitchens and bathrooms
Small, light brown, and found indoors near food, water and warmth: behind the refrigerator, under the sink, inside cabinet hinges. German cockroaches are the indoor kitchen roach with explosive reproduction. A few seen in daylight means a large population out of sight.
American cockroaches: large roaches coming in from outside
The big reddish-brown roach, often seen in the garage, on the patio at night, or in a bathroom after it followed a drain or a gap under a door. American roaches live outside and wander in.
Oriental cockroaches: damp areas and drains
Dark, almost black, and slower than the American roach. Oriental cockroaches prefer cool, damp places: garages, crawl spaces, basements, planter beds and the ground around irrigation.
German Cockroach Infestations Need a Different Plan
Indoor German cockroaches require full preparation and the homeowner's cooperation. Before the technician can treat effectively, the kitchen has to be cleaned and the cabinets emptied so the harborage points are reachable. Apex will tell you that on the phone, because a German roach job done without preparation is a job that has to be done again.
The office also says plainly that indoor German roach work takes more visits and more preparation than a one-off treatment. It is better to know that before the first appointment than after.
Outdoor American and Oriental Roaches Are Increasing
In the last few years American and Oriental roaches have become a big outdoor problem around Sacramento-area homes. They live in garages, cracks and crevices, and along the damp side of the house.
Homes out toward open fields see more of them, along with beetles. The exterior barrier treatment on a maintenance visit is aimed exactly at where they travel: the foundation, the garage, door thresholds and the yard areas around the home.
Roaches in the Garage, by the Fields and Along Damp Walls
Where a home sits changes what shows up. Houses out by the fields get beetles and roaches. Homes with irrigation running against the foundation, a shaded north wall that stays wet, or a garage that opens onto a planter bed give Oriental roaches the cool, damp ground they want. The garage is the most common place homeowners meet the big roaches, because it is the part of the house closest to the outdoors and the part that stays dark.
That is why the property walk on a roach visit spends time outside before it goes to the kitchen. The technician looks at the water heater closet, the base of the garage door, the crawl space vents and the wet side of the house, and the recommendations that follow are usually about moisture and gaps rather than about spraying more.
How it works
Our Cockroach Treatment Process
Every Apex visit follows the same sequence. For roaches the identification step decides whether the work is mostly inside or mostly outside.
Interview: what you saw, where, and at what time of day
Tour the house and walk the property, including the garage and the damp side of the home
Identify the species: German, American or Oriental
Targeted interior treatment where the activity is, with low-odor products
Exterior barrier treatment along the foundation, garage, doorways, eaves and yard
Recommendations on moisture, gaps and sanitation
Signs of Cockroaches
Droppings that look like coffee grounds or pepper in cabinet corners. A musty smell in a closed cabinet. Egg cases, which are small brown capsules, behind appliances. Roaches seen during the day, which usually means crowding at night. Outside, large roaches on the garage floor or patio after dark, and along the base of a wall that stays damp from irrigation.
What you can do
Keeping Roaches From Coming Back
Housekeeping and sealing by the homeowner reduce the product needed and keep the results. The recommendations after a roach visit usually include these.
- Fix leaks and dry out the damp side of the house and garage
- Seal food, wipe counters and empty the trash nightly during an active problem
- Close gaps under doors and around pipes where outdoor roaches enter
- Rake litter and hedge clippings away from the foundation
- Do not leave pet food or water outside overnight
- Keep outdoor lights off when they are not in use
Our Guarantee for Maintenance Customers
Continuing maintenance customers in good standing get return visits at no additional charge for any contracted pest problem between regular service dates. The technician keeps returning until the problem is solved to complete satisfaction, and troublesome pest issues may require a supervisor's input.
For a one-time roach service the conversation is honest: an outdoor roach problem around the barrier of the home can respond to one treatment; an established German cockroach population usually needs the follow-up that a program provides.
Why homeowners choose Apex
Why Choose Apex for Cockroach Control
Family owned since 1978. Structural Pest Control Board registration No. 2770, Branch 2, with three named operators, Jeffrey P. Alexander (No. 8484), Brent Brandon (No. 12138) and Jared F. Alexander (No. 14137). BBB Accredited since 1984 with an A+ rating. California Pest Management Association member since 1999. President Jeff Alexander's biology background shows up in the identification step, which is where roach control succeeds or fails.
American and Oriental Cockroaches: The Outdoor Roaches
Identification comes first. The notes below are the ones technicians use on the route; the treatment for each is described above.
American Cockroach
Getting rid of American cockroaches involves a multi-step approach aimed at eliminating existing infestations and preventing future occurrences. Initially, thorough inspection and identification of infested areas are conducted to determine the extent of the problem. Then, targeted treatment methods such as baiting, insecticide application, and dusting are employed to eradicate cockroaches from their hiding spots. Additionally, implementing sanitation measures to eliminate food and water sources, sealing entry points, and reducing moisture levels are essential for long-term control. Regular monitoring and follow-up treatments may be necessary to ensure complete eradication and prevent re-infestation.
Oriental Cockroach
Oriental cockroaches, also known as Blatta orientalis, water bugs, and black beetles, are a species of cockroach found in Sacramento, CA, and other regions worldwide. These critters prefer temperate areas and excess moisture. They are commonly found in dark, cool, and water-prone areas such as sewers, drains, basements, and crawlspaces.
Oriental cockroaches can be dark, reddish-brown, or shiny and black. Both males and females have a greasy-looking appearance and are large in size. However, male cockroaches only grow to approximately one inch, with short, three-quarter-length wings. In contrast, females can reach 1 ¼ inch in length and do not have wings.
Apex technician at the front door of a Sacramento home.
Apex technician treating the base of a clipped hedge beside a garage door.
Real reviews, unedited
What customers noticed
“On time meet up for first treatment. The tech went over what he would do and treat, and then went to work killing bugs.”
“We have been customers of Apex for over a year and have been very happy. Mikey, our serviceman, is professional and very thorough.”
“They showed up right on time and were professional and polite. They answered all my questions and listened to my concerns. We felt they were thorough with their inspection and took their time.”
Reviews are quoted exactly as written. More reviews
Licensed, accredited, verifiable
Three named Branch 2 operators, one company registration, and a record you can look up yourself.
Branch 2, Structural Pest Control Board, issued 1995, clear status.
Verify: Company registration on the official recordPresident. Botany and zoology degrees, master's in biology, former industrial hygienist.
Verify: Jeff Alexander on the official recordSecretary, and a Branch 2 operator licensed since 2011.
Verify: Brent Brandon on the official recordBranch 2 operator, and the third generation of the family on the route.
BBB accredited since 1984. CPMA member since 1999. 2026 Best of Times, Best Pest Control.
Verify: Accreditation on the official recordCalifornia defines Branch 2 as general household pest control excluding fumigation with poisonous or lethal gases. Branch 3 covers wood-destroying organisms. Technicians renew their licenses every three years with required continuing education.
Do store-bought roach sprays work?
On the roach you can see, yes. On the population, rarely. Repellent sprays kill the insects they touch and scatter the rest deeper into voids and cabinets. For German cockroaches that makes the problem harder to reach. Apex selects the method for the pest, the location and the label, and explains what to expect: for roaches, that usually means bait placement and follow-up rather than a single spray.
Why do I have roaches in a clean house?
The large roaches most Sacramento-area homeowners see are American or Oriental cockroaches that live outdoors and wander in through gaps, drains and doors. They are following moisture and shelter, not dirt. German cockroaches are different: they arrive in boxes, bags and appliances and stay near food and water.
How do I prepare for a German cockroach treatment?
Clean the kitchen and empty the cabinets so the technician can reach the corners and hinges where roaches hide. Apex explains the preparation on the phone when you book, because a German roach job without it will not hold.
How often should pest control be done for roaches?
For outdoor roaches, the bi-monthly maintenance program re-treats the exterior barrier every visit, which is where they travel. For an indoor German cockroach problem, the technician sets the follow-up schedule after the first visit based on what was found.
Do exterminators get rid of roaches permanently?
No honest company promises permanent. Outdoor roaches will keep arriving from the neighborhood; the barrier treatment and the homeowner's sealing and sanitation keep them out. Maintenance customers in good standing get callbacks between visits if a covered pest returns.
Do roaches go away in the winter?
Outdoor activity slows when temperatures drop below 40, and the big roaches retreat to garages and crawl spaces. Indoor German cockroaches do not care about the season; a warm kitchen is summer to them all year.
Why are there big roaches in my garage?
American and Oriental cockroaches live outdoors and use the garage as shelter: it is dark, it stays cool, and the door gap lets them in and out. They are especially common at homes near fields and along walls that irrigation keeps damp. The exterior barrier treatment covers the garage and the door threshold, and sealing the gap under the door helps.
What should I do about kids and pets on treatment day?
The technician tells you the label-specific re-entry, drying and cleaning guidance for the products used at your home, and places baits where children and pets cannot reach them. Treated areas stay off-limits until dry. There is no single blanket waiting period, so ask before the visit ends.
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Next step
Start with a phone estimate.
Tell the office your home's square footage and what you have been seeing. The estimate is confirmed at the home, because the interview and the walk-around often turn up more than the caller described.
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.