Fixing bug problem before renting out

[Rojay Chase]

I own a 3-bedroom, 2-bath condo that I bought specifically to be a rental property. It was a bit of a fixer-upper, but I'm getting close to having it ready to lease. I’m not in a rush—right now I’m just saving up to finish the bathroom renovation and cover six months of rental expenses.

In the laundry room, there's a flood drain for the HVAC system, and unfortunately bugs seem to be coming in through it(assuming). I've put down sticky traps inside of the laundry room doorway and have been catching spiders, small roaches, and earwigs.

The HOA is great about spraying the exterior of the unit when I call, and I've also bought some commercial-grade spray that I mix and apply around the outside myself. I've been treating the baseboards inside too.

As a landlord, I plan to keep spraying around the property and do interior treatments every six months during walkthroughs. That said, I’d really like to get this bug issue under control before I start renting it out. It's nothing crazy but I can't expect the tenant to keep sticky traps in the laundry room. 

Any suggestions?

[Henry T.]

I don't know your plumbing specs, but could you put a screen in the drain that would block the critters but allow drainage? Advise the tenant to maintain it in case it clogs up. If it works,  Then the pests are his problem not yours.