Where can I find a 6" flat mesh strainer or a a 6" sink strainer?

Question

There's an open pipe under the kitchen cabinet in my office, and the maintenance thinks roaches are getting in through here. The maintenance said to put wire mesh in the hole, but I don't know where to look for something like this.

Answer 1

Try looking at your local hardware store in the window screen area. Better yet, cap the open pipe. Unless of course the open pipe is some kind of vent, then use the screening. However, that sounds odd to have an open pipe as a vent under the sink. Check with a plumber about proper ventilation. The screening would be a "quick fix" to keep out the roaches.

If the maintenance person said "in the pipe", than sounds like he wants you plug it. You can use steel wool for that, or like I suggested earlier, get a pipe cap in the plumbing dept. in your local hardware store and cap it off. We used steel wool around holes in the walls where pipes came through to keep out mice at a house we rented. The mice(or roaches, in your case) won't eat the steel wool.

If maintenance is aware of the problem, why are THEY not taking care of it? Wouldn't that fall under the blanket of "maintenace"?

Answer 2

Sensible is dead on. It's probably an open drain line that should have been capped.
In the mean-time as a quick fix, a plug of coarse steel wool (available at hardware stores), will keep the larger vermin at bay.
Give it a shot of 'Raid` or something similar to bar the smaller ones and for added effect.

Answer 3

Request that a different maintenance man look at this pipe. Legally, it cannot be a plumbing vent. Since I cannot see the pipe, I have no idea what it would be but at least I have an excuse, unlike your maintenance man.