With summer approaching, the termites are swarming like crazy. Remember that both drywood and subterranean termites swarm. Since this will be the last in a series of articles about orange oil treatments for drywood termites, Akamai would like to thank the hundreds of customers who have chosen the safer and less intrusive method to rid their homes and businesses of drywood termites. There is so much less stress in our process than the traditional fumigation method. Many customers have asked questions that we would like to answer for the benefit of everyone who needs a drywood termite treatment:

Q: Why haven’t I heard of this method before now?

A: This method has been used in California for more than 20 years, where tens of thousands of structures have been treated. Fumigation in California is a three-day process, so many people are concerned about the environment as well as their family’s safety. Orange oil has been available in Hawaii for about 15 years, but no company has developed the process. This is because fumigation was always the method of choice, and change is never easy.

Q: What if I have furniture or cabinets in my new house or condo that have termite activity?

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A: Akamai Pest Solutions can treat those specific areas with many warranty options. There’s no sense in fumigating the whole structure — call for more specific information.

Q: How long does the orange smell stay around?

A: Usually it disappears in a day or two. It all depends on how much orange oil is required, the ventilation of the structure and sometimes the weather. It’s rare that the smell will be around after a day.

Q: Does Akamai Pest Solutions do any preventative treatments?

A: Yes, we can treat the attic and/or crawl space with a surface treatment made with a non-organic material that is designed for termites and will stay on the surface of wood for many years. If swarmers find their way into the attic or crawlspace, they will try to eat the wood and die.

Q: Does Akamai Pest Solutions treat ground termites?

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A: Yes we do. However, we cannot use orange oil because it is organic and will biodegrade; therefore we have to inject a regular termite product into the ground.

Q: Is the orange oil process cheaper than traditional fumigation?

A: In most cases the orange oil process is more expensive because it’s a labor-intensive and detailed process. The orange oil itself also is expensive. When you factor in the move-out costs that are associated with a fumigation, though, orange oil often is less expensive.

Q: Is Akamai Pest Solutions only on Oahu?

No, Akamai Pest Solutions has offices on Maui and the Big Island. We have done some treatments on Kauai and Lanai as well.

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Once again, we encourage everyone to help to protect our environment here in our beautiful islands. Please call us or visit us online with any questions or concerns, and we look forward to being at your service for many years to come.

contact // OAHU: 754-3393 • MAUI: 280-4300
web // www.akamaipestsolution.com