Mahalo Oahu for the great response to Akamai Pest Solu
tions. Our organic process of treating drywood termites without tenting is catching on fast. There are so many situations with termites, and each one is different. At Akamai, we try to develop a treatment plan for each individual customer. The great thing about not having to tent, other than the obvious inconveniences, is that a onesize-fits-all approach does not have to be used. Would a doctor cut off a hand for an ingrown fingernail? Of course not, so why gas an entire house when most of the time very little infestation is present?
As you all know, it’s swarm season, so keep watch and remember that swarming termites may or may not be coming from inside your house, and oftentimes the swarmers are subterranean termites.
We receive many questions from our customers, so we wanted to share some with you:
Q: I manage a condominium building and only a few units have activity. Do I need to treat the entire building?
A: No, of course not. We can target and treat individual units, still inspect any other units and warranty the entire building or complex.
Q: Do you check and treat attics?
A: Yes, attics are often places with drywood termite infestations.
Q: Can I keep the termites from coming back?
A: No, unfortunately with our process, as with a fumigation or heat treatment, there is no residual to kill future swarmers.
Q: Is there a treatment that is 100 percent guaranteed to work all the time?
A: There are three proven effective methods of treatment used for drywood termite treatment: fumigation, heat and orange oil. All three are effective, minus human error. So the answer to the question is that no method is 100 percent effective all the time.
Q: So what can I do?
A: Akamai can do preventative treatments in attics and crawl spaces with a residual material if the home or business owner agrees. This is not done with orange oil, since it’s organic and will biodegrade over time. A homeowner also can make sure cracks around walls and windows are sealed, as well as attic vent areas. During swarm season, keep the lights to a minimum and put a pan of water under a light so it will reflect into the water and termites will fly into the water and drown.
Q: Can I stay in my house during and after treatment?
A: Yes, since the process involves a drill-and-treat method, the orange oil is going into the infested wood only. We have treated homes and business with people present. A big advantage over fumigating is that anyone, especially someone with a physical or medical condition, won’t fear treatment and doesn’t have to look for a place to go.
Q: The fumigation process in California is now a three-day process; will this new process be done in Hawaii?
A: Only time will tell. California is very strict when it comes to pesticides, and they believe the three-day process is safer for homeowners and for fumigation technicians, who have the potential to be directly exposed to the fumigation gas. This decision is up to the state of Hawaii.
Q: How can I find out more information about XT-2000 orange oil?
A: Akamai is a certified service provider here in Hawaii. You can go on the Internet to XT2000.com or contact the company directly in San Diego.
Please call Akamai Pest Solutions or go online to discuss your termite problems and let us solve them the safe way, while protecting our delicate environment.
CONTACT: OAHU: 808-754-3393 • MAUI: 808-280-4300
WEBSITE: www.akamaipestsolution.com
Photos: Anthony Consillio
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