For the past year or so, our phone has been ringing off the hook with homeowners asking us about orange oil. I’m sure this is because there are so many termite companies advertising on the radio and TV. They are telling everyone in these commercials that, “You no longer need to tent your home and that all of your termite problems can be solved by treating your home with orange oil”.
In this report I’d like to share what I know about this stuff. But, before we get into the technical area, I’d like to share a short story that will really open your eyes and change the way you’ll think before hiring any termite company. (The names and certain contract language have been changed to protect the innocent and not so innocent parties.)
Back in the springtime, Mrs. Jones discovered that she had a drywood termite problem. She called out three termite companies to inspect her home. Two of those companies recommended that she have her home fumigated.
The third company inspected her home and told her that she really didn’t have to tent. They recommend using orange oil. Of course, they assured her that the work was completely guaranteed, they had done thousands of homes just like hers and that she had absolutely nothing to worry about. She paid them around $2,500 for the job (Our tent price was only $1,375!!!).
The company did her home and everything seemed OK, until the month of October. That’s when she came home from work and found hundreds and hundreds of drywood termites all over her living room (Drywood termites usually swarm here during the months of September and October). She called her orange oil guy and he came out and treated some more areas, here and there. He told her that everything would be OK.
But, two days later, she came home from work again and found hundreds and hundreds of drywood termites in her living room. The orange oil guy came back and did some more treating.
Later that week, the swarmers came back and she called her orange oil guy, again. But, this time, the orange oil guy had run out of places to spray. He couldn’t figure out where the drywood termite swarmers were coming from. It was at that time, he finally admitted that she would need to have her home tented and gave her an estimate for a fumigation.
“But, isn’t my home guaranteed by your company?”, she asked. She ran and got a copy of her guarantee to show him that her house was still under warranty. Then, her orange oil guy showed her a line on her contract where it said, “If your home, for any reason, needs to be fumigated, it will be homeowner’s sole responsibility.”
What Kind Of A Guarantee Is That?
They are the ones that said that in their contract and it is there in black and white for everyone to see! Don’t believe me? – Look at one of their contracts and see for yourself!!
Let me repeat what their contract says, “If your home, for any reason, needs to be fumigated, it will be home owner’s sole responsibility.” If their stuff worked, they wouldn’t need to say that!! Hey, they’re the ones that said you didn’t need to tent your home, weren’t they? Why did they change their mind, now????
And, there are more stories; Like the poor old man, who’s wife was dying of cancer and he had to sell his home six months after he had an orange oil treatment. All he got from his orange oil guy was the shaft. They wouldn’t even come back and inspect his house! He wound up paying, again, to have his home fumigated.
Now, let’s contrast that with Termite Terry’s Exclusive Iron-Clad, No Wiggle Room, Simple, Straight Forward Guarantees . . .
1. Guarantee #1: If within TWO YEARS of your first treatment, we uncover a new colony of live drywood termites infesting the original structure treated, we will re-tent for FREE and REFUND YOU MONEY.
2. Guarantee #2: If, during the first five years of your active contract and any year thereafter, we uncover a live colony of drywood termites, we will re-treat or FUMIGATE for FREE – EVEN IF YOU SELL THE HOME AND MOVE OUT!
I Dare You To Try This!
Next time you’re talking to one of these guys that is trying to sell you one of these “alternative treatments” where they claim that you don’t need to move out and tent your home, ask them the following question; “If you have a problem with drywood termites and their treatment doesn’t work, will they give you your money back?” I already know their answer. They will say, “Sorry, we can’t do that”. And, your next question will be, “Why not? Doesn’t your stuff really work? Don’t you believe in what you’re selling? Aren’t we supposed to believe what you say in your radio and TV adds?” At that point, you will have them backed into a corner, they will have been fully exposed for what they really are and there’s no way for them to escape the truth.
Ladies and gentlemen, what more do we need to say?
The Correct Answer Is Obvious!
THIS CASE IS CLOSED!!
You Still Haven’t Convinced Yourself And You Want To Know More?
Here are some important facts you need to know:
1. Orange oil is only effective as a spot treatment and is not capable of treating all potentially infested wood in a structure including inaccessible areas. The applicator must locate the termite galleries in the wood member and then drill holes (at 3-5 inch intervals) in that wood so that the orange oil can be injected into the galleries. If there are termites in that gallery when you inject the orange oil, any termite that comes in contact with it will probably die. But, if you drill a hole in the wood and miss, the treatment will not be effective.
2. A recent study conducted at U.C. Berkeley, by Dr. Vernard Lewis, verified that even in laboratory conditions, orange oil was only able to eliminate 81% of drywood termites in infested wood samples. I have personally asked the university scientist that work in our field about orange oil. These guys have no axe to grind and they’re not working for any termite company. They all say the same thing – “They don’t know why companies are making big claims about orange oil, they are not aware of any scientific testing that will validate these big claims and they have not been able to get those kind of results in their own laboratories”.
3. Orange oil has a very short residual of only several days. Another recent study conducted at U.C. Riverside, by Dr. Michael Rust, concluded that if you apply orange oil on a wood sample and wait 30 days, that it is not significantly more effective in killing drywood termites than doing nothing at all! What that means to you is that if you do have your home treated with orange oil, the termites can simply move away from the areas being treated and then they can come back a few days later and go right on eating. Hey, I know that fumigations don’t have any residual. But, at least you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that every termite infestation that you can see and all of the ones that you can’t even see will be gone! And, that is scientifically proven.
4. There are serious limitations to what can be done with orange oil treatments because it so difficult to spot all areas of infestation. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at a piece of wood on a house that looked absolutely perfect. But, when I cut that wood in half, I found where drywood termites had tunneled right through it. Times like that are when I’m really glad that I recommended a fumigation. Hey, the other guys can’t see through wood any better than you and I can. And, if they can’t see the termite infestation, you know that area will not be treated and the termites will not be affected. But, when you fumigate, the gas will get everything – even the termites that we can’t see!
5. Another real important thing to consider is damage that will be done to wood if you do choose an orange oil treatment. Let’s say that you’ve got a real nice oak door, wood window or piece of furniture that is very nicely stained and finished. Then, imagine what that nice door, window or furniture will look like with dozens and dozens of holes drilled through it for treatment. That’s right, it will be ruined. On the other hand, Vikane gas fumigations rarely cause any damage to these items if done correctly.
6. Guarantees. Most orange oil companies will offer a one or two year guarantee. But what good is a guarantee if it won’t fix your problem? A lot of homeowners have termite problems that can’t be seen or located by anyone. How can they kill the termites if they don’t know where they’re coming from? That’s right, THEY CAN’T! The only thing they can really guarantee is that they won’t kill all your termites. Don’t forget to read their contracts where it says that, “If your home needs a fumigation, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to pay for it.” No body, but no body would ever have to say that if they really believed their product worked.
While you’re comparing guarantees, make sure you read Termite Terry’s Exclusive Iron-Clad, No Wiggle Room, Simple, Straight Forward Guarantees (And, you won’t need a magnifying glass, either!) . . .
1. Guarantee #1: If within TWO years of your first treatment, we uncover a new colony of live drywood termites infesting the original structure treated, we will re-tent for FREE and REFUND YOUR MONEY.
2. Guarantee #2: If, during the first five years of your active contract and any year thereafter, we uncover a live colony of drywood termites, we will re-treat or FUMIGATE FREE – EVEN IF YOU SELL THE HOME AND MOVE OUT!
How can I offer a guarantee like that? It’s easy because I know that if we do the job right, the termites will be gone! Come on, I’d never offer to re-tent a house and give your money back if I thought we’d have to make it a habit!! The best reason for a guarantee like that is so that you, the homeowner, has nothing to lose and there is no risk. It makes your decision a no brainer. Yeah, I have other companies come in with lower bids or alternative treatment plans that sound so wonderful. But, I always challenge the homeowner to ask these other companies one simple question and that is, “If your treatment doesn’t work, will you re-treat it and refund all my money?” Of course, the other companies always say NO and that is why so many homeowners call me back. If their stuff was so great and they really believed in it, why wouldn’t they be glad to offer you a money back guarantee?
If your home has a termite problem and you’d like to know more about the Termite Treatment Service offered by Termite Terry, call us at 949-631-7348 in order to set up an appointment or use our online Order Form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
For additional information, here are some links and a video that you will find very useful:
Vikane vs Orange Oil Comparison Chart
Vikane vs Orange Oil Tech Release
UC Berkeley & UC Riverside Drywood Termite Chemical Study
Douglas Product’s Vikane Web Site
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