In March 2014, we renovated our kitchen and ordered cabinets from Total Building Products (CEO Sven Lincke) in Waipahu.
Within a year our cabinets were infested with Powder Post beetles! We had never heard about this beetle and not one of our neighbors, friends or relatives we spoke with had heard of it either. We were bummed out since we simply could not afford to replace all the cabinets. The other option according to three termite exterminators (thou not guaranteed) was to fumigate the entire house. We were not happy to find out that ten times (!) the amount of gas normally used to exterminate termites was required and that our house had to be tented for two and not the usual one day. The reason is that the beetle eggs are encapsulated in a liquid making it exceedingly difficult to kill.
We asked Mr. Lincke to help us out with this unanticipated expense of fumigation since it was his cabinets. He refused because he felt that the beetles could have been introduced by another means and that they take precautions against insects. Later, he changed his mind and wrote to us that they don't treat the cabinets with any toxins or poisons in order to protect the consumer from such chemicals according to California Air Resources Board requirements. What puzzles us is that this house has never had Powder Post beetles since it was constructed some 60 years ago. How did we suddenly get this infestation if not from the new lumber? None of our neighbors have this problem, just us. Hmmm?
Because of Mr. Lincke not kokua-ing, local style and taking some responsibility for his products, our kitchen did not become our dream. Beware! read more