Launched Thermacell LIV, the first intelligent mosquito repellent system

When the snow melts and the flowers begin to bloom, buzzing, biting and buzzing mosquitoes appear out of nowhere. Dealing with these vampires is not an easy task. While covering up and dousing yourself in bug spray or covering your garden with insecticide may work, it’s not always the best nor the most environmentally friendly experience.

Thermacell, makers of mosquito repellents that create a protection zone around you instead of having to cover every inch of your skin, have an interesting solution: Lev Smart Mosquito Repellent System.

Launched today, Liv is Thermacell’s first on-demand home attached mosquito repellent system. Starting at $699 for a set of three repellers plus a hub, the application-controlled system should protect about 945 square feet, according to Thermacell. The system is also sold as a four-pack for $799 to cover 1,260 square feet, or five-pack for $899 to cover just under 1,600 square feet.

The company has made a number of portable versions of the mosquito repellent system for more than two decades. They are designed for use while camping, spending time in the great outdoors, or just sitting on your patio. To date, they have been manually controlled, and they are easily portable systems. Liv is the company’s first permanently installed power connected solution.

I’ve used a number of Thermacell products since moving to South Carolina (the unofficial state bird is the mosquito), and I’ve personally found them to be more effective and less stinky than other solutions. This move to a smart home with a connected solution should eliminate one of the pain points of existing products – having to activate them manually.

The active ingredient Thermacell uses in its repellents is 5.5 percent metofluthrin, an EPA-registered synthetic molecule similar to the natural repellent found in chrysanthemums (which mosquitoes are known to dislike).

The Liv system works by heating a cartridge of liquid repellent inside each weatherproof pesticide, which it diffuses into the air to cast an invisible, odorless cloud around you, through which few mosquitoes will venture (Thermacell says it’s 93 percent effective).

The system is powered by a hub that plugs into an external outlet and powered by up to five external centrifuges. It is then controlled through an app via a Wi-Fi connection, where the user can turn the system on and off on demand, as well as set schedules and monitor levels of insect repellent. It is not a permanent solution; The company recommends turning it on 15-30 minutes before you plan to spend time outside.

Liv works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Nest smart speakers for voice control, and each repellent cartridge lasts about 40 hours. Packages cost $120 for six.

Photo: Thermacell

It’s not an inexpensive product, but an alternative to this type of complete patio protection is a chemical spray system, which usually involves paying a company out once a month or installing misting system for pumping pesticides.

Both solutions are expensive and may harm other insects besides mosquitoes. Thermacell . said the edge It has no evidence that its repellent does not affect insects of similar size. But because you’re only using it on demand and in a concentrated area, not on a continuous basis and covering your belongings, any impact should be minimized compared to other solutions, the company said.

Correction on Tuesday, March 1 at 9:15 a.m.: Reference to Deet as a harmful chemical has been removed, and Both the EPA and the CDC consider it safe to use as directed.