Thermacell’s portable heat-activated mosquito repellers are a godsend for campers, hikers, and picnickers. Now for the first time in the company’s 22-year history, Thermacell is introducing a Wi-Fi-connected solution that can protect an entire outdoor living space from the airborne bloodsuckers.
The Thermacell LIV is a permanently installed system that connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network (2.4GHz networks only) and creates overlapping domes of protection. The system consists of a hub that plugs into an outdoor electrical outlet and three or more repellers that you’ll hardwire to the hub using the provided low-voltage wiring. The repellers resemble landscape lighting fixtures or outdoor pedestal speakers and are fabricated from die-cast aluminum. They can be staked into a lawn or flowerbed, or you can purchase optional bases ($18 each) for installation on hard surfaces, such as a concrete patio or a wooden deck.
When you use the LIV app on your mobile device to turn the system on, the repellers heat and vaporize a chemical repellent, metofluthrin, that deters mosquitos from hanging around the area. Thermacell says you can turn on the system once you’re outside, because the repellent is effective within 10 minutes of dispersal.
Thermacell
Thermacell says each repeller establishes a 20-foot zone of protection (i.e., a 10-foot radius from the repeller). A kit with the hub and three repellers is rated to cover 945 square feet and sells for $699. If you have a larger yard, a 5-repeller kit capable of treating 1,500 to 1,600 square feet is available for $899 and a 4-repeller kit for $799.
The company describes metofluthrin as a “synthetic molecule inspired by a naturally occurring chemical” and says the chemical is EPA-registered for use around children and food-prep areas. It’s also safe for pets.
Metofluthrin is a slightly different substance from the permethrin that Thermacell uses in its smaller products, but it is in the same chemical class of pyrethroid esters. Here’s a link to a 2006 EPA fact sheet for metofluthrin if you enjoy geeking out over chemistry.
Thermacell
The metofluthrin is contained in cartridges that you install in each repeller. Each cartridge is expected to last 40 hours, so you’ll need to replenish the cartridges more or less often depending on how much time you spend outdoors. Replacement cartridges are priced at $120 for a 6-pack of 40-hour refills.
A Thermacell LIV system can be installed as a DIY project, or you can hire a professional to do the job (type your zip code in at Thermacell’s website to be referred to a local installer). Thermacell has been accepting pre-orders for this product since August 2021; live orders are being accepted now.
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Author: Michael Brown, Executive Editor
Michael is TechHive's lead editor. He built his own smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world test lab when reviewing new products. Following a relocation, he is in the process of converting his new home, an 1890 bungalow, into a modern smart home.
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