Thermacell: An e-ffective solution for mosquitoes
“One second,” my friend said and popped up from his chair, swatting the bugs as he went inside. He popped back out and with this orb, a little smaller than a softball, in his hand. He pressed the button and it powered on with a very satisfying boop beep beep. “It’s a Thermacell and works awesome.”
Portable, affordable, and effective, the Thermacell is great for keeping mosquitoes away especially with the recent spike in Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
Thermacell keeps the mosquitoes away
I happen to be one of those lucky people who don’t tend to attract mosquitoes. For example, my friends will be getting eaten alive on a camping trip and I’m usually just sitting there next to them, happily chomping on a s’more, bothered only by the occasional pest. It’s great for me, however, not so great for my friends. And for the majority of people that tend to attract skeeters.
There are always exceptions to the rule, of course, and sometimes, the mosquitoes just win. A couple of summers ago I was visiting a friend who was staying at a rustic, lakeside cabin. He and I were chatting on his porch under the pines in the early evening and the mosquitoes were very bad. JUST BRUTAL, even with my self-reported trait of not being a mosquito magnet.
“One second,” my friend said and popped up from his chair, swatting the bugs as he went inside. He pops back out and with this orb, a little smaller than a softball, in his hand. He pressed the button and it powered on with a very satisfying boop beep beep. “It’s a Thermacell and it’s awesome at keeping the bugs away.”
The satisfying beep of the Thermacell.
Now this is not a paid promotion, but I swear, within a few minutes, we had an odorless and scentless forcefield around us that made the mosquitoes disperse. No flame, no noise, and most importantly, no mosquitoes!
Look, I like the Zen feeling of lighting citronella incense, and I probably still will, but Thermacell really works!
That night I immediately ordered a Thermacell E-Series kit when I got home. Living out in the woods of Wayland, MA, I could see this gadget coming in handy in numerous settings: from when I go fishing, when we’re grilling in the backyard, or going to our kid’s soccer game on a muggy, early fall morning.
Even though Wayland sprays for mosquitoes, I believe this to be a handy device to bring on trips outdoors, especially to areas with high mosquito activity. Due to its portability and durability, this was a great gadget our family brought to the ponds of Cape Cod over this past summer. I love also that I can just throw it in my tackle bag and set it down next to me while I bank fish for largemouth bass or our beach bag while our kids swim!
EEE cases rise in Massachusetts
With two confirmed cases of EEE in Massachusetts, including the unfortunate EEE-related death in New Hampshire, the Thermacell is a very affordable solution to keep the mosquitoes away. The nearest town to Wayland deemed of EEE risk is neighboring Sudbury, MA with a “moderate” risk level. I am not sure if the town does or does not spray for mosquitoes however here is a link to Sudbury’s press release for more information regarding the recent change in risk level with the detection of mosquitoes carrying EEE.
The highest risk area according to mass.gov is Worcester country. If you’re curious to learn more, click here to view mass.gov’s interactive EEE tracker.
The EEE risk map for Massachusetts, as of Aug. 30, 2024
Certainly the Thermacell is not going to be 100% effective given wind etc but with the E-series’ 20’ radius and 9 hour battery life, this rechargeable unit is a game changer. And while my spouse and I certainly still have been putting bug spray or bug wipes on my children when they have gone outside to play, the ROI on this gadget is great.
Between the EEE cases and Anthony Fauci, former head of NIH, getting extremely sick from West Nile Virus, another mosquito-born virus, it does not hurt to take this extra precaution. I am never going to try to use fear to sell products or my services however I just truly like this product.
““I have to tell you, I’ve never been as sick in my life. Ever. By far, this is the worst I’ve ever been with an illness,.””
Between what Fauci said and other reports in Massachusetts of people suffering paralysis from Eastern Equine Encephalitis transmitted via mosquito bites, I just wanted to share this low tech gadget with you all.
Links to Thermacell Products
For your convenience, below are some quick links to purchase Thermacell products.
Since I first purchased my Thermacell I see they also have more portable versions of the device like this one designed for backpacking and this other handheld unit. Note that these two are smaller and also slightly cheaper than the E-series however the trade off is a smaller effective radius of 15’.
Stay Safe and Have Fun
I hope everyone can get outside and enjoy these beautiful fall days as much as possible! Enjoy that New England foliage and stay healthy and safe, friends!!!
Back to School: Tech, Family, and Giving
Tech is part of our lives whether we like it or not. While hopefully, your kids have been cutting down on screen time during the summer and taking advantage of the all that being outdoors has to offer a young developing brain, back to school does mean back to tech as well, so let’s look at some helpful things to think about before the true frenzy begins.
Back to School Tech
Just as the cool air has already started to sneak back into our summers so have the ubiquitous Back to School sales and advertisements. I feel like just two weeks ago I finally fully adjusted to our family’s summer schedule and, now of course, it’s about to get all shook up once again with the return of school.
As parents, we have all sorts of things to think about for our kids with going back to school- new teachers, transportation logistics, clothes, after school programs and so on. Yes, it’s a busy time of year but also a great time, especially if you love pumpkin-spiced beverages. I, for one, am not a pumpkin spice latte fan, however I am looking forward to more hooded sweatshirt time ;)
While hopefully, your kids have been cutting down on screen time during the summer and taking advantage of the all that being outdoors has to offer a young developing brain, back to school does mean back to tech as well, so let’s look at some helpful things to think about before the true frenzy begins.
Back to School Recommended Tech
Do your kids misplace their coat or bag at least once a week or is it just us?
Apple AirTags
Maybe you are lucky and your child is great at keeping track of their personal belongings. If so, just skip this part and keep daydreaming of those Dunkin’ Pumpkin Spice lattes in that not too distant future.
If your kids were like I was, then they definitely need constant reminders to "make sure you bring your coat home” or “don’t leave your backpack on the bus again today, PLEASE.”
If that sounds like your kid, then maybe you should consider purchasing a couple Apple AirTags.
Attach one AirTag to your kid’s backpack or nice autumn coat, and, if it is lost, you’ll be able to see where it was left behind using iCloud’s Find My feature or an app like Find My Friends.
Apple also sells many AirTag accessories that allow for the device to be attached to a bag or jacket. Some third-party sites like Amazon also sell some useful AirTag accessories designed to attach to clothing.
Click here to view an AirTag holder for clothing that attaches using safety pins sold by PERFIPRO.
Click here to view flexible AirTag holders for clothing that adhere to fabric sold by Elevation Labs
Apple also offers free engravings on the AirTag which is extra helpful in case your child also happens to lose the tag itself.
AirTags only are only “discoverable” when it is within range of an iOS device. Apple has introduced new features that will help you determine if you are within range of the tag. Also the AirTag cannot be charged however it does have a lifespan of around 18-24 months but you can replace the battery.
For reference though, we haven’t found the discoverability or the battery life to be an issue as we have used the AirTag for our daughter’s backpack for over 18 months now and it still works.
Come to think of it now that I am writing this, it is probably time to see if it needs a battery replacement!
Parental Controls and Screen Time
This school year, consider taking advantage of free solutions to remotely monitor and control your children’s device usage.
You’re busy and you may not always be available to monitor your kids’ screen time. Or maybe your new afterschool sitter is slightly more gullible than the one who watched the kids last school year.
Most likely your internet service provider (ISP) app has native features to help monitor kids device usage so adding this layer of oversight doesn’t cost anything and is ready to be implemented by you at your convenience. The XFinity X1’s parental controls for example, allows you to assign devices to family members, set up a Downtime Schedule and also set Active Time Limits.
Alternatively, each device you own usually will likely have some type of parental control feature that can be set up to easily limit device usage. Below are some quick links to Amazon Fire Kids Tablet and Apple parental controls documentation for your convenience.
Click here for Amazon Fire Parental Controls info
Click here for Apple iPad and iPhone Parental Controls info
Back to School Tech Donations
If you are purchasing a new laptop or replacing any piece of technology for the upcoming school year, please consider donating the old piece of tech, assuming it still works, to a school or after-school program in your area. If you’re unsure where to start, you can always call your child’s school or afterschool program and just ask!
If the device is broken or simply too old to donate, please look to see when your next electronics recycling day is in your town. Wayland, MA just recently restarted their monthly electronics donation day on the first Saturday of each month. Bring down your old electronics to the Wayland Transfer Station and free up some space in your home.
Please note though that Wayland’s electronics recycling program is not a free service however, can you really put a price on getting rid of all of those old random charging cables?
If you’re completely at a loss though and need some help clearing out your old electronics, certainly do not hesitate to email DaveTech as we’ll gladly help you with the donation and/or recycling process!
Back to School and DaveTech Support Services
Like I said, we have all sorts of things to think about for our kids with going back to school. While tech is probably one of those things, it doesn’t have to take up any of your mental bandwidth. So this is just your friendly reminder that DaveTech of Wayland, MA is here for you and all your tech and electronics needs.
Whether it is for the upcoming back to school rush or at any point, please do not hesitate to reach out to DaveTech today and I’ll gladly set up time with you and I can sit down with your devices and get them working the way you want!
Massachusetts Tax Free Weekend and Tech Support
Tax free weekend and back to school means new tech which may call for some tech support. DaveTech from Wayland MA is here to help!
Hello Wayland, MA and surrounding towns!
Don’t forget that this weekend (AUG 10-11, 2024) is a sales tax holiday in Massachusetts!!!
If you intend to make some back to school purchases like a new Mac computer and you need a little help, don’t hesitate to reach out to DaveTech. We’ll gladly assist you in setting up your new purchases so that they’re enjoyable for you and your family right out the gate!
For more information regarding this MA Sales Tax Holiday, click here to view www.mass.gov’s FAQ page!
Piggy Bank
Welcome to DaveTech!
“there are a lot of older folks out there paying WAY too much money for basic tech support for their consumer electronics.”
New Tech Support Company from Wayland, MA
I am very proud to launch DaveTech!
Headquartered in Wayland, Massachusetts, this local business serves MetroWest Boston for all your personal, in-home tech support needs. Whether you need help setting up a new iPhone or computer or just troubleshooting your wireless printer, I am your guy.
My name, by the way, is David Zylber, and while I have already started helping local families with their TVs, internet connections, and other gadgets, I am very excited to launch this site— it feels very official and I welcome you to explore the services I have to offer.
Why I started DaveTech
I launched DaveTech because I really enjoy helping others and I have seen, from helping my parents and in-laws, that there are a lot of older folks out there paying WAY too much money for basic tech support for their consumer electronics.
I couldn’t believe it when my aunt told me she had paid more than the cost of her new iMac that she just purchased this past holiday season to get remote technical support for this brand new computer. “Call me next time, please and I can help you,” I told her emphatically. She was being taken advantage of and the more I spoke to friends of my parents, it became clear there are tech support companies out there that pray on the fears of less technically savvy people. Well, hopefully, those days are now over for you as you have found DaveTech! Friendly, affordable, and honest.
Tech Blog and more media content to come…
I hope to blog on a regular basis and look forward to sharing posts regarding DaveTech’s services, my takes on consumer electronics and gadgets, and the world of customer support. Since I have a background in video production in addition to tech support, you may also see some useful videos down the road.
Oomph…I do still need a headshot for this website so I better not get ahead of myself by promising video content ;)
Anyways, hopefully this photo of young me on a Brother word processor around 1989 should be a good placeholder for now.