Attic securement

Other Devices & Integrations Door Locks & Sensors
#1

Curious if anyone has any experience…

Have a pull-down attic ladder in my rental home. When not there and renting out, I store tools and clothing wardrobes up there. Looking to secure it in a way that’s not just a big old lock and clasp on the outside.

  • anyone here either secure an attic like this or sensor it it any way?
#2

[quote=“mdaecher, post:1, topic:184900”]Curious if anyone has any experience…

Have a pull-down attic ladder in my rental home. When not there and renting out, I store tools and clothing wardrobes up there. Looking to secure it in a way that’s not just a big old lock and clasp on the outside.

  • anyone here either secure an attic like this or sensor it it any way?[/quote]

You will be tempted with a simple door/window sensor, but then when it triggers you will be always wondering why, who?

A motion detector in the attic will false periodically driving you crazy.

I recommend a Foscam camera (which works nicely with Vera). Setup motion detection to trigger a mail message (with three pics) to you when tripped. These cameras come with IR so even in the dark you will get an acceptable picture.

#3

If you’re going to get a Foscam, which are junk cameras but probably good enough for this application, get an inexpensive indoor one like this one http://flark.it/cam I have a few of them in random places in my house, but they are all hard wired. Foscam is usually not that reliable over WiFi, but when wired you stand a better chance.

#4

You could retrofit an electronic deadbolt to the hatchway. Shouldn’t be too hard, just treat it like a door.

#5

I did something along the camera line recently. Keeping in mind that you will need electricity in the attic, I took an old lamp out of a closet, ordered a easyn camera on amazon for $40 (this is the same as the foscam 8910 as far as I can tell, it even uses their firmware), and just for my better curiosity comfort, I ordered two motion detectors from monoprice. I had already had experience with all of these components and I liked the monoprice motion device because it also has temperature readings.

In my case, I setup the lamp to always be on which I hope will deter critters that prefer the dark. Then i setup the motion detectors in opposite directions from the middle of the house (my house is about 80 feet long). Then I mounted the camera on a rafter where it could be panned to either side of the attic. After some comfort level, I may put a switch on the light that could be controlled by the motion detectors. The placement of the lamp and the camera is important because you don’t want the camera looking into the light, so for me, the camera is directly above the lamp.

So, now if motion is detected, then I go to the preset on the camera that is in the direction of the motion detector and have it send me a picture in an email. PLEG handles all of this very easily. I believe that if I were trying to keep someone out of my attic, i would put something in the rental agreement stating that they cannot open that door, then monitor it and decide what the consequences should be when you get a picture of your renter in the attic.

I fully realize that the heat or cold of the attic may eat away at the camera or motion detectors, but since i can replace them so cheaply, then I am not going to worry about it. I even put one of the monoprice motion detectors outside and it doesn’t seem to mind. If I buy two a year, then that would be a bargain for what it brings me in peace of mind.

I also liked the electronic deadbolt idea. If you have a zwave model, then you could open or lock it from a distance.