Multiple Contacts On Each Window

[upstatemike]

Has anybody ever tried or seen any value in putting more than one contact on a single window? I'm thinking in terms of having the window, screen, and storm all report separately.

My reasoning is that you might want to bypass the window zone in the summer but leave the screen zone active so you can have fresh air but still detect a break-in. The storm window zone might never be used for security but would be handy to remind you in the winter if any storm windows have not been dropped into place. (Or if a guest opens one for some air in a guest room and forgets to put it back down when they leave).

If you run cat-5 for your security zones you should have plenty of conductors. Is this too far into overkill to be cost effective or are some folks doing this already?

 

[Steve]

I have seen people just put multiple contacts on the window. For example, put a contact on magnet on the bottom of the window. Then put one or more contacts spaced above the bottom one. You can then have the window open to wherever there is a contact for ventilation. If the window is moved, it would trip. Of course if the window is open all the way and someone comes in without touching the window it is moot, or it can also be easier to bypass, but I've seen it done. The best solution imho is just a wired screen. That would protect that entry all the time whether the window is open or not. If you use the wired screen, then contacts are not needed on the window itself.

 

[upstatemike]

If you use the wired screen, then contacts are not needed on the window itself.

Unless you want your system to be able to warn you that the window is open when it detects that it is raining or something similiar. If I went to the effort to wire my windows I would want to get a lot more functionality out of it than just security.

 

[IVB]

are your storm/screen wide enough to be able to mount a sensor on them?

Mine are real thin, your idea sounds very interesting, but i'm not sure how i'd physically accomplish that.

 

[rfdesq]

I very often put a second switch on a sliding door. The second position is for ventilation and only wide enough for ventilation. Any movement so a body can get through sets off the alarm. I have never added more than one additional contact. Thinking about it now, position one could be closed and position two could be ventilation and let your HA know to turn off the heater/AC.