2nd story home, high up conduit installation advice

Shadeth

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So, I've always been somewhat of a DIY'er and I did all the camera runs in my last 1-story home. However this new home I bought has me a little stumped as to exactly how I might safely install some security cameras on this new house. I've already determined from reading this site that the cameras should not be on the 2nd story soffit because that is just too high to get a good picture of any suspects, so I want conduit ran down from the attic along the wall and the cameras mounted more like 8' off the ground on the walls. I have one ladder that is about 14' extended but that is no where near tall enough to get me up to the soffit area of the house, it looks at least 20 feet up there (maybe 24 feet in some areas that have more foundation), and this height is kind of intimidating. Not only is my ladder no where near long enough but buying a long enough ladder of good quality is fairly expensive.

So, what would you all do? I've speculated renting a lift bucket of some sort but that is fairly expensive too. I might see if some neighbors have a large ladder since there are a lot of 2 story homes in my neighborhood, but even if I had such a tall ladder, it seems a little dodgy to get up that high off the ground to do work such as drilling a hole, running a fish pole of some sort into the attic for someone to get and then pull out with the cable. Or am I being too cautious and it isn't that bad with a good ladder??

I did contact one local company who installs cameras and they wanted to charge like $170 a camera line, but I think they might have been assuming hooking up everything and testing it, when in reality I just need someone to do the conduit work and run the cable I already have. I can terminate the cable ends and install the cameras. So, I am guessing I might have to shop around and find a handyman who will do only what I need without charging me an arm and a leg, unless you all have any other suggestions?
 

mat200

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So, I've always been somewhat of a DIY'er and I did all the camera runs in my last 1-story home. However this new home I bought has me a little stumped as to exactly how I might safely install some security cameras on this new house. I've already determined from reading this site that the cameras should not be on the 2nd story soffit because that is just too high to get a good picture of any suspects, so I want conduit ran down from the attic along the wall and the cameras mounted more like 8' off the ground on the walls. I have one ladder that is about 14' extended but that is no where near tall enough to get me up to the soffit area of the house, it looks at least 20 feet up there (maybe 24 feet in some areas that have more foundation), and this height is kind of intimidating. Not only is my ladder no where near long enough but buying a long enough ladder of good quality is fairly expensive.

So, what would you all do? I've speculated renting a lift bucket of some sort but that is fairly expensive too. I might see if some neighbors have a large ladder since there are a lot of 2 story homes in my neighborhood, but even if I had such a tall ladder, it seems a little dodgy to get up that high off the ground to do work such as drilling a hole, running a fish pole of some sort into the attic for someone to get and then pull out with the cable. Or am I being too cautious and it isn't that bad with a good ladder??

I did contact one local company who installs cameras and they wanted to charge like $170 a camera line, but I think they might have been assuming hooking up everything and testing it, when in reality I just need someone to do the conduit work and run the cable I already have. I can terminate the cable ends and install the cameras. So, I am guessing I might have to shop around and find a handyman who will do only what I need without charging me an arm and a leg, unless you all have any other suggestions?
Hi @Shadeth

Do you have a crawl space or basement under the house? or is it on a slab?
 

Jake1979

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If no basement, then you could run from the attic soffit to the correr moulding and hide the wire insde of that, down to your spot. Do you want actual conduit to protect the line? I'm not up on codes, etc so I'm sure that there's others that can better answer this than me.
 

Shadeth

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Hi @Shadeth

Do you have a crawl space or basement under the house? or is it on a slab?
Oh yeah I should have specified, it is on a concrete slab. No basement here, it is South Texas so pretty much no houses have basements. I want the line protected by conduit since the sun here is brutal. I have a few gutters on the house and can run it down next to one of those so it blends into things. It is more just a question of "how do I even work up that high to get it to come out of the attic?" Here is a photo of one side of the house...
20191119_160127.jpg
 

mat200

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hi Shadeth, looks like a very nice home.

If you plan to do this yourself, I would consider getting a gorilla ladder - at times Home Depot has a very good sale on it. ( model GLMPX-26 looks long enough )
( I picked up a smaller one and really like it.. )

Otherwise if uncomfortable doing it yourself - why not hire someone to run a conduit and junction box down to about 8' on each area and then you can finish it up.
 

Shadeth

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If you plan to do this yourself, I would consider getting a gorilla ladder - at times Home Depot has a very good sale on it.
Otherwise if uncomfortable doing it yourself - why not hire someone to run a conduit and junction box down to about 8' on each area and then you can finish it up.
Thanks, and yeah, I saw that ladder.... and I don't think it is tall enough, I mean it might be, but I'd be nervous, LOL. Maybe if I also get a climbing harness, anchor myself to something on the other side of the house, and throw a rope over the roof. That's getting a little excessive, but I don't want to fall from that high up that's for sure. I am going to have to see if I can find a contractor to do this for a reasonable price I think.
 

Kevin_Essiambre

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I know home depot rents ladders up here in Canada. Most equipment rental places do too.

Something to think about If you do try to do this yourself.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
 

Rebelx

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Suggest getting someone else to do the conduits for you!

Compared to what I pay in Australia, $170 per line is SOOO cheap! I paid that during the construction phase of my house where they had full access to the internals and it was really easy to run lines.
 

Snapper30

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Nice house @Shadeth.

Good suggestions from everyone who mentioned hiring someone to install the conduit, especially a certified low voltage person. Make sure you know how many drops you want/need the first time. Around me, many companies have a minimum fee to show up no matter how much work is required.

Sometimes it is easier to work from inside the attic, if you have room to maneuver and access the desired soffit areas. Run the cable to the desired locations (use a length of PVC/conduit as a fish pole if needed), drill the soffit and drop the cable outside for the conduit installer. This also can help you test camera positions so you know where to mount the conduit.

Might also be an opportunity to meet a couple DIY-type new neighbors who have a ladder and would help with the conduit installation (possibly in exchange for your help with their camera setup...).
 

c hris527

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Thanks, and yeah, I saw that ladder.... and I don't think it is tall enough, I mean it might be, but I'd be nervous, LOL. Maybe if I also get a climbing harness, anchor myself to something on the other side of the house, and throw a rope over the roof. That's getting a little excessive, but I don't want to fall from that high up that's for sure. I am going to have to see if I can find a contractor to do this for a reasonable price I think.
I do my fair share of installs and I limit myself on ladders to the 1st floor, Gorilla ladders are Very good hardware but I use a Genie lift when going up that high, heights like that for me I need 4 hands, two for working and two for holding on for dear life, I use a retired verizon guy that does my tricky runs for me that makes very quick work out of it and as mentioned $170 a run is dirt cheap here in Upstate NY. When I was younger I had balls of Steele, a functioning lower back and a undeveloped brain with NO fear. After a fall your brain will learn its NOT worth it. Ever see a 55 year old guy slugging bags of shingles up a ladder? Nope, its all younger guys
 

Shadeth

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Thanks for the comments, yeah looking at it objectively... I am going to say this is just too high for me, unless one of my neighbors happens to have access to a lift bucket of some sort! I'm going to need two hands which isn't so good when on a ladder. So I'll leave it to the pros, but I've got plenty of time to think about exactly where and how many lines I want placed. I gotta get HOA approval before I do anything first.
 
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Where in Texas are you? I am in Spring. I was thinking about your problem of coming out of the attic soffits and putting conduit down to where you need it. But what if you turned the plan on it's head? Without seeing your back yard, maybe it is possible to bring several lines down/out (single big conduit) back there and either trench/bury them to get to the front, or run horizontal conduit along the slab/brick veneer interface and then come up to your cameras. You could extend the shrubs to hide the conduit. Also, depending on what you are trying to get from your camera placements, you could go lower on the corners maybe.

I am surprised you need HOA permission to install cameras. Must be a really strict subdivision.
 

fenderman

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Oh yeah I should have specified, it is on a concrete slab. No basement here, it is South Texas so pretty much no houses have basements. I want the line protected by conduit since the sun here is brutal. I have a few gutters on the house and can run it down next to one of those so it blends into things. It is more just a question of "how do I even work up that high to get it to come out of the attic?" Here is a photo of one side of the house...
View attachment 50966
Please dont install conduit on that house. Hire a professional to run the cable in the wall and pop it out where you need it. Nice and clean. Well worth the money.
 

mat200

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@Shadeth thought of your setup when I saw this video:

This video shows how to place the a junction box on a brick wall. Notice the placement of the anchors and hole into the mortar joints, avoiding drilling into the bricks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15uC72EVTGo

That noted, there are additional steps I would recommend
1) a pea sized drop of Di-electric gel in the RJ45 socket before connecting the RJ45 plug and boot.
2) I like coax seal or silicone stretch tape more than the connectors that they include in some of the kits. I think it does a better job.
3) The hole for the cable can big significantly smaller if you use bulk cable and terminate it yourself.
4) silicone caulk - "n" shaped bead between the wall and junction box, and camera base and junction box... be certain to leave a way for any water which gets in the box to drip out. ( some like to drill a little hole in the base of the junction box for this.. )
5) I place the connector at the top of the box.. just in case any water gets in the box..
 
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