I'm looking for the easiest way to get notifications about my walkout basement door being opened/unlocked. I'd like to get a text message. My 12 year old is moving to the basement bedroom and I'd like make sure his friends aren't using it to come in the house vs announcing their presence by coming in the normal way. Later on making sure he isn't sneaking out that way, he needs to learn to sneak out through the garage like every other kid. I've looked at some of the systems out there, either electronic deadbolts or door jab sensors. They seem to all have to go to a hub and then to the internet. I don't do smart hubs like alexa or google so some of the security only ones (Z wave etc.) would have to work. Not sure what works best though.
If you want notifications you will have to use some kind of smart hub or alarm system. Prob easiest way to monitor the opening would a Ring doorbell setup. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Lutron Hub would likely be the least intrusive system. Expandable and doesn’t have a microphone to listen to your private conversations. I’ve been futzing with it for a bit as time allows, got some lighting and a thermostat running through it, I’ll be integrating security through it before school starts back up again. If you’re a real baller, you can automate motorized blinds with it too.
Samsung SmartThings hub is probably the most widely used option, it supports both Z-Wave and Zigbee. If you're concerned that he's smart enough to figure out that he can take the sensor off the door, there's some recessed ones that you bore into the core of the door, that he probably won't discover until he's 18. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15268
He is certainly smart enough to defeat it. I was looking into possibly doing one of those hidden recessed sensors, and some sort of deadbolt or visible sensor that he could defeat.
You sure you’re going to want a text or notification every time a 12 year old comes in or out of the house?
You can install a flush mounted contact and then putty or no do over it and repaint. And run wires through the wall. Whatever you choose to monitor this device will require a hub or alarm panel. Prob your best bet is a camera that will alert you upon motion detection. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Get a connected lock. And Hubitat Automation Hub. It is based on all local control ability if you don't want it reaching out to the internet. Set the door lock to auto relock and event logs. Lock the kid out of the event logs Access. He will have to hack the system somehow to get around it.
How good are you with electronics? I can show you how to make a small door sensor using a Particle Photon (https://store.particle.io/products/photon) and a magnetic door sensor and send you texts using IFTTT.
Break the legs of the first one you catch and leave him on the ground outaide the door to warn the others.
what's the point of living in the basement if you can't sneak hunny dips in there on the sly? just buy him a box of condoms instead.