Attic Grow -- Security Questions

[PurplePotion]

To keep details short, I will be setting up a grow in an attic and want to make sure I have every security measure covered.

Lighting: 2x 400W CMH
Grow Method: Ebb & Flow
Cooling: 276CFM Dayton Blower
Carbon Filter: -- Need Advice --

This is a newly built house. The attic is very large compared to the grow size. In order to make effective use of the lighting, I will be purchasing a Secret Jardin Dark Room. Can't decide between the DR120 and the DR150. Leaning towards the 120, due to the $100 price difference, but if the 120 would hinder my setup's yield potential, I'll suck up the $100 .

I am choosing the Secret Jardin because it seems to be the most efficient in its class, and most secure as far as light leaks, reflectivity, and proper ventilation.

The main vent in the attic is actually a long 'continuous ridge vent', similar to this:

But, there is also a standard 'stack' type exhaust on the roof that I could exhaust through.

My current plan of action is to exhaust the DR through a carbon filter directly into attic atmosphere. I am familiar with the standard CAN models, but have also seen similar items, 'Elf' and 'Goblin'. Are these as good as the CAN filters, or should I suck it up and pay the price for a CAN? I also plan to place box fans at each end of the attic to deter a hot spot.

Is this enough to keep the attic clear of being sensed through FLIR? I know this seems a bit paranoid, but FLIR is very popular in this area-- outdoor grows mostly, but you can never be too safe.

I was also pondering if a very near airport wouldn't allow the dreaded copters to even 'scan' the area ?? Never heard anything about this, was just something that popped in my head as a landing Jumbo Jet passed over my car today.

Intake air could come from the attic atmosphere or the interior of the house, whichever would best aide my cause. Looking for suggestions on this as well.

Main goal: 800W in an attic 100% undetectable.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[Guest]

I won't wade into the Flir and Heat issue with you on this one But a bit of advice------The Trussed Roofing System that you most likely have in your Newly Built Home is meant to carry the load of the roof on the top Chord (includes snow soads) and the weight of the ceiling board on the bottom Chord. By design trusses are free span and transfer the load to the outer bearing walls. Unless the Truss is designed to carry an additional load be careful of the weight you put up there lest there be structural failure.

TyStik

PS: Pots full of wet soil, your weight and other devices situated in the attic can add up to a possible structural design overload, depending on the foot print of that load and its pounds psf loading. Think on that one before you commit yourself to damage that is entirely within the realm of possibility.

 

[PurplePotion]

Thanks a lot Ty.. something I had considered, but not to that extent. After reading your post, I will be sure to put some engineering into this after all. What would you consider in the realm of acceptable as far as Pounds Per Sq. Foot (psf), assuming proper construction and even spread of weight in this situation. This is definitely not somewhere I want to skimp!

I could add support trusses from the 'floor' of the attic to the outer bearing walls if that is what is needed to keep me safe.

I won't be using soil, so my main weight is water.. to be safe I would say that 500 lbs. total weight could very well be in the vicinity. Maybe I should start thinking of a way to have the reservoir in a remote room, and plumb it to the attic. Oh man-- this is starting to sound difficult .

 

[Colt122]

I hope things work out but I bet you'll run into problems
Im upstairs and it was -40 the other day now its +3, and it already makes sense for me to move downstairs, good thing I have the room...... But then I use that to my advantage having 4seasons of temp twists
Of course if your rich, then heat isnt a problem..

 

[PurplePotion]

Seasons aren't quite that bad where I'm at.. A/C in the summer & heat in the winter is affordable. I wouldn't know what to do with crazy seasons like that!

 

[simba]

as far as flir.. its a mess. it wont see the grow directly under the roof.. it sees a hot spot and a warm spot sprawling out..
FLIR is a PITA>> and most Popo Helis are outfitted with basic flir.. major heat differences not slight variations.. but they still can find it..
the best thing is get atic fans that keep the air moving threw the attic.. then its whole ambient temp is equal then no flir concerns within reason.

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

In lofts, I make "Igloos" of polystyrene, Wickes sell 3" thick tongue and groove [edge] polystyrene boards....here..... built properly, these keep the heat entirely within your growspace. Seal all gaps with spray n' Pray foam aerosols.

My friend did this and his house was one of the last in the street to melt the snow, nothing is escaping for sensors to see. Exhausting is done via tapping in to an existing chimney, from where Pig choppers would expect to see a heatsource.

This works perfectly in a friends hellhole area, that is scanned by the Police 10x a day for local scumbags in stolen cars etc. Very close to the airport, the Police chopper is not allowed, but I mean very very close, they once buzzed me on the perimeter road, so I do not think a house will ever be close enough to avoid this.

Amusingly, local bikers trying to shake them off in a chase, often disappear into the airport, but I have yet to work out how to fit a growroom in a topbox. :wink:

These are the boards I am on about.http://www.wickes.co.uk/Polystyrene-Sheet/Tongued-and-Grooved-Insulation-Board/invt/210030

P.S. Lofts are usually superfantasticallly dusty, seal the lot by spraying the whole loft with a diluted PVA solution, like you would before plastering....this is especially good on bare walls.

 

[skylined]

Honestly it seems to me that growing in the attic isn't the smartest thing. Just set up in your basement. If you are only running 800 watts that won't take up a whole lot of square footage anyways. Flir wouldn't be my worry so much as structural problems or all your shit falling through the ceiling. Just my two cents. Good luck with your setup. I'd say, try a grow tent and stick downstairs in the basement.

Peace,
~Skylined

 

[PurplePotion]

The basement is setup like an entertainment room, and there's really no place to put a tent discretely.. already thought about it. The attic is the one place that NO ONE would ever accidentally find it. The only access point requires a ladder just to lift up the ceiling board and see in.

Perhaps I'll reconsider the ebb & flow, and go with 1 gal pots of soil-- I think I could drastically reduce weight if I did this.

 

[Guest]

PurplePotion, as stated the truss bears the entire load at the ENDS of the bottom chord @ the top plate. You have noticed the angled 2 x 4's or 2 x 6's running from the top to bottom chords, these are referred to as the "Web", the folks on the East coast have different names for things, including construction terminology, at times.

The angle and spacing of the web connections at the top/bottom chords are ENGINEERED for each specific floor plan layout. Within the home the truss bottom chord has a "radius" relevant to span and loading and makes little or no contact with interior wall top plates. The truss is trued (for straight) and secured by an "L" shaped clip (truss clip) to one or more of the interior LONG walls at the top plate with nails, and a single nail through the clip into the chord. That NAIL is not fully seated, this allows the truss to float along its span while keeping the truss true and straight.

If you place a support post anywhere along that span to allow for your attic grow loading you WILL negate the load transference to the ends and weaken those trusses affected by the support post(s) involved. This would exclude trusses specifically designed for intermediate support walls or columns. If there is any doubt about this please feel free to contact a local truss manufacturer, and relate to them what has been discussed here.

None of the above applies to the "Hand Stacked" site framed roof structure where the ceiling joists BEAR on interior long walls as well as the outer.

I hope that this info clarifies any concerns you might have.

Regards,

TyStik

 

[PurplePotion]

Thanks again Ty, I understand quite a bit more, now. One piece of information that you provided is particularly interesting to me..

This would exclude trusses specifically designed for intermediate support walls or columns.

It will be at least a few days until I can get back to the place, but I now know what to look for. It sounds like if I do decide to setup in the attic, I will want to place the most load so that it is supported by the 'support trusses'. I'll take my camera with me and take some shots next time so I can make sure I am understanding everything correctly before I go setting stuff up and end up having all my plants rain through the ceiling.

Again, thanks everyone, and especially you Ty. I really appreciate the time you've given to help me out.

I'd also like to state that the majority of this grow will be used medicinally-- I was in a horrible automobile accident (not at fault) a little over a year ago, and ended up with a broken neck which required spinal fusion in the C region. I'm now dealing with 4 more unstable vertebrae, a severely herniated disc that is compressing on my spinal cord, and the possibility of further fusion (C3-C7 would all be fused together ).

I'm tried of taking all of these different medications that are 'supposed to help for pain, too'. I'm on Percocet, along with two other drugs that are classified as 'anti-psychotics, and anti-depressants' that are supposed to help with 'neuropathic pain'.


The risks and side-effects associated with these, along with the addiction factor of oxycodone, far outweigh their usefulness to me. I'd rather use MJ, and function like a normal human being. Ugh.. can't wait until I get out of here, and move to a state with MMJ laws.

Sorry for the rant.. just pisses me off every time I think about it.

 

[twojoints]

what climate are we talking here? youre saying it snows in the winter? im guessing its hot in the summer? i have found it nearly impossible to use my attic space for anything as it simply gets blazing hot in the summer even though its decent in the winter...

 

[PurplePotion]

Midwest. Mild seasons. MAX 90 in the summer, MIN 20 in the winter, but house temps are always around 68-75, and I could use a/c and heated air from the house for intake.

 

[Tony Danza]

I build homes for a living, and would have no problem throwing a few extra pounds on the bottom cords of your trusses. Just use common sense, your rez will be the only thing that really concentrates weight in one spot, If that's gonna weigh more than 100 lbs or so, I would just frame a secondary floor on top of and with members perpendicular to your bottom cords, this will spread the weight of your rez out onto more than 1 or two cords reducing chance of deflection. Of course I live in an area with insane building codes that require homes to be engineered to hold together under 12 feet of snow or reverse gravity, two things that never happen here. However, I would try to aviod center loading a truss that has a non-bearing wall in the center as that will put load onto something not designed for it. Ty is right that trusses aren't engingeered as floors, but most modern houses are designed to survive natural disasters and snowloads that far exceed the stress of whatever your 800w garden will weigh.

The temp issue is a serious one though, you might find yourself mechanically ventilating your attic just to keep ambient below 100f--Unless you insulate it. I'm about to head into my first summer of attic growing, I hope I don't have to shut down through July/August.

Good Luck.

tony

 

[PurplePotion]

Thanks a lot Tony, your info is great. I think I'm going to go with 5x5 pots with soil in order to avoid concentrated weight. This alone should keep weight down a lot. I'm hoping that being able to intake air from the house should be able to keep the temps in a decent range :: crosses fingers ::.