Saw a new build in Austin where they hid the alarm panel behind a mirror. Smart or just annoying for service calls?

Walked through a spec home last Thursday and the panel was completely invisible until you opened the cabinet. Keeps it clean but I'm wondering how that works when the batteries die and someone has to find it. Has anyone else dealt with these hidden installs?

4 comments

4 Comments

miles_burns1mo agoMost Upvoted

Used to be all about hiding everything for that sleek look, lmao. Then a buddy of mine had a system where the battery went dead and the alarm kept chirping for three days while he was hunting for the panel. Changed my mind real quick when he had to start prying open cabinets and pulling mirrors off hinges. Clean installs are cool and all but service needs to be practical, especially when you're dealing with a screaming alarm at 2am.

ellioth371mo ago

Got a buddy who hid his access panel behind a painting in the living room. Forgot to mention it to his wife. She decided to rearrange furniture one weekend and put a big bookshelf right in front of it. Took them two hours to track down the chirping when the backup battery died.

kimr741mo ago

Three chirps per minute for 72 hours straight would drive anyone insane, I don't blame him for changing his mind. Even those "hidden in plain sight" panels behind a picture frame or a vent cover can turn into a nightmare if someone moves furniture around. At this point I'd rather have a slightly ugly panel in a closet than ever deal with that kind of service headache lol.

lewis.finley19d ago

Man that mirror thing is just asking for trouble. My neighbor did the same setup and the first time a sensor went bad his wife almost tore the whole bathroom apart before finding it behind the glass.