Alarm Grid Tips: Keep an Extra Key Fob by Your Bed

Hi DIYers! We have a simple, yet effective tip for you today. The tip is to keep a second key fob device by your bed for easy access. This can be a great way to trigger a panic and scare off an intruder if you hear a break-in. You can also use this key fob as a backup for your main one.

Being woken up in the middle of the night due to a break-in can be a very scary feeling. Most users will arm their systems to stay mode at night so that an alarm will occur if someone tries to break-in. But maybe you forgot to arm your system, or maybe you want to activate a siren to try and scare off the intruder. In that case, having a key fob next to your bed can be very helpful.

Most key fobs have a designated panic button that you can use to activate an immediate intrusion alarm. By pressing and holding this button, you are telling your system that you are in danger and that help is needed immediately. It's a great resource to have in these rare, but extremely scary, situations. Just be aware that some panels may require you to specially enroll the panic zone. Additionally, some key fobs may require dual-button presses to activate panics.

Once you activate the panic button, your system will immediately go into alarm. This can involve triggering a siren to scare off any intruders. Alternatively, you could set up a silent alarm so that the police show up without the intruder knowing. However, a loud, audible alarm will be much more effective in scaring away an intruder. You might even set up on input for an audible alarm and another for a silent alarm. It's up to you.

But keeping a key fob next to your bed is more for than just having an option for triggering a panic in the middle of the night. It's also good to have a second key fob as a backup option in case you lose or misplace your first one. You can always grab the other key fob by your bed if you need to quickly grab a fob. You can also use it to set your system to arm stay from your bed if you forgot to do so while you were by your panel or keypad earlier.

Remember, a key fob isn't the only way to access your system remotely. You can always access your system from your Android or iOS device through Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. Both of these platforms offer mobile apps allow you to arm and disarm your system from anywhere. Just keep in mind that you will need a monitoring plan to use TC2 or ADC. And of course, you can always dial 911 if you believe you are in a dangerous situation. But a key fob panic can still be useful in certain situations.

And if you just want a simple device for triggering panic alarms without having arming and disarming functions, we offer standalone panic buttons as well. These are convenient devices that you can activate if you hear something suspicious to trigger an immediate system alarm. You might also consider getting outdoor sirens that you can activate to try and scare away anyone lurking outside your home. And remember that if you have monitoring service, you can set up how your system responds during alarm events. This includes what action(s) the central station will take and when you receive text, email, and/or push notifications regarding any triggered panics.

If you do decide to get additional key fob devices or a panic button for your system, you will need to make sure they are compatible. Our team can help you with that. Remember that we offer free support for all our monitored customers. We can help you determine the perfect key fob option for your needs so that you can your family can feel safe at home. The best way to contact us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. We will check your email at our earliest convenience and reply back as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!