Frequently Asked Questions

An alarm system adds an important layer of protection to your home or business. While an alarm cannot physically prevent every break-in, it can help deter unauthorized entry, detect suspicious activity, and report an alarm when something happens. When combined with professional monitoring, your system can also alert the monitoring station when an alarm is triggered. The right setup can help protect your property, belongings, employees, or family while giving you greater awareness of what is happening.

The right security system depends on your property, how it is used, and the areas you want to protect. A home may require burglary detection, smoke detectors, cameras, and monitoring, while a commercial property may also benefit from access control, video surveillance, or entry management. NES Alarms can review your property and recommend a combination of equipment and monitoring options rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. This helps create a system that makes sense for how you actually use the space.

With 24-hour monitoring, your alarm system is connected to a central monitoring station that can receive signals when an alarm condition occurs. Depending on the situation and established procedures, the monitoring station can verify the alarm and notify designated contacts or the appropriate authorities. NES Alarms partners with a UL-certified Central Monitoring Station to provide around-the-clock monitoring, helping customers keep watch over their properties even when they are away.

Yes. NES Alarms offers smartphone features that allow you to stay connected to compatible security systems while you’re away from your property. Using the DSC Connect app, you can remotely arm and disarm your alarm system and receive security notifications on your mobile device. For compatible surveillance systems, Hik-Connect lets you remotely view live camera feeds from a smartphone or tablet. These features make it easier to check your property and manage your security when you’re away.

Yes. Compatible CCTV systems can provide remote viewing, allowing you to check your cameras when you aren’t physically at the property. With the Hik-Connect app, you can view live camera feeds from a compatible smartphone or tablet. This can be useful whether you want to check your home while travelling or keep an eye on your business outside regular hours. Depending on your system, video can also be recorded so you can review activity when required.

When a monitored alarm detects an alarm condition, it sends a signal to the central monitoring station. The station follows established procedures to verify the alarm and, when appropriate, notify designated contacts or the relevant responders. If you accidentally trigger your own alarm, the existing NES Alarms guidance recommends contacting the monitoring station and properly identifying yourself with your passcode. Knowing your procedures and keeping your contact information current can also help reduce unnecessary false dispatches.

Learning how to operate your system properly is one of the most important steps. Make sure everyone who regularly uses the property understands how to arm and disarm the system and has the appropriate passcode. You should also keep your contact information and keyholder list current and let your security provider know about changes that could affect the system. The existing NES Alarms guidance notes that many false alarms are caused by user error, making proper training particularly important.

Yes. NES Alarms provides commercial security solutions for different types and sizes of businesses throughout the GTA and surrounding areas. Depending on the property, a system may incorporate burglary alarms, fire alarm monitoring, CCTV surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, entry management, 24/7 monitoring, and remote security features. Solutions can be tailored to anything from a single commercial location to businesses with multiple facilities, helping protect employees, customers, property, equipment, and other important assets.

Regular testing helps confirm that your alarm system is communicating and functioning as expected. NES Alarms’ existing guidance recommends testing the system approximately every other month and contacting the monitoring station before starting a test so that an intentional activation is not treated as an actual alarm. If you notice a problem, receive a trouble indication, or are unsure how to perform a test correctly, contact NES Alarms first rather than experimenting with the system yourself.

Residential and commercial properties can use many of the same types of security technology, but the overall setup may be quite different. A business may have multiple entrances, restricted areas, valuable inventory, employees, or several locations to consider. Commercial systems can incorporate burglary alarms, CCTV surveillance, access control, fire detection, and 24/7 monitoring. NES Alarms can tailor the system to the property instead of using the same setup for every residential or commercial customer.