Intrusion alarm systems for commercial buildings
Door, motion and glass-break sensors with 24/7 monitoring and control from your phone. Designed, installed and supported by Hightower across Canada and the USA.
Updated
Alarm systems we install
Protection for every door, window and room that matters after hours.
24/7 alarm monitoring
A monitoring centre watches your system around the clock and follows your response plan the moment an alarm goes off.
Arm and disarm from your phone
Check status, arm or disarm, and get alerts from an app, so you never have to drive back to check if someone set the alarm.
Door, motion and glass-break sensors
Every entry point covered, with sensors placed to catch real intrusions without setting off false alarms.
Panic and hold-up buttons
Silent buttons at counters, reception desks and offices that call for help without alerting an intruder.
Connected to the rest of your building
An alarm is stronger when it works with your cameras and doors.
Video-verified alarms
When a sensor trips, the linked camera shows what set it off, so real break-ins get a faster response and false alarms get caught.
Tied into access control
Alarms and access control can share one system, so the building can disarm when an authorized person badges in.
Remote management
Add users, change codes, set arming schedules and see the event history from one dashboard.
Maintenance and service plans
Scheduled testing of sensors, panels, batteries and communication, so the system works the night you need it.
Intrusion alarms for your type of building
Every property is vulnerable in different places. Here’s where we focus for each.
How a project works
One team from the first walkthrough to years of support.
- 1Site walk
We walk the building with you and note every entry point and area worth protecting.
- 2Design and quote
You get a sensor layout, zones and monitoring plan, with a written quote.
- 3Install and program
We install and test every sensor, program zones and users, and connect monitoring.
- 4Training and handover
We show your team how to arm, disarm, manage codes and use the app.
- 5Ongoing support
Monitoring, scheduled testing, repairs and upgrades as your building changes.
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
If your current provider stopped answering, we can repair, maintain or take over alarm systems installed by other companies.
What affects the cost of an alarm system
Every building is different, but these are the factors that move the price. After a site walk, you get a clear written quote.
Size of the building
More rooms, doors and windows mean more sensors and zones.
Wired or wireless
Wireless sensors cut cabling costs in finished spaces, while wired sensors suit new construction.
Monitoring
24/7 monitoring is an ongoing monthly service.
Panic buttons and extras
Panic buttons, glass-break sensors and environmental sensors add devices.
Video verification
Linking alarms to cameras adds programming, and helps cut down on false alarms.
Questions to ask an alarm company
The answers tell you whether you’ll be supported after the install.
- Will you support it after installation?
Ask who you’ll call when something breaks and how quickly they respond. We support everything we install.
- Will we get admin access and documentation?
You should own your system, with admin logins and a record of every device. We hand both over on every project.
- Which brands do you install, and why?
An installer who works with many brands can recommend what fits your building, not just what they sell.
- Will it work with our other systems?
Cameras, doors, intercoms and alarms work best when they’re planned together.
- What will it cost to run each year?
Ask about subscriptions, licences, monitoring and maintenance up front, so there are no surprises.
Read: Is your installer covered? The insurance, clearances and certifications every installer should have.
Monitored fences and electric deterrents
Take the alarm out to the property line. Fence sensors become alarm zones that trip when someone climbs or cuts the fence, and an electric deterrent fence alarms if it’s cut or shorted. How monitored fences work.
- Fence zones on the same alarm panel as the building
- Electric deterrent fences with warning signs
- Cameras, lights and a siren triggered at the zone
- Video-verified, so false alarms are filtered out
Video-verified alarms and monitoring
When an alarm goes off, the monitoring team can see the camera clip from that area before anyone is dispatched. A real break-in gets a fast response with video as evidence, and a false alarm from a cleaner or a sensor doesn’t send police or your keyholder out for nothing. How remote video monitoring works.
- Alarm zones matched to the cameras that cover them
- Live video checked before dispatch
- Talk-down speakers to warn intruders while help is on the way
- Fewer wasted callouts for false alarms
More industries we secure: Retail plazas and strip mallsSelf-storage facilitiesMedical and dental clinics
Intrusion alarm questions
How much does a commercial alarm system cost?
It depends mostly on the size of the building, the number of entry points and sensors, and the monitoring you choose. After a site walk we provide a written quote.
Is 24/7 monitoring included?
Monitoring is set up as an ongoing service alongside your system. We connect your alarm to 24/7 monitoring and set up the response plan with you.
Can we arm and disarm from our phones?
Yes. You can arm, disarm, check status and get alerts from an app, and control which people on your team have access.
How do you cut down on false alarms?
Careful sensor placement, video verification from your cameras, and proper training for your team all help keep false alarms down.
What happens if the power or internet goes out?
We design systems with backup batteries and, where needed, a backup communication path so the alarm keeps working and stays connected to monitoring.
Can you take over an alarm system another company installed?
Yes. We service, repair and take over existing alarm systems, and can upgrade them when equipment is no longer supported.
What is a video-verified alarm?
A video-verified alarm is one where the monitoring team checks camera footage from the area before dispatching. It confirms a real break-in quickly and filters out false alarms, so responders know what they’re walking into.
Can an alarm system cover our fence line?
Yes. Fence sensors and electric deterrent fences can be added as alarm zones, so climbing, cutting or a shorted fence trips the alarm and triggers cameras, lights and a siren at that zone.
More answers: Alarm questionsGlossary: alarm monitoringglass-break sensor
Intrusion alarm service areas
Offices in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer in Alberta, and Kelowna in BC, serving customers across Canada and the USA.
See all service areas. Alberta and BC are our main markets, and we support customers right across Canada and in the USA, with a parachute team ready to go anywhere. Ask us about it.
Local pages: Alarm systems in EdmontonAlarm systems in CalgaryAlarm systems in VancouverAlarm systems in VictoriaAlarm systems in LethbridgeAlarm systems in KamloopsAlarm systems in Fort McMurrayAlarm systems in Red DeerAlarm systems in Kelowna
Get an alarm system quote
Tell us about the building and the areas you want protected. We’ll follow up to book a site walk.
Call and a real person answers, 24/7 for emergencies.