Washroom access control and vape detection
For hotels, offices, retail plazas, restaurants, gas stations, schools, clinics and multi-family buildings in Alberta and BC.
Updated
The quick answer
We put washroom doors on your access control, so only the people you choose can get in: staff, tenants, hotel guests or paying customers, by fob, card, phone or keypad code, on a schedule you set. Inside, a vape sensor on the ceiling detects vaping and cigarette smoke and sends an alert to staff phones, so someone can check right away. The lock only controls entry: anyone inside can always walk out. Vape sensors have no cameras, and we never put cameras inside washrooms. A camera in the hallway can cover the door instead.
What we install
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Door readers | A fob, card, phone or keypad reader beside the washroom door, on the same system as your other doors. |
| Electric locks | Locks that release for an approved fob or code. The inside handle always opens the door, so nobody is ever locked in. |
| Schedules | Open during business hours, fob only after hours, or fob only all the time. Every entry is logged. |
| Vape and smoke sensors | A ceiling sensor that detects vaping and cigarette smoke. Many models also alert when someone covers or tampers with them. |
| Alerts | Notifications to the staff you choose, by app, text or email, or to the front desk. |
| Hallway cameras | A camera on the hallway outside, so an alert can be matched to who went in and out. Never inside. |
Who gets in, and how
Customers, guests and visitors
- Hotel guests with their room key or mobile key
- Customers with a keypad code that you change as often as you like
- Staff buzzing a customer in from the counter
- Open to everyone during business hours, locked after closing
Staff and tenants
- Staff-only washrooms in shops, restaurants and clinics
- Tenant washrooms on shared office floors, opened with the tenant’s own fob
- Amenity and pool washrooms in apartment and condo buildings
- Lost fobs switched off in the software, with no rekeying
How a vape alert works
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Detected | The ceiling sensor picks up vapour or smoke in the washroom. |
| Alert | Staff get a notification with the washroom’s name and floor. |
| Checked | A staff member goes to the washroom. The hallway camera and the door log show who went in and out around that time. |
| Logged | Each alert is kept in the sensor’s history, so you can see which washrooms and times are a problem. |
Vape sensor brands we install
| Brand | Sensor | Works with |
|---|---|---|
| Avigilon | HALO Smart Sensor | Avigilon Unity Video, Alta and Avigilon Control Center, which can bring up the nearest camera when it alerts |
| Axis | AXIS D6210 and D6310 Air Quality Sensors | Axis cameras, speakers and strobes; the D6310 also works on its own |
| Ubiquiti UniFi | UniFi Vape Detection & Air Quality Sensor | UniFi Protect, next to your UniFi cameras |
| Hanwha Vision | Triton ULTRA sensor | Hanwha Vision’s WAVE software and Triton’s cloud dashboard |
| Zeptive | Wired and battery-powered vape sensors, including cellular models | Zeptive’s app and web console, for spots where running a cable is hard |
| Soter Technologies | FlySense | Soter’s own platform, with sound alerts for shouting and aggression |
The best fit is usually the brand that works with the cameras and software you already have. Some sensors need a yearly cloud or software licence, and we tell you before you choose.
Where it fits
| Building | Typical setup |
|---|---|
| Hotels and resorts | Lobby, pool and gym washrooms on the guest key, and sensors in non-smoking areas, with alerts to the front desk. |
| Offices | Tenant washrooms on shared floors opened with each tenant’s own fob, and staff-only washrooms. |
| Retail plazas, restaurants and gas stations | Customer washrooms on a keypad code or buzzed in from the counter, locked after closing. |
| Schools | Vape sensors in student washrooms with alerts to the office, and washrooms locked outside school hours. |
| Clinics | Patient washrooms open during clinic hours and staff washrooms on fobs. |
| Multi-family | Amenity, pool and party room washrooms on residents’ fobs, and sensors in common areas. |
Safety, privacy and the law
Safety first: the lock controls entry only. The inside handle always opens the door, accessible washrooms keep the features they need, and staff can open the door from outside if someone needs help. We plan washroom locks with your building’s fire and building code rules, the same way we plan stair doors.
Privacy: vape sensors have no cameras, and we never put cameras inside washrooms or change rooms. Post signs that the sensors are there; it also stops a lot of vaping before it starts.
The law: Alberta and BC ban smoking and vaping in most enclosed public places and workplaces, and many cities add their own bylaws. A vape sensor helps you enforce your rules; what happens after an alert is up to you. Not legal or code advice.
Adding it to the building you have
If you already have access control, a washroom door is usually one more door on it. Vape sensors usually connect over a network cable that also powers them, so we plan the cabling with any other work in the building.
No access control yet, or a system nobody supports? We install a new one, or our system rescue team takes over the one you have.
Vaping in your washrooms?
We’ll walk the building, look at the doors and ceilings, and give you a written quote.
Related: access controlhotel securityschool securityretail plazassecurity cameras
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
We repair and take over cameras, access control, intercoms and alarms installed by other companies, when your current provider has fallen short.
Help: Export Avigilon video
Washroom access and vape detection questions
What is a vape detector?
A sensor, usually on the ceiling, that detects the vapour from e-cigarettes and vapes and sends an alert to staff. Most also detect cigarette smoke.
Can it detect cigarette and cannabis smoke?
Most vape sensors detect cigarette smoke as well as vapour, and many models can also flag cannabis (THC) vapes. We tell you what each model detects before you choose.
Are there cameras in the washroom?
No. Vape sensors have no cameras, and we never install cameras inside washrooms or change rooms. A camera in the hallway can cover the door.
Do vape sensors record conversations?
The sensors we recommend for washrooms don’t record audio or video. Some models listen for sounds such as shouting or a call for help without recording them, that can be turned off, and we explain exactly what each model does.
Which vape sensor brands do you install?
Avigilon HALO, Axis, Ubiquiti UniFi, Triton through Hanwha Vision, Zeptive and Soter FlySense. We usually suggest the one that works with the cameras and software you already have, such as Avigilon, Axis or UniFi.
Will a vape sensor set off the fire alarm?
No. A vape sensor is separate from your fire alarm and doesn’t replace the smoke detectors your building needs.
Who gets the alerts?
The staff you choose, by app, text or email, or the front desk. Each alert names the washroom and floor.
Can someone get locked inside a fob-controlled washroom?
No. The lock only controls entry. The inside handle always opens the door, and staff can open it from outside if someone needs help.
How do customers get in without a fob?
With a keypad code you can change any time, by being buzzed in from the counter, or by leaving the washroom open during business hours and locking it after closing.
Can hotel guests use their room key?
Often, yes, when the washroom reader is on the same system as your guest keys. We confirm it for your lock system, such as MTech.
Can students or staff tamper with the sensor?
Many models send an alert when someone covers, moves or tampers with the sensor, and we mount them on the ceiling, out of easy reach.
Is vaping allowed in Alberta and BC workplaces?
Both provinces ban smoking and vaping in most enclosed public places and workplaces, and many cities add bylaws. Not legal advice.
Can you take over a system another company installed?
Yes. We take over and fix systems installed by other companies, and regain admin access where you own the system.
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Get a washroom security quote
Tell us how many washrooms, which doors you want on fobs and where vaping or smoking is a problem. We’ll follow up to book a site walk.
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