1-877-777-7590
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Who is SecurTek ?
How long does it take to install a system?
Are installations available on evenings and weekends?
What are the parts of a security system?
What happens if my phone line is cut?
What kind of equipment options are available?
Will the system work if I have pets?
Do I qualify for a discount on my home or business insurance?
What is the difference between a wired and wireless system?
Monitoring Station and Alarm Questions
What is the Monitoring Station?
Where are the Monitoring Stations located?
What happens in the event of an alarm? Who is contacted?
What is the estimated response time?
What does ULC mean?
What happens if I’m on the phone when an alarm occurs?
Are there any fines for false alarms?
How do I prevent false alarms?
How do I track who is disarming and arming my system?
If my premise is not located in the same city as the monitoring station, does that mean I have to pay long distance?
Billing Information
What payment options do I have?
Who is SecurTek - A SaskTel Company?
SecurTek - A SaskTel Company is a Canadian company offering you professional and reliable security monitoring solutions for your home, business or cottage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have two state-of-the-art monitoring stations and a network of experienced Authorized Dealers throughout Western Canada, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
How long does it take to install a system?
It depends on the complexity of the system, your choice of systems (wired or wireless) and the lay-out of your home or business. Typically basic installations range from two to eight hours.
Are installations available on evenings and weekends?
Yes, generally the Authorized Dealers are available to do installations on evenings and weekends. A Dealer will contact the home or business owner directly to set up a suitable time for an appointment.
What are the parts of a security system?
The parts of a security system can change, depending on your needs and your premise. Most systems include a control panel, door or window sensors, motion sensors and a keypad. The control panel is the "heart" of your security system. This is where the information from the sensors is analyzed and relayed to the Monitoring Station via the telephone lines or cellular back-up. The keypad provides you with access to your system. Door and window sensors have a magnetic seal that detects the movement of a door or window. Motion sensors use infrared technology to detect body heat or movement.
For a more complete description of these products plus additional components, check out our Products and Services page.
What happens if my phone line is cut?
With most standard security systems, alarm signals are transmitted to our Monitoring Station via the telephone line. If your telephone line becomes disconnected your standard security system will be unable to transmit signals to our Monitoring Station.
To provide an additional level of protection and an alternate transmission method in the rare event telephone lines are cut or go down, you can install wireless back-up on most systems. With wireless back-up, a cellular transmission will be made to our Monitoring Station informing an attendant of the emergency situation.
There are also other simple ways to protect your phone lines. You can plant shrubs such as roses or evergreens in front of the telephone box on the outside of your home, thus making your telephone line difficult to access. You can also install covers that go over the phone line from where it comes out of the ground to where it enters the house.
If you have any questions or are interested in wireless back-up, please contact your SecurTek Dealer or our Customer Care Centre toll-free at 1-877-777-7590 or e-mail us at customer.care@securtek.sk.ca
What kind of equipment options are available?
There are many different types of equipment which can add value to your system. For example, monitored smoke alarms detect smoke and fire and send a signal to the monitoring station, therefore the fire department can be notified even when you're not home. As well, you can get monitored carbon monoxide detectors, heat sensors and freeze sensors, remote control keyfobs and panic buttons. Systems can be customized to suit your needs and budget.
For a more complete description of some of these products, check out our Additional Components page.
Will the system work if I have pets?
Yes, but it's very important to let your dealer know that you have pets because sometimes different types of products have to be used. As well, if you get a pet after your security system has been installed, please notify your Authorized Dealer.
Do I qualify for a discount on my home or business insurance?
Yes, but you will have to contact your insurance broker directly to find out what the discount is. If you have one of our monitored security systems, we supply you with an official alarm certificate that you can take to your insurance agent verifying that you have a system.
What is the difference between a wired and wireless system?
A hard wired system uses wire to connect all sensors to the control panel. Therefore, each and every sensor will be connected by a network of low voltage wire placed throughout your premise. In most cases it is not hard to wire a system especially if the installer can easily access your attic or if you have an undeveloped basement or simply a basement ceiling that is not accessible.
A wireless system uses no wires to connect the sensors to the control panel. Signals are transmitted and received by radio. The main benefit to a wireless system is that it is very easy to install and move.
Concerning dependability both systems are considered equals, especially since the major advancements in wireless technology. A SecurTek dealer can work with you to choose a system that best suits your home or business. There are also hybrid systems available through SecurTek that use both wired and wireless technology.
What is the Monitoring Station?
When your SecurTek security system detects an alarm, a signal is transmitted to our Monitoring Station, which is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to dispatch the proper emergency personnel. Our attendants are professionally trained and certified through the Security Industry Association (SIA), an organization that sets standards and develops training programs for the security industry. As well, all our stations are Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada listed, which means they meet or exceed the highest standards. They are located in secure buildings, complete with back-up systems to ensure constant, uninterrupted service.
Where are the Monitoring Stations located?
SecurTek is committed to providing the highest level of service and security to our customers. We have two monitoring stations, one in Yorkton, Saskatchewan and one in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
What happens in the event of an alarm? Who is contacted?
When our Monitoring Station receives an alarm signal, a SecurTek attendant will call the premise, confirm the alarm and verify the password. If there is no answer or if the wrong password is provided, the attendant will then notify the police or proper emergency personnel. After that, they will call one of the responsible parties or contacts you provided when you had your system installed.
What is the estimated response time?
Two hundred seconds is the industry standard for us to notify a contact after an alarm signal is received by the Monitoring Station. SecurTek has set our standards at less than 60 seconds and our average is consistently less than that.
ULC stands for Underwriters Laboratories of Canada. It sets the standards for operation for alarm monitoring stations. The standards provide guidelines for monitoring station operations, which include having uninterrupted power supplies, as well as appropriate staffing levels, response times and security levels.
What happens if I'm on the phone when an alarm occurs?
When an alarm is triggered, the security system takes over the phone line and will cut you off so it can send a signal to the Monitoring Station.
Are there any fines for false alarms?
Depending on the local bylaws for the area in which your protected premise is located, there may be fines, penalties or suspension of service levied by the police department for a false alarm dispatch. Contact SecurTek toll free at 1-877-777-7590 or customer.care@securtek.sk.ca for more information regarding your specific municipal bylaws.
How do I prevent false alarms?
False alarms are easily preventable as long as you are responsible in ensuring that all full-time and casual users of your system are fully trained on the alarm system's use and able to properly identify themselves to the monitoring station attendant.
How do I track who is disarming and arming my system?
Many alarm systems can be programmed to send activity reports to the Monitoring Station. This tells us who arms and disarms the system. The reports can be mailed or faxed on a weekly or monthly basis for a small fee. As well, alarm systems can be monitored to ensure that they are armed or disarmed at designated times. If there are different users and they use different codes a report on their activity could be generated if the system is programmed to send these signals. Please note that not all systems can be reprogrammed to send opening and closing reports. Not all systems have panel memories of past events and not all can be remotely accessed from the Monitoring Station to retrieve information.
If my premise is not located in the same city as the monitoring station, does that mean I have to pay long distance?
No. Your alarm systems send signals to the Monitoring Station using a toll free number.
What payment options do I have?
You can pay your monitoring fee by pre-authorized payment, cash, cheque, VISA or Mastercard. Payments can be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.
In Saskatchewan, the monitoring fees appear on your SaskTel telephone bill.
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