Locksmith Products

Alarm Services

So you are considering purchasing a security system.  You may have heard of Underwriters Laboratories.  Most alarm companies will go out of there way to let you know
that there monitoring station is ULC approved.     ULC is not a magic trick, however most customers seem to be razzled and dazled with the answer and not aware that the alarm company says Yes our monitorng station is ULC approved.  The question you need to ask are you installing an alarm system that will provide me with a ULC certificate for my commercial alarm system?    

It is important to understand what ULC really is.   Underwriters Laboratories is a non-porfit product certification faclity that has been testing products and writing safety standards
for more than one hundred years.  UL began as a group of insurance companies testing fire-rated building materials, but have expanded there product line to test products and services
around the world

Pre-Lock Security Services is ULC Listed for Commercial Type installation Companies, Shared and Local Service File Number CPWFC BP7451

Pre-Lock Security is All listed for Fire Protective Signalling Systems, Installations Companies, Shared Service DAYYC S6778

Burglar Alarm Systems

This category covers burglar alarm systems classified as to the type of facility in which they are installed: Financial, Commercial or Residential. They are further grouped according to the type of service provided: Central Station, Monitoring Station or Local. Each central station, monitoring station or local burglar alarm system is also identified as to the type of installation as a premises, safe or vault. The function of these types of burglar alarm systems and the level of service provided are:

CENTRAL STATION SYSTEMS

A central station system is one in which the operations of electrical protection circuits and devices are signalled automatically to, recorded in, maintained and supervised from a central station having trained operators and guards in attendance at all times. Guards are dispatched to make immediate investigation of unauthorized entry or opening of protected properties from which signals are received.

Unless otherwise specified on the certificate issued to a protected property, the central station holds all keys necessary to permit entrance and search of the interior of the property by guards responding to alarms and troubles. The operating force is required to be adequate to allow a two-guard response to all alarms. It is intended that one guard be an employee of the operating company or the local police.

Central station systems may be of the dedicated-line type or multiplex type and the line security may be Level I, Level II or Level III depending on the equipment provided. See CAN/ULC-S304, "Central and Monitoring Station Burglar Alarm Units," for the definition of levels of line security.

The service response time for central station systems may be specified as Level I (1 hour), Level II (2 hours) or Level III (3 hours) and the guard response time may be specified as Level I (15 minutes), Level II (20 minutes) or Level III (30 minutes). See CAN/ULC-S304 for additional information concerning these service response and guard response levels.

MONITORING STATION SYSTEMS

A monitoring station system is one in which the operations of electrical protection circuits and devices are signalled automatically to, recorded in, maintained and supervised from a monitoring station having trained operators in attendance at all times. Operators notify police headquarters to make immediate investigation of unauthorized entry or opening of protected properties from which signals are received.

Monitoring station systems may be of the dedicated-line type or multiplex type and the line security may be Level I, Level II or Level III depending on the equipment provided. See CAN/ULC-S304 for the definition of levels of line security.

The service response time for monitoring station systems may be specified as Level I (2 hours), Level II (4 hours) or Level III (8 hours). See CAN/ULC-S301, "Central and Monitoring Station Burglar Alarm Systems," for additional information concerning these service response levels.

LOCAL ALARM SYSTEMS

A local alarm system is one in which the protective circuits and devices are connected to an enclosed tamper-protected loud-sounding device attached to an outside wall of the building in which the property is situated. Disturbance of the protective devices or unauthorized entry through wired portions of the property automatically causes the sounding device to operate until it is stopped by key control in the possession of the owner, by exhaustion of the power supply, or by a timing element set for a definite period of operation.

Local burglar alarm systems for financial and high-risk commercial institutions may be connected by means of a dedicated line to a remote station facility, such as a local police station for remote registration of an alarm condition. Low-risk commercial institutions and residential systems may be connected to a remote signal-receiving station by means of a digital communicator that may provide opening and closing signals as well as alarm signals for commercial systems.

The installing company is required to respond to troubles or calls for service no later than the business day following the report of trouble by the user for financial and commercial systems and not less than two business days for residential systems. The operation of a local alarm system is under the control of the owner or others interested in the protected property. It is required, however, that certificated local systems be maintained under the care and inspection service of the installing company. Inspections are made at intervals of one year or less for financial and commercial systems and two years or less for residential systems depending on power requirements of the local alarm gong. It is the responsibility of the owner to switch the protection on and off and to report improper functioning of the systems to the installing company.

Representative burglar alarm systems are investigated to determine the suitability of design and construction, circuit arrangements, installation methods, and maintenance service, as these several items have a bearing upon reliability of operation and protection against tampering and/or compromise.

Extent of Protection — Regardless of their class or type, burglar alarm systems installed on individual properties may vary according to the extent of protection provided. The definitions covering the extent of protection available for premises, vaults and safes are given under the respective classification headings.

Property owners should consult underwriting authorities or others having jurisdiction regarding the type of system, line security level and extent of protection recommended for a given hazard or locality.