In the world of security, life safety, and access control systems, two terms are misconstrued: monitoring and maintenance. Both are crucial in keeping your building safe and compliant; however, they perform somewhat different functions. The more you understand the differences between the two, the better it will equip you to make informed decisions, protect your investment, and avoid unexpected downtime or costs. 

What Is a Monitoring Contract? 

A monitoring contract ensures your system is being supervised and that any alerts are responded to in real time. It connects your fire alarm, intrusion, or access control system to a central monitoring station that receives and manages signals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Monitoring contracts typically include: 

• Continuous alarm monitoring by a listed monitoring central 

• Co-ordination of immediate response in case of alarms 

• Reporting and event logging in great detail, for compliance and insurance purposes 

• Periodic communication checks to ensure the signal path of your system is turned on and functional 

In simple terms, monitoring would keep your system watched and serviced but would not involve physical inspection or repair. 

What Is a Maintenance Contract? 

A maintenance contract deals with the actual physical care and performance of the system. It ensures all devices, from card readers to cameras, to fire alarm panels and sensors, are always operable, compliant, and working accordingly. 

Maintenance contracts typically include: 

• Scheduled inspections and functional testing 

• The professional cleaning, calibration, and software or firmware update. 

• Repairs and replacement of parts when needed 

• Priority response and special service rates 

• All-inclusive service reports to record every action taken 

The reason being, maintenance keeps your systems reliable and ready to perform at any moment. It stops wear and tear before they become failures, which extends the life of your technology and life safety infrastructure. 

But… Do You Need Both?  

In many cases, the answer is yes. The two complement each other, but they serve different purposes. Monitoring makes sure that someone responds when an alarm is triggered. Maintenance ensures the system actually works when that moment comes. 

Even if another company provides your monitoring, it’s maintenance that does the work to keep your technology ready. Without routine maintenance, you put yourself at risk of getting false alarms, missed signals, and system failures-all possible compromising situations that may lead to very unsafe conditions and costly repairs or citations. 

That’s where Archis comes in: offering your facility managers, schools, and commercial clients the best in class, all-inclusive maintenance programs for access control, fire alarm, electrical, and life safety systems. Our focus is prevention, reliability, and long-term system performance. 
Final Comments 

Final Thoughts 

While monitoring and maintenance go hand in glove, maintenance is the backbone of any reliable life safety and technology system. Even the best monitoring service cannot do its job if the equipment behind it is not functioning properly. 

At Archis, we specialize in preventive and corrective maintenance programs, operating schools, healthcare facilities, government buildings, and commercial properties. Our technicians are trained to keep your systems operating safely, efficiently, and at all required standards. 

 
Contact us today to get more information about our customized maintenance programs for access control, electrical, and life safety systems. 

1-888-324-2557 

info@archistech.com