Tips for Preventing False Alarms

To prevent false alarms and the fees that may apply, review the tips listed below for your Cox Homelife system.

• Understand Your System
• Keep Your System in Good Working Order
• Notify Cox of Operational Issues with Your System
• Alarm Best Practices

Understand Your System

• At installation, your Cox Homelife system is placed in a learning period for three days to allow you to become familiar with the controls and avoid false alarms as you learn how to use your system. During this learning period, there will be no emergency response to burglar alarms, but all other alarm types will be responded to according to standard operating procedures. Following the three day learning period, the system automatically connects to the Cox monitoring center for emergency response to all alarms from your system.
• Learn how to use your security system and make sure that everyone with access to your home is instructed on how to use it (including passcodes and passwords).
• You can cancel an alarm by entering a valid master keypad code on the touchscreen or keypad. If you do not enter your code before the entry delay expires, an alert is sent to the Central Monitoring Station which calls you and your designated contacts and requests your secret word.
  • Your Secret Word is used to cancel a dispatch by the Central Monitoring Station in case of a false alarm. It is always a word, and is not the same as your master code used to arm and disarm your system. Every household member should know the designated Central Station Passcode (Secret Word).
  • The Central Monitoring Station operator is not able to view your passcode; they simply type it into their console to determine if it matches it in order to cancel the alarm.
    
    Note: Make your Secret Word easy to remember, pronounce, and spell.
    
    
    
  • In the event that you do not remember your Secret Word, the Master Code can also be provided to cancel the alarm. 
• If you have pets, ensure that your system is set up so they will not trip the alarm.

Keep Your System in Good Working Order

• Keep batteries fresh. Outdated or weak batteries can cause a sensor to malfunction. When your touchscreen alerts you to a low battery, please contact us at 1-877-404-2568 for assistance.
• Test your alarm regularly and before you go out of town. Be sure to notify Cox’s Central Monitoring Station before beginning a test. Call 1-855-261-2501.
• Notify Cox Homelife technical support if you suspect the system is not working properly.
• Schedule an annual service inspection to keep your system maintained properly. Subscribers to the Equipment Service Plan receive complete system service and maintenance, and save 50% on their annual service inspections. Battery replacement costs are extra.

Notify Cox of Operational Issues with Your System

• Notify us of any changes to your household. This includes name changes, family members, or new pets.
• Ensure that Cox Homelife has up-to-date emergency dispatch contact information. You can update your contacts by logging into https://portal.coxhomelife.com and selecting the More;menu, Contacts, then Call Before Police in Emergency.
• Notify Cox Homelife if you plan to install anything or perform any home renovations near the location of the alarm control panel or any installed components.

Alarm Best Practices

• Have others leave the house before arming the system from within.
• Check to make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked before arming the system.
• Ensure moving items such as balloons, curtains, decorations, and pets are not placed in the path of motion detectors.
• After disarming the system, confirm that the alarm is turned off (indicated by a green disarmed status on the touchscreen or in the Cox Homelife App on your smartphone).
• If the alarm sounds, always make sure to speak to someone from the Cox Homelife monitoring station immediately. Wait by the phone designated as your first emergency dispatch contact, or call 1-855-261-2501 and have your Central Station Passcode (Secret Word) ready.