DCS Customer Service
Already have a system from us? Here's what to do about the beeping, the false alarm, the call list, and the move — and what to have ready when you phone.
If your alarm is going off right now, call (813) 949-6500 and have your passcode ready. Monitoring is staffed 24/7 — everything else on this page is for normal business hours.
What People Call About
The panel is beeping and won't stop
Almost always a low battery — either the panel's backup battery, which lasts a few years, or a wireless sensor's cell. The keypad will usually name the zone. It is not an emergency and the system still works, but it will keep beeping until the battery is replaced, and a panel battery that has failed means the next power outage takes the system with it.
AC loss after a storm
The panel is telling you it lost building power and is running on battery. If the power is back and the message hasn't cleared, check that the transformer is still seated in its outlet and that nothing tripped the breaker it's on — a surprising share of these are an outlet someone unplugged for a vacuum or a holiday decoration.
Change who we call
New phone number, a divorce, a college kid moving out, a neighbor who no longer wants to be on the list. Call the office — call-list changes are verified against the account, which is exactly why we can't take them by email from an address we can't confirm.
Add or remove a user code
Cleaners, dog walkers, contractors, and former employees. Give each person their own code rather than sharing one: individual codes can be deleted without disrupting anyone else, and the reporting tells you which code disarmed the system.
You're moving
Two separate questions — what happens to the system at the old address, and what you need at the new one. Both are worth a phone call before closing, because a system left armed and reporting to your account after you've moved out generates alarms you'll be called about.
Something isn't working
A zone that won't clear, a sensor that fell off a door, a keypad that has gone dark, a camera that stopped recording. Service calls are scheduled during office hours; describing the symptom precisely on the phone frequently determines what the technician brings.
Cancelling a False Alarm
In order, because the order matters — the passcode is what actually cancels it.
- 01
Call the office number and have your passcode ready — that is what cancels the alarm.
- 02
Say clearly that it is a false alarm and give the passcode when asked. Disarming the panel alone does not always stop the signal that has already gone out.
- 03
If police have already been dispatched, tell us — we can notify them, but only if we know.
- 04
Then figure out why: a door that didn't latch, a pet under the motion, a balloon or a ceiling fan on a warm draft, or a sensor coming loose. Repeat false alarms on one zone are worth a service call rather than a workaround.
Have This Ready When You Call
- The service address on the account — not necessarily your mailing address.
- The name the account is under, which on older accounts may be a previous owner or a spouse.
- Your passcode, for anything involving alarms or account changes.
- What the keypad says, word for word. “Trouble zone 14” is a diagnosis; “it's beeping” is a guess.
- When it started, and whether it followed a storm, an outage, or a battery change.
Trying to arm from your phone instead? See app and remote access.
Customer Service Questions
How do I reach DCS customer service?
+
Call (813) 949-6500 during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, for service calls, account changes, scheduling, and billing. Alarm monitoring is staffed 24/7 separately, so an actual alarm at 3am is always handled — but account and service functions happen during business hours.
Why is my alarm panel beeping?
+
The most common cause by far is a low battery — either the panel's backup battery or a battery in a wireless sensor — and the keypad usually names the affected zone. The second most common is an AC power loss, typical after a storm. Neither disables the system immediately, but both should be resolved: a dead backup battery means the next outage takes the whole system down with it.
How do I cancel a false alarm?
+
Call the office and give your passcode. That is the step that cancels it — simply disarming the panel does not always stop a signal that has already transmitted. If a dispatch has already gone out, tell us so we can notify responders. Florida municipalities commonly charge for false-alarm dispatches, so cancelling quickly has a direct cost.
How do I add or change the people you call?
+
Call the office. Because a call list controls who can cancel an alarm on your behalf, changes are verified against the account rather than accepted by email. It takes a couple of minutes on the phone, and it is worth reviewing the list once a year — most out-of-date call lists are discovered during an actual alarm.
What happens to my system if I move?
+
Call before closing. Two things need handling: the system at the property you are leaving, so it stops reporting alarms to your account after you no longer live there, and whatever you need at the new address — which may be a new install, or a takeover of a system already in the house. Both are simpler arranged in advance than sorted out afterward.
Can DCS service a system another company installed?
+
Frequently, yes. Plenty of homes in Tampa Bay have serviceable panels and sensors from companies that no longer operate here. If the equipment is industry-standard rather than proprietary, service and monitoring takeover are usually both possible and considerably cheaper than a full replacement.
Do I need to be home for a service call?
+
For anything involving the panel, sensors, or interior wiring, yes — someone eighteen or older who can grant access and knows the system's code. Exterior-only work, like a camera on a soffit, can sometimes be done without you there. Ask when scheduling so nobody loses a day.
More on DCS
DCS Security Systems
What a DCS alarm system includes, how an install actually runs, and what the equipment does.
DCS Alarm Monitoring
The in-house monitoring center in Lutz — what happens in the first ninety seconds after a signal.
DCS Camera Systems
CCTV and IP cameras, recording and retention, remote viewing, and video verification of alarms.
DCS Commercial Security
Business alarm systems, access control, gates, and community security for HOAs and CDDs.
DCS Phone Number & Office
Phone, email, address, hours, and which number to call for a new quote versus an existing system.
DCS App & Remote Access
Arming from your phone, finding which app your panel uses, and what to do when a login fails.
Is DCS Legitimate?
How to verify any Florida alarm company — license lookup, physical address, and who answers the alarm.
What Does DCS Stand For?
The name, where it comes from, and the many unrelated things also called DCS.
Still Stuck? Call the Office.
Most of these are a five-minute phone call. Some are a service visit — we'll tell you honestly which one you have.