DIY: How to Install a Home Intercom System

A home intercom system may seem like a frivolous and extraneous endeavor, but those living in larger homes, or those who have quieter voices, can certainly benefit. Living in the top floor of a three story home, I appreciated the fact that every time I wished to contact someone on the first floor, I did not have to run all the way downstairs. The set up for the intercom was quite simple, and, in recent years, new technology has made it even easier to set up a home intercom system.

First, you must purchase the actual home intercom system. There are a variety of options on the market, with a huge span in terms of cost and effectiveness. What system you purchase will depend on your needs. If you have a smaller home and would like to aid someone in your family who is handicapped, a wired system may prove useful. If you're trying to circumvent the need to yell or run up and down stairs in a larger home, you almost certainly need a wireless system. Although our goal had been to set up a system for a larger home, we stayed with the more cost effective and, at that time, only available option, of a wired system. For the purposes of this article, this is what I will describe, as a wireless home intercom system is quite simple to set up. The only trick is to assure proper placement, which can be determined based on your home layout.

After purchasing the system, place the main unit in a centralized location. Keep in mind that this is the unit that takes all incoming messages from all other units and, particularly for the less expensive units, will not stop receiving. Therefore, anything that occurs within "hearing" range of the receiver units will be transmitted to this main unit. If this is not desirable, please check the packaging before purchase to assure that yours either does not have this feature or it can be disabled. For our home, this feature was disabled and the unit placed in the kitchen, which happened to have a built in desk perfect for placement.