Intercoms near you

Wired intercoms connect stations with low-voltage cable, whether a simple pair of wires in many current systems or network cable for models that work over a home network. They're dependable, don't depend on Wi-Fi and are powered centrally, but running new cable through a finished house takes time and a few patches. Many older homes and buildings already have intercom wiring in the walls that a newer system can reuse, which makes an upgrade much simpler.

Wireless and Wi-Fi intercoms go in quickly and suit renovations, rentals or a detached garage where cable is hard to run. They need a strong signal at each station, and battery-powered stations need charging. Network intercoms that ring your phone anywhere bring the same account care as any connected device: Get Cyber Safe recommends changing default passwords, turning on two-factor authentication and keeping software updated.

In a multi-unit building, the lobby entry panel and the wiring to each unit belong to the building owner or the condo corporation, which chooses the system, maintains it and manages resident listings and codes. If your handset stops working or you'd like video, report it to the property manager or the board rather than opening the station yourself; changes to shared wiring can affect other units.

Residents can sometimes add a device on their side of the door, such as an adapter that forwards the building's buzzer call to a phone, but only with the board's or landlord's approval, since some adapters connect to the unit's intercom wiring and others point a camera at a shared hallway. Some buildings are moving to entry panels that call residents' phones directly; ask how your number and any lobby video are stored, and who can see them.

An intercom can make a home much easier to live in for someone who can't get to the door quickly. Seeing and speaking to a visitor from a bed, a chair or another floor, then releasing the door, saves a rushed trip down the stairs, and room-to-room stations let a person call for help without raising their voice.

For people who are hard of hearing, look for stations with a light that flashes on a call and video that lets them see who's speaking; for low vision, choose large tactile buttons and clear, adjustable audio. Hands-free answering helps anyone with limited hand strength. Mount indoor stations where they can be reached from a seated position, and in a building, ask management whether the lobby panel offers accessible features.

Pairing an intercom with a door release lets you see a visitor, talk, then open the door from the indoor screen or your phone, handy for letting in a relative, a caregiver or a courier while you're away. Some intercoms trigger an electric strike or a lock directly through a relay; others work with a smart lock through a hub or an app, so confirm compatibility before buying either device.

Treat each remote unlock as a conscious decision. Choose a system that asks for confirmation, keeps a log of when the door was opened, and lets you hand out temporary access instead of sharing a permanent code. The smart locks page covers choosing the lock itself, its batteries and its access codes.

Most intercom stations run on low voltage, supplied by a power adapter or over the network cable itself, and the cable between stations is part of the installer's job. Where there's no outlet near the power supply, or where a door release, gate operator or panel needs a new line-voltage circuit, the work goes to a licensed electrician: a Licensed Electrical Contractor in Ontario, or a master electrician who is a CMEQ member in Quebec.

Door release hardware needs care as well. An electric strike replaces the strike plate in the door frame and needs a frame that can accept it, while a magnetic lock holds the door only while it has power, and anything that could stop people from getting out in an emergency needs a careful design. Have a qualified locksmith or access control installer handle it, and choose outdoor stations built for rain, snow and cold, mounted under cover where possible.

Many houses built decades ago came with a built-in intercom, sometimes with a master station in the kitchen, a radio and speakers in each room. Replacement parts are often hard to find, and aging stations can hum, crackle or stop working altogether. The cable in the walls, though, is often worth keeping: some current systems are designed to run over existing intercom wiring, which avoids opening walls. The installer tests the old cable and decides whether to reuse it, replace some runs or switch to wireless stations, and closes any unused wall openings neatly.