The key or intercom in the apartment does not work: what to do and where to turn?

Today, most high-rise buildings, many offices and private homes have an intercom installed.

This device controls access to the premises and allows the owner to open the door at the entrance while remaining in his apartment.

The intercom is installed by special services. Sometimes the device fails. Where to go if the intercom does not work?

Access intercoms: design features

An entrance intercom is not a separate device, but a complex system consisting of several components. Its main parts are:

External unit – designed for outdoor use. It is also called a call block.
Subscriber block. Tube located in the apartment.
CPU.
Control block.
Two power supplies - main and backup.
Lines of communication.
Electronic lock.
Door leaf (usually installed together with an intercom).
Door closers (so that the door closes smoothly and silently).

The external unit contains: a dialing keyboard, a call button, a microphone, an electronic indicator, a speaker and a key reader.

Any part of this system can fail. And if the intercom in the apartment does not work, where to turn? In Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk and other cities of the country, if any part of the intercom system breaks down, you should call the service company.

The organization will fix some faults free of charge, as part of the warranty. For others you will have to pay. Let's look at the most common situations.

Device

Intercom models can be divided into 3 main types :

digital (Metacom, Marshall, etc.);
coordinate (Visit, Digital);
video intercoms (mainly for private homes and offices).

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For digital intercoms, the signal is transmitted via a 2-wire line , and jumpers on the handset are used to determine the apartment number.

Coordinate intercoms use a special switch that connects the call unit and the subscriber control element.

Video intercoms have the most complex design, which is why they fail faster.

Problems with the power supply

Situations arise when the entire system fails. In this case, the electronic display does not light up, the locking device does not work, there is no audio communication, the door is actually open. This set of faults indicates that there is a problem with the power supply.

Most often this happens because the fuses have blown. There is no need to change them yourself. You need to contact your service company, and they will restore the power supply to working condition under warranty.

Repair cost

If you need to adjust the closer, you need to pay for the service in the amount of 700 rubles. If the handset installed in the subscriber's apartment breaks down, it will need to be replaced. This service costs about 900 rubles. If you replace the system or its elements, the total cost of repairs can be about 1200 rubles. If necessary, replace buttons, locks or other elements, the price will be about 1,500 rubles. At the same time, trusted companies provide an appropriate guarantee for the work performed.

Keyboard failure

For entrance intercoms, the keyboard is located outside. And although it is protected by a small visor, it is not enough to completely protect the panel from adverse weather conditions. The keyboard suffers most from high humidity and precipitation - an oxide film appears on the buttons, moisture penetrates inside and oxidizes the contacts, causing them to stop working. And this is why the intercom in the apartment does not work. Where to turn in such a situation?

As a rule, such a malfunction appears after prolonged use of the device. And quite often the keyboard is replaced free of charge - as part of warranty service. However, if the entire outdoor unit is broken, there will usually be a fee to install it.

The terms of warranty service can be found in the contract concluded with the service company. All warranty and non-warranty cases must be specified there.

How to diagnose and identify a breakdown of the intercom

Something as simple as inspecting the contacts and wires of your apartment intercom can solve the problem. The case can be easily disassembled - to do this, unscrew 2-4 bolts.

If there is no response to pressing the buttons on the magnetic key applied to the reader, it is necessary to analyze the power supply. The described measure is especially relevant when there have previously been short failures: somewhere there was a short circuit, a weakening of the core or contact, which progressed over time.

Checking the tube if there is access to the shield

The switch wire and itself are one of the most sensitive areas. If there is access, inspect it and the terminals, check for open circuits and short circuits. A simple diagnostic method: a working tube is connected there to the line with a short wire. If there is voltage, the handset will make a characteristic click, like when you press the door unlock button. If there is no contact, there is no sound or it is very weak. If the handset works, you need to look for a break or short circuit in the segment from the panel to the apartment.

In more detail, how to check the wire of the intercom handset to the panel (switching unit):

Disconnect the handset from the intercom, twist the two wires going to it.
In the junction box, disconnect the second end of the wire. Check it with a multimeter (“continuity test”).
To clarify the location of the break, strip the insulation, connect the wires in different places and close the ends of the line connected to the junction box, making sure that the rest of the line is intact. Using this method we will find the exact location of the break.

Checking with a multimeter

The consequence of incorrect switching or damaged connections is interruptions in communication between the external unit on the door and the subscriber's intercom. Reasons: short circuit of the bus to the panel body, incorrect connection of the tube in the switch to the “ones” and “tens” terminals. The repair will consist of replacing the specified unit, finding breakdown points, replacing wires, and correctly changing their position.

If the system is coordinated, on the switch a tester (the function of an ohmmeter for measuring resistance) analyzes the buses “E”, “D” (responsible for “units”, “tens”).

Each switch pair is analyzed for each subscriber unit. Multimeter readings:

the standard resistance of a working device is 600–800 Ohms in one direction, in the other (swap the probes) - tends to infinity (there is no finite value);
if the tester shows 1200–1300 Ohms, it means there is a break or a faulty tube;
0–260 Ohm - short circuit.

Repair consists of changing the polarity, replacing the wire, inspecting, and re-soldering the contacts.

The tube (for example, model KL-2) should have a resistance of about 140 Ohms, and the speaker should have a resistance of 40 Ohms. The line voltage is usually from 1.5 to 2 V. If the intercom displays the message “lin”, you can check the line yourself. You need to unscrew part of the tube holder, measure the readings in dial mode if the voltage is zero or 0.03; 0.4; 0.6 - line is faulty.

The key doesn't work

A fairly common occurrence of a malfunction is key failure. The reader simply does not respond to the “tablet”, and it becomes impossible to get home.

This can happen for two reasons. The first is if one key is faulty. And therefore, the defect is in this device. It should either be cleaned of the oxide film (with fine-grained sanding paper), or a new one should be ordered at your own expense.

If all devices do not work, then you need to call a technician, since the problem is in the reader. Such a malfunction is usually covered by warranty and is fixed free of charge.

Legality of replacing an intercom

The intercom at the entrance to the entrance is part of the common property of the apartment building.

Payment and maintenance of the intercom is controlled by the following regulatory documents :

Housing Code of the Russian Federation;
Government Decree No. 491 “Rules for the maintenance of common property in apartment buildings” ;

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Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 “On the provision of communal services” ;
Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights” No. 2300-1;
Government Decree No. 170 “On approval of rules and standards for the technical operation of housing stock.”

To replace an old intercom with a modernized version, the consent of 2/3 of the residents of the apartment building is required, otherwise the replacement actions cannot be legal.

If the required majority is not present, the old intercom continues to function.

If a positive decision is made to replace the intercom, you need to discuss the terms of the replacement in advance, in particular regarding the provision of keys and the need to pay a subscription fee.

Audio communication

Quite often a situation arises when the audio connection is faulty and the intercom in the apartment does not work. Where to go in this case?

There are several types of audio system malfunction:

The speaker and receiver do not work;
the guest is not heard in the apartment;
the guest does not hear a response from the hosts;
There is two-way audio, but the signal is weak and noisy.

If communication with all the handsets in the entrance does not work through the speaker, then the defect is in it or in the switching wires (broken connection). If the problem is isolated, then the problem is in the subscriber handset.

In any case, a call to the master is required. But if repairs to the speaker or wires are most often carried out free of charge, then replacement of the handset is at the expense of the subscriber.

What if the handset doesn't work?

A broken intercom tube can be easily fixed by yourself. Before you start repairing, arm yourself with the necessary tools (screwdriver, knife, pliers or any other “helpers”).

Practical tips for troubleshooting a broken intercom handset:

Retraction of the tongue . When the tongue gets stuck, the intercom rings constantly, you pick up the phone, but it keeps beeping, so the door won’t open. This tongue is located on the front panel, in the place where the button responsible for opening the door and the toggle switch for turning on and off the intercom are located. The tongue is connected to the panel using a bracket, which sooner or later weakens, because of this, disturbances occur in the operation of the intercom. The bracket that holds the tongue in the desired condition is made of plastic, so in order to eliminate the malfunction, it must be melted with a soldering iron and securely fastened.
The button responsible for opening the door does not work the first time , you have to press more than once, or even twice. This means that the problem is in the microswitch (it is he who is responsible for this work), it is located under the button.

If you hear a crackling sound in the speaker when you press a button, then this part cannot be repaired; the best solution would be to buy a new microswitch.

Broken wire inside the tube . First you need to disassemble the intercom handset. After the tube has been disassembled, it is necessary to unsolder the problematic ends, trim them carefully, clean them and solder everything back in place.

Sometimes there are situations in which it is difficult to determine the exact malfunction. In this case, it is best to contact a professional.

Find out how to independently repair the Visit intercom handset that has stopped opening the door from the video:

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Handset problems

If the intercom in your apartment does not work, you can either repair it yourself or call a technician. Do I have to pay to fix the problem?

The subscription service agreement must specify the warranty period for the device. Within this time interval, replacement or repair is carried out free of charge.

If the warranty period is not specified, then you should still contact your service company or the manufacturer. As a rule, for such devices the warranty period ranges from 3 to 5 years.

Who should repair and pay for intercom repairs in 2020?

If you have lost or broken the key to the intercom, then you pay for the order and production of duplicates yourself.

If the handset or the intercom itself breaks down, a call to a technician is usually included in the monthly subscription fee for using the intercom, and repairs to the device are carried out at the expense of the service company.

Note! To replace the intercom, you need the consent of at least 60% of the residents of the house. Otherwise, replacing the device is out of the question.

An intercom is good home protection if the device works properly . If there is a problem with the intercom, contact the housing company or call a specialist.

How to find phone numbers and addresses

Residents often ask the question: “The intercom in the apartment does not work - where to turn?” In Moscow, you can repair your device for free if you call specialists from a service company. You should do the same in other cities, and you won’t have to pay if the breakdown falls under warranty.

But how to find the phone number or address of your service company? After all, apartments are often purchased in buildings that already have intercoms.

And if the intercom in the apartment does not work, where to turn? In Kazan, Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities, you should call the housing office or the chairman of the HOA. Often it is the management company that enters into an agreement with the company that services the intercoms, and they will act as intermediaries to call specialists or provide a contact phone number.

The second option is to look at the information on the device itself. Near the electronic display there is often a sign indicating the name of the organization and a contact number. If only the name is indicated, then the phone can be searched on the Internet.

There is a third option to find information about the service company when the intercom in the apartment does not work. Where to go (St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan, Novosibirsk or any other locality) can be found in the payment for the device. The intercom bill is not included in the total payments for the apartment. When paying for subscription services, a receipt is issued and all contact information is indicated on it.

What to do if the key magnet is broken?

Among the varieties of intercom keys, the following stand out :

Dallas is the most common and easily programmable, which allows you to make a duplicate without any problems;

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Cyfral – has good protection against cloning, and therefore making a new key will be quite expensive;
Metakom - given the simplicity of the manufacturing process, it is not easy to find a key blank;
RFID – features an easily readable code that can be easily transferred to a new workpiece.

As a last resort, you can resort to secret codes (hacking) that are available on the Internet.

The lock won't open

In some cases, equipment owners note that their intercom key does not work. This item may need to be replaced. However, you should also check whether the lock is magnetized. In some cases, even when the chain is broken, a small charge remains on the surface. He does not allow the door to be opened. In some cases, the user may think that it is the key that has failed.

This is easy to check if there is another device for removing the lock. Two or three keys cannot fail to work at the same time. In this case, you will need to turn off the power supply to the device. In this case, the lock will be completely demagnetized and open.

To solve this problem, you will need to place a small strip of tape on the metal plate of the door. This situation occurs due to improper operation of the system. A failure in this case can be caused by the power supply, controller, or lock. Finding the cause can be difficult without professional help. Therefore, the tape method is simple and effective.