Should we Keep This?
I need help from my readers!
We purchased our home 4 years ago and it still has the original intercom system throughout the house (1978). However, we never use it!
We thought it was fun and exciting at first, and my husband would turn classical music on in the mornings to wake up the kids! Â But the novelty wore off.
I’d love to hear from you, your opinion regarding whether we should upgrade the master panel or just take it out?
Taking it out means eventually having to remove the speakers in each room. Thanks for your help and tips!
(I wonder what Marni would do? Winner to her House Always Wins book is … Kim from What’s Up Bird?)
I agree with Chele. Unless you are determined to start a new music routine, take it out. Spending money on something you don't use doesn't make sense. UNLESS you think upgrading it might be a selling point if you every see moving in your future. That would also save the removal/repair costs of the speakers…
I'd definitely upgrade it.
I vote to take it out! Why spend money on a new system if you don't use it anyway!
I think I would up-grade it. Since the wiring is already there. How nice to be able to have music floating through the house.
We had one of those systems in our house when I was a teen. You'd think they'd get used more – the kids would love it, etc. The truth is, they feel like a major invasion of privacy. We played with ours a bit and then the boxes just became ugly eyesores. If you use it, upgrade. If you don't, take it out or cover the boxes with something purty.
We have a cordless phone system with intercom and we use it every night when I call everyone to dinner. Also I think yours would be good for safety, if heaven forbid, there was a fire or something.
Wow I've never seen anything like this before, how cool. So is it like a typical 80s American thing or something. Does it have a microphone?
How much fun would that be no yelling up the stairs that it's dinner time or time to get up! Also fun for tricking guests and kids at Halloween, unless they know about it – haha evil sense of humour I would totally make ghost noises! This would be so much fun for kids to play with.
I want one but think it sounds expensive to install a whole new one. I think the novelty would wear off too like it has in your house.
I would not upgrade if you are not going to use it. However, having the wires and spaces for an intercom system adds value to the house. I would not pull it all out either. We have a system in each room that is dated. We have either left the intercom in, or as we have painted and updated each room, we pulled the unit, left the space and wires, and hung a picture in front.
We have a large house and I would LOVE to have speakers so I wouldn't have to run up and down to flights of stairs!!! Or worse yell! However, if you don't use it anymore get rid of it. If you do it could use a little upgrade. :-) Good Luck!
We have one of those too. It died right after we purchased the house (note the "after"). So now we have to decide what to do too. What will you do with the speaker holes in each room?
We have something similar (from early 80's). It even has a tuner to play music from cassette tapes (although the player has long since been removed). It took me a while to figure out how it works…it's an intercom system too – and we love it.
I checked into upgrading as well, but of course they all said we would have to completely re-wire and have new speakers,so not really any cost savings. Now I like that it's "vintage". I was able to paint over the speaksers that had turned yellow with age, and I think the unit looks great (ours is in the kitchen).
I vote to keep it, and use it.
If you think you would use it if it were upgraded, then I would def. upgrade. However, if it's just gonna be an eyesore forever and never get used, take it out, fix the speaker holes and let it go! :)
depends on the life one leads, some households fidn them useful…
keep me posted if you upgrade and where you got one!
keep it! my friend had one as a child and we loved playing with it!
I bought some intercoms at radio shack when I had my hysterectomy last year because I needed a way to "yell" for my hubby or kids if I needed anything while laying in bed for weeks.
We live in a 3 story home and we constantly are using ours to tell the kids to get to bed, get us something, or tell them someone is on the phone for them, etc.
Wish I had the real deal like you though!
We have almost the exact same intercom system, we built this house in 1983! We do use it even though our kids are grown and gone. Not as much as we used to though. I would upgrade if I were you so you can have music when you want it. Let us know your decision!
I would upgrade, it would cut down on the screeming to the kids to take the trash out, turn the music down, come and eat and on and on……
I lilke Linda T's idea…we had one in the house we raised the kids in and it was great for getting my screeching voice up to the third floor. We built another house and put one in but it was a big waste because most of the kids were grown. We are building again and I am not putting one in, but I am having Hubby wire for speakers in a couple of rooms so that we can have music at parties and out on the porch…so Linda's idea would give you that and the wiring is already there. Enjoy!
What purpose does it serve now? What purpose would it serve if you upgraded it? How would the two differ? Just some questions to hopefully help you think it through…
Replace the panel with a panel that enables you to plug in your iPod and play music throughout your home… Christmas music, classical… music for the teens when they have a gathering.
You won't have the hassle of removing the speakers… but you can update the system with the latest in technology and make it work for your family,
My husband actually did something similar to our home. We've really enjoyed it.
Maybe if it were upgraded you would use it more. If you think you would then I would upgrade it because that is just cool. But if not then rip that sucker out!
Hugs.
Kim
I agree.If you don't use it take it out.But I would LOVE music throughout my home. Can you make using it a new habit??
I would upgrade, since you already have the speakers and wiring there, how cool is it that you can play music throughout the house!
Don't use..take it out!
It does look fun though…I am surprised your kids aren't all over that!
sandy toe
If you don't really use it–take it out.
When I was a kid, I would have killed for a house with one of those rich people speaker things!