An intercom is the best way to deal with visitors. Someone presses the button at the gate, you see or hear who it is, and you decide whether to let them in – without walking down the drive.
Types of gate intercom
Audio intercoms. Talk to the visitor through a handset or speaker in the house. Simple and affordable.
Video intercoms. See the visitor on a screen in the house before you answer. My usual recommendation – being able to see who's there makes a real difference.
Smartphone (Wi-Fi or app) intercoms. The call comes through to your phone, so you can see and speak to visitors and open the gate wherever you are. Great for deliveries.
GSM intercoms. These use a mobile SIM to ring your phone. Useful where there's no Wi-Fi at the gate or for longer distances, and common on commercial and farm gates.
Electric Gate Intercoms for Carlisle Homes
A gate intercom lets visitors call the house from the gate, and lets you speak to them and open the gate without going outside. Audio intercoms are simple and reliable, video intercoms let you see who's there, and GSM or 4G intercoms call your mobile wherever you are.
Which one suits you depends on how far the gate is from the house, whether there's a cable route, and whether you want to answer the gate when you're away from home.
Choosing an Automatic Gate Intercom in Cumbria
On long rural drives across Cumbria, running a cable can be difficult, so a GSM or wireless intercom is often the better option. For houses closer to the gate, a wired video intercom gives a clear picture and a reliable connection.
We fit intercoms with new automatic gates or add them to existing ones, and set them up to work with your motors and access control. Intercoms and access control typically cost £500 – £1,800.
Wired or wireless?
- Wired intercoms are the most reliable and are best fitted when cables can go in the same trench as the gate's power cable.
- Wireless and GSM systems save digging where running a cable isn't practical, but depend on a good signal.
If you're having new gates fitted, I always suggest laying a spare duct to the gate – it makes adding or upgrading an intercom later much easier.
Features worth having
- a camera that copes with low light and our rain
- a keypad built into the panel, for regular visitors
- multiple indoor screens or app access for everyone in the house
- a record of who called while you were out
Cameras and privacy
If an intercom camera captures the street or next door, you need to use it in line with UK GDPR. The ICO has clear guidance for homeowners.
Intercom not working?
I also repair and upgrade gate intercoms. See gate intercom problems.
Call or WhatsApp Adrian on 07854 037752.
Questions people ask me
Can I answer the gate intercom on my phone?
Yes, with a smartphone or GSM intercom.
Can an intercom be added to my existing gates?
Normally, yes, if the control board can take it. I'll check.
Do I need Wi-Fi at the gate?
Not for a wired or GSM intercom. App-based systems need a good Wi-Fi signal, or a wired network link, at the gate.