If there is a problem with the phone lines that serve your house, nearly all phone companies will solve the problem without charge.

Many phone companies offer a monthly plan for inside wire and phone jack problems--they charge a very small fee for this (normally, less than $1 per month).

If you have a fairly complex system, with old wires or several jacks, or if you don't want to hassle with trying to solve your own phone problems, such a plan is well worth the price. Call your telephone company's business office to inquire about this type of service.

Do not work on your own phone lines if you have a pacemaker.

Remove one of the handsets before working on any wiring to insure that higher ringing voltage will not shock you.

Loose connections or bad cords cause many problems. If tightening connections doesn't solve a problem, it's usually easiest to replace cords rather than try to locate breaks and repair them.