It's easy to take care of most phone problems. If the phone in one room has gone dead, the problem was probably caused by the wiring or the phone itself--but it might have been caused by phone accessories. Begin checking the phone by unplugging all the answering machines, computers and caller-ID boxes from the phone system and connecting the phone directly to the wall jack. If you still hear no dial tone, the problem lies in the phone, the jack or the line. Try testing the phone at a working jack. If you still hear no dial tone, the problem is in the phone. Before you begin checking the phone, test a working phone in the jack where the problem phone was connected. If that phone works, continue checking the problem phone at that jack. First, test the phone cable by using the cable from the working phone. If the phone still doesn't work, check the handset cord (figure A). Replace the handset cord on the problem phone with the one from the working phone. If the phone now works, you know where the problem lies. Otherwise, there are a few more things you can check. Check the connections on older phones by unscrewing the ear piece (figure B ) and tipping the receiver out. Check the connections of the wires, and clean out any dirt and debris. Reassemble the ear piece, and unscrew the mouthpiece to remove the microphone. Use an emery board to clean any dirt and debris from the microphone (figure C), and bend the terminals upward in the handset if it looks as though they may not be making good connections. If the problem still isn't resolved, take off the back plate by removing the screws (figure D). Check the wall jack (figure E) and handset jack for loose wires, and use a magnifying glass to examine the internal wiring for breaks and loose wires (figure F). Another potential problem area is the flash hook, which can get stuck if the spring (figure G) breaks. If the spring is broken, replace it.
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