A doorbell is something that`s usually not appreciated until it`s broken. But when doorbells do become inoperative, repair or replacement is a fairly easy task.
A doorbell system is fairly simple: a front (and sometimes rear)
doorbell; a chime unit; a transformer that converts 120-volt household current to 12 or 24 volts; and small-gauge wiring that links the system together.
What makes doorbell repair and replacement an easy project for home improvers is the low voltage that drives the system. Not only does it almost eliminate the risk of shock but the small-gauge bell wiring is simple to work with.
”There`s no need for conduit and the other safety features required for standard household wiring,” says Mike Nagel, director of the Professional Remodeler`s Association of Chicago.
The only tools you`ll need for doorbell repair are a screwdriver, a pair of pliers and a flashlight. Replacement will require a few additional ones.
What follows are simple step-by-step instructions for repairing, replacing and installing doorbell systems:
Repair
1. If a doorbell system isn`t functioning, chances are the doorbell button has failed because of weather-related corrosion. Remove the doorbell button plate cover and, if you can get at them, gently clean the contact points with sandpaper or a small file.
2. If the doorbell still fails to ring, remove the mounting screws, disconnect the two sending wires and take the button off. Then touch the wires together (grasp the low-voltage wiring by its insulation) to see if the bell rings. If the chime doesn`t ring, the button is faulty and will need to be replaced.
3. If the doorbell doesn`t respond with the new button, check the chime unit to make sure it is functioning. Remove the faceplate and make sure that the sending wires are securely connected to the unit. Also, wipe away any dirt and dust with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
4. If the system still doesn`t respond, try to trace the wiring through the house for possible breaks. Make sure the wire is tightly connected to the transformer, which will be connected to an electrical junction box somewhere along the line.
If the system still fails to operate at this point, it`s probably easier and less expensive to replace the various system components than to repair them.
Replacement
1. After purchasing a new doorbell system, start by finding the existing system`s transformer and its connection to a junction box (such as an overhead light), usually in a basement or crawlspace.
Shut off the power to that junction box and remove the old transformer. Install the new transformer and, using wire connectors, join the transformer wires to the house wiring (usually black to black and white to white).
2. Connect the transformer to the existing bell wire. ”Unless it`s broken or really frail, you can use the existing bell wire that`s there,”
says Nagel. ”Because it`s low-voltage wire, it doesn`t require any of the shielding of normal household electrical wire.”
3. Finally, replace the old doorbell button and chime with the new components. Reconnect the power to the transformer/junction box and test the system. A few manufacturers will also allow you to tune the sound of the chime.
Installation
1. To install a new doorbell system on a house without one, you`ll need a few additional tools: a drill, a staple gun or a hammer and tacks, a fishtape and possibly a pry bar to remove door trim.
Start by finding a convenient junction box in the basement or crawlspace. Shut off the power to that junction box. Remove a knockout disk from the side of the box and insert the doorbell transformer wires through the hole. Connect the transformer to the box with a lock nut. Using wire connectors, join the transformer wires to the house wiring (usually black to black and white to white).
2. Depending on how many doorbells and chimes you`re hooking up to the system, you`ll need to run the low-voltage wire to the locations in your home where you plan on mounting the doorbell buttons and chimes. Gently tack down the wire with the staple gun or the tacks.
3. To run the wire to a chime mounted on a wall, you`ll need to drill a hole in the wall (behind the chime unit) and then through the floor up from the basement to get behind that wall. ”When drilling holes to run the bell wire to the button or chime, be careful not to cut through any conduit pipe, plumbing pipe or heating ducts,” Nagel warns.
You`ll then need to fish the bell wire down through the wall, into the basement and over to the transformer. This will probably require the use of the fishtape and a lot of patience.
”This will be a two-person operation, with one person running the fishtape up through the basement and to the hole in the wall, and a second person tying the bell wire to that fishtape so that it can be pulled back down,” says Nagel.
The chime should be mounted on the wall at least six feet above the floor and placed where it can be heard throughout the house.
4. Next, you`ll need to run a bell wire to the front (and maybe back)
door. ”The easiest way is to pull the door casing or interior trim off the door to gain access to the space in the jamb,” says Nagel. ”You can then drill a hole in the floor and down to the basement and fish the wire through.”
Before replacing the door trim, drill a hole through to the exterior to mount the doorbell button and connect the bell wire to it. The doorbell button should be mounted at the same height as the doorknob and about five inches from the edge of the door.
Tighten all the connections, turn the power back on and test the system.
Alternatives
There are a few alternatives to running a hardwire bell system in your home. For example, an increasingly popular choice is the wireless doorbell system, which uses radio transmissions and battery power.
”Because there is no need for any wiring (from the doorbell to the chime), the system installs in a few minutes,” says Bruce Peterson of Heath Zenith, which manufactures the Reflex wireless doorbell system.
”All you have to do is unscrew the existing doorbell button and put the new one in its place,” adds Peterson. ”You can mount the chimes to the wall with a screw or the sticky tape that is on the back of it. Then, just install the batteries.”
Similar to a smoke alarm, the batteries in the doorbell and chimes need to be replaced each year or so, Peterson says.
The wireless systems are available in one- and two-doorbell button versions.
A second alternative is the simple spring-activated doorbell that mounts on the inside and exterior of a front or back door.
Similar to a door knocker, the bells require no electricity to work.
”When you push the button, it activates a spring-mounted chime,” says Nagel.
”Installation is fairly simple in that you drill a small peephole through the door and mount the doorbell in it. These doorbells are also relatively inexpensive.”
The disadvantage of such doorbells, however, is that they are not very loud and additional chimes cannot be added to the system.
Another alternative is having a home improvement firm install a wired system. Many security companies that install alarm systems also offer elaborate doorbell systems that can include intercoms, remote doorlock openers and even video monitors to see who has come to visit.
While a simple system may cost about $200 installed, the more elaborate systems can run into the thousands of dollars.
