Most houses have a door bell chime. There are a variety of door bell chimes available from antique-look and musical ones to the latest video door bells. The sounds that they make are as varied as the ring tones we put in our cell phones. Now it is possible to see who is at the door with video door bells. When installing a door chime, install it in a place where it will be heard throughout the house. Door bells are simple to set up and need little maintenance. There are many shapes, styles and designs to choose from. Some even have lights.
There is a door bell chime available that involves no wires and no more electricity than that of a small battery. The button unit of this wireless door bell chime usually requires a battery, but most indoor chime units can now be plugged into an electrical outlet so you won't have to change batteries. Screws for the doorbell relay and just enough screws for the bell controls are required in order to put the switch in place. It is up to you to decide on a convenient place to put the wireless chimes. Some wireless door bells have features such as lights, songs and tones.
If you're wondering where to place the chime, it is more advisable to put the voltage regulator for the doorbell in the cellar near an electrical circuit breaker. Some houses do not have basements, if that is the case then it is more suitable to put the door bell voltage regulator in a closet or in any place where it will be out of sight. When you cable the chime into your basement transformer you have to make a hole in certain areas-in the outer wall of the entrance for affixing the cable to the button; in the place where the doorbell is installed, and lastly, in the cellar floor straight under the wall to keep the chime cable hidden.
Replacing a door bell chime is as easy as its installation. Here are the basic steps in replacing your door bell chime.
- Take out the old switch by removing the screws and set them aside for possible re-use.
- Disengage and make sure that the wires cannot slide back while you discard the old switch.
- Take out the damaged termination ends and trim the wires to equal lengths.
- After trimming the wires to their proper length, connect them to the screw terminals on the new switch. Make sure that the screws are secured in place.
- Install the new switch of your new door bell chime.
- Turn the power back on, and test the new chime.
Installing and replacing your door bell chime is really not complicated. with some of the new door bells on the market, you can enjoy a range of musical tones, know when guests have arrived, and screen your door for unexpected visitors or strangers.
