Installing a Doorbell by Yourself

A doorbell is a very important part of your home, it is used when your guests or unexpected visitors pop in to visit you. If you don't have a doorbell then you simply won't know that people are at your door. You don't need to employ anyone to fix your doorbell, it is possible to do it by yourself. This is one of the simplest and easiest electrical projects which you can do by yourself.

Installation

This is the best DIY project for a beginner to start using. The easiest form of installing a doorbell is if there isn't already one fitted. If you don't already have a doorbell then you could consider buying a wireless doorbell.

A wireless doorbell is a radio transmitter and receiver which means you don't need to use wires to connect the two units together.

There are some advantages to use wireless doorbells, including:

If you have poor hearing then you can use more than one receiver plugged into different electrical outlets around the house. This allows you to hear the bell wherever you are in the house.

These do not require any wiring and are powered by a small battery which lasts for a very long time.

Replacing a wired doorbell is quick compared to many other DIY projects, however wireless ones are even quicker than this! The longest time will be spent choosing the finish of alarm you want to use.

Replacing an existing bell

If your old bell has broken and needs replacing then you have a few options. If you don't have much time then you can simply get rid of the wires and install one of the wireless models. This is very simple and easy.

When replacing a wired doorbell then it won't normally take a very long time. Assuming of course the wire itself is not damaged. The only tools you will need are a new bell push and a screwdriver. You may also need some wire strippers.

You should really turn of the electricity when doing this. Although doorbells are low voltage and only use 12 volts it is possible to do this without turning the power off. If you have even the smallest hint that this uses higher voltage or are not sure then switch the power off.

Start by taking the old bell push off, just remove the screws and pull the switch off. Pull the wires out and throw away the old switch.

If required you should trim the wires and strip some of the insulation off them.

Connect the wires into the connection lock in the new bell push and tighten the terminals. It doesn't matter which order these are connected as it will work either way around, it's just a switch!

Fix the new switch and push the wires back through the holes so that it fits flush against the doorframe. As soon as you've switched the power back on it should already be working. All you need to do is test the switch to see if it works.

You could also change the chime unit too if wanted. You need to follow a similar procedure as this however the direction the wires are connected can make a difference and cause it to operate in reverse.

The copywriter Guy Morris is very passionate about issues related to basic hand tools. His observations on quality hand tools and woodworking hand tools can be found on his web pages.

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