A well maintained and operating doorbell is definitely an important part of our homes. However, if the doorbell is not functioning properly or is buzzing with different types of sounds, then it's time to check if your doorbell needs doorbell repairs. Replacing or getting rid of the problems of doorbells doesn't require some great electrician skills. Majority of homeowners can carry out this task on their own provided they are guided by the right sets of tools and some safety tips.
Warning: Although your doorbell may use a very small voltage, the transformer is connected to 120V house wiring so ensure that you have cut off the main power supply and are working with all precautions. It is safest to cut off the main power supply of your home electricity.
Problems Encountered
Due to constant wear and tear of working components of the doorbell, the wires of the doorbell may become loose and the buttons may not function properly. Sometimes the power to the circuit fails and due to exposure to outside environment connection terminals may get corroded. Problems of corrosion occur in door bells that are constantly exposed to air and have been installed for years. In some cases, the transformer may not work properly and the sound of the doorbell may become noisy, buzzing or degrade in volume. Besides this any connection fault in the wires or sometimes in rainy season if water goes inside doorbell push button switches (outside the gates), they may stop working.
Repairing a Doorbell
If you are worried about 'how to fix a doorbell' problem then here are some steps that you can adopt for eliminating the problems of doorbell. Some of the basic instruments and tools that are required for repairing doorbells are as wire connectors, wire strippers, electrical contact cleaners, digital multimeter, old toothbrush/cotton swab, pliers, wire cutters and isopropyl alcohol.
Checking Doorbell Push Button
Check out the doorbell push button and remove its screws. Pull out buttons as far as your circuit allows. By loosening the screws on doorbell buttons, detach the wires. After you have detached wires, bring the ends of two wires together. In case the bell rings, you will be able to know the fault lies in buttons. Door bell switches are single pole switches and two wires can be attached under either of the screws. So if that is the problem, you can replace the old button by a new one and by connecting the two wires to terminal screws of a new button.
Check Out for Other Problems
If there is no problem in the doorbell push button, you have to check out for problems in the assembly of the doorbell, wiring and transformer. This can be done by carefully removing the cover of the doorbell. Don't be too hard while pulling the cover and ensure that the decorative cover is not spoiled. The doorbell sounding device can be checked by ensuring that the wires connected to the sound box are not loose and if they are frayed, they can be wrapped in electrical tapes.
Checking the Transformers
If sound device and push bell buttons are working properly, checking transformer that is usually mounted on junction box or the sub panel of doorbell is the next step. The bell wires are normally attached to terminal screws on transformer. Connecting the test bell wires to the lower terminals of doorbell can prove helpful if the transformer is working or not. In case the bell doesn't ring you will be required to replace the transformer.
These were the three main doorbell problems that one can generally encounter. In case you are unable to handle the doorbell repair problems on your own or if you find difficulty in checking the fault of the doorbell, don't hesitate to take help from expert electricians. At the end, your safety is more important.
