How to Fix a Doorbell

1. Check Doorbell Button

   If the doorbell button isn't working properly, it cannot complete the electrical circuit and cause the bell to ring. A simple way to test if the button is mechanically working is to temporarily bypass it by removing it.

   1. Use a manual Phillips or flathead screwdriver to turn out the screws holding the doorbell housing to the house exterior.
   2. Pull the doorbell and the wire out a few inches.
   3. Disconnect the two wires from the doorbell button by turning the screws counter-clockwise.
   4. Fold a large piece of electrical tape over the wire to prevent it from falling back into the wall once the button is detached.
   5. Touch the bare ends of the two wires to each other. If the chimes ring, the doorbell button is faulty and should be replaced.
   6. If the chimes do not ring, reattach the doorbell wire but do not attach the button to the house.

2. Check Doorbell Wire

   The thin, 20- or 18-gauge bell wire leading away from the doorbell button may have become damaged or severed between the button and the wire's two end-points inside the house: the transformer and the doorbell base (chimes).

   1. With the doorbell button still detached from the house, grasp the wire and gently pull the button as far from the house as you can. Apply light pressure only. If the wire is detached nearby within the wall, the entire wire will easily slide out, indicating that it has been severed.
   2. Locate the transformer. The doorbell wires should be firmly attached to the terminals. They should be curled clockwise under the terminal screws. If they are loose, remove and reattach them.
   3. Often, the final few feet of doorbell wire will be exposed as it leads up to the terminal. Check the exposed wire for breaks or nicks. Replace damaged wire by splicing in a doorbell wire of the same gauge.
      

   Tip

   The doorbell transformer will be located indoors. It may be in the garage, utility room, pantry, hallway, closet, under stairs, crawl space, or in the attic. It will be a silver or gold colored box about 2-1/2 inches square. (Note: some homes will have a 2-3 gang electrical box behind the doorbell chime which houses the transformer.)

3. Check Doorbell Transformer

   Being a solid-state device, the transformer itself rarely will fail. But its connections may have failed or it may have become damaged or dislodged from the electrical box.

   1. Use the low-voltage tester to test whether the transformer is receiving and transmitting power. Touch the two test leads to the two terminals on the transformer. The tester should signal that the unit has power.
   2. If the unit has no power, check the electric service panel to make sure that the circuit breaker is flipped on.
   3. If there is still no power, turn off the power at the circuit breaker and install a new doorbell transformer.

   Warning

   Test only the terminals on the outside of the transformer. Do not open the electrical box and test inside.

4. Check Doorbell Base

   1. Remove the doorbell base cover.
   2. Touch the leads of the low-voltage tester to the two or three terminals on the doorbell base as an assistant pushes the doorbell button. If the tester indicates power, then the chimes might be stuck or need cleaning.
   3. Tap the chimes with your finger to loosen them if they are stuck.
   4. If the chimes are dirty or have cobwebs or other debris, they should be cleaned. Turn off the power to the doorbell system at the service panel. Carefully vacuum the chimes with a soft brush attachment.
   5. If the chimes need more cleaning, wipe them off with a cotton or microfiber cloth and isopropyl alcohol.

When to Call a Professional

Unless you are experienced at electrical repairs, you may want to call a qualified, licensed electrician if:

• The transformer needs replacing
• The doorbell wire within the walls or ceiling is severed and a new wire needs to be fished through
• The 120V electrical box powering the transformer has no electricity