"Hey, your doorbell doesn't work!" "I know. I know. I was going to fix it this weekend." No more excuses! Here's how to test and repair a doorbell.

How Does It Work?

A doorbell is a small electric device that signals residents inside when someone outside the door pushes a button. When the button is pushed, it completes a circuit with a transformer, letting electricity through to sound the bell or chime. Some doorbells use a small radio transmitter or a remote controller to activate the bell without wires.

What Can Go Wrong?

You can test a doorbell with a multimeter.

Loose wiring and faulty buttons are the most common doorbell problem. Power to the circuit may fail. Connection terminals may be corroded. The chime, or transformer may fail. The sounding mechanism may be dirty or the grommets (mechanical chimes only) may deteriorate. The hammer arm may be bent (bells only). The unit may short circuit.

Caution!

Be careful when working on a doorbell. It may use only low voltage, but the transformer has a 120-volt connection to the house wiring.