The Changing Tone of Door Chimes

Change or bring in a new door chime sound.

Change is particularly welcome if you have chimes for two or more doors and those chimes are hard to tell apart. Most homes are outfitted with electromagnet door chimes, making it easy for you to have one bell ring “ding-dong” and the other emit a simple ding. In any case when your traditional door bell fails, you may encounter a hefty repair bill.

Wireless Door Chimes

Given that electromagnet doorbells are being replaced by wireless door chimes, we’ll share with you an example of a GE one-button system, one that makes changing a door chime a snap.

Your doorbell has failed or it simply fails to chime as needed. Many homeowners have given up replacing their old, electromagnet systems and have switched to a wireless door chime that can be installed within minutes.

Low-Cost Option

GE, for example, offers a door chime that comes with one button. You’ll need to buy a second and subsequent set for each additional door of find a chime system that comes with two buttons. Given that these sets run for about $20, you’ll still pay much less for a new battery-operated chime system than having an electrician fix your old system. You can do it yourself if you’re handy with electrical matters.

Battery-operated door chime systems provide an operational range of up to 150 feet. You’ll need to install a 12-volt battery and check it from time to time for wear. The chime itself plugs into any electrical outlet and has settings to allow you to choose different chimes. Simply select the desired chime for your front door and do the same with the chimes for your other doors. The GE system, by the way, offers seven unique sounds. That’s several more than the number of doors you have to your home.

Digital Signal

Wireless or electronic doorbells send out a digital signal via an integrated circuit to trigger a sound. Such systems dispense with solenoids, tone bars and wiring, providing a modern way to tell you that someone is standing at your door.