Replacing a Doorbell

Have you ever gone over to anyone house, pressed the doorbell and waited? And waited...and waited...and waited? Eventually you get a little frustrated and end up knocking on the door. Invariably, you come to find out that the entire mess could have been avoided if only you had known that the doorbell was out of order, or if the doorbell had been replaced. Replacing a doorbell is a surprisingly easy electrical task that any homeowner can do. In fact, all you really need to do is purchase a new doorbell unit and follow the directions as printed by the manufacturer. However, here are some general instructions that you can use to replace most doorbells.

1. Shut off power. Whenever you work with electricity be sure that you turn the power off, you don't want to accidentally get electrocuted. Turn the power off at the circuit box to ensure that there is no power running through those wires, and leave a note so that no one accidentally turns it on while you are working.
2. Remove doorbell cover. Remove the doorbell cover plate by unscrewing the screws.
3. Remove the unit. Pull out the doorbell unit by using your hand. Be sure that you don't touch any of the exposed metal parts as you do this, just as a precaution against any sudden shocks. The unit should only come out part way, and should still be attached to some wiring.
4. Disconnect the wires. Disconnect the wires by unscrewing the clamp screws which hold them in place.
5. Replace the unit. If you do not already posses one, take your old unit down to the local home improvement store and get a replacement. Pull the replacement unit out of the package and ensure that it fits into the existing hole.
6. Reconnect the wires. Reconnect the wiring by attaching the exposed wires to the clamp screws, and then tightening them. Do not over tighten, but ensure that the screws are not loose in any way.
7. Replace the unit and cover. Place the unit cover and tighten the screws holding it in place. Do not over tighten the screws or you could accidentally damage and crack the cover.
8. Turn power back on, and test. Return the power to that part of the house, and test out your new work. Typically the most common cause of a new door bell unit not working is that there is a loose connection somewhere.