The premise of a door bell is fairly simple. A button communicates with a chime to alert you to visitors. While style and color are major influencing factors in determining which door bell to purchase, there are a number of other factors to take into account.

Wired or Wireless?

Door bells are available in either wired or wireless options. They each have pros and cons and should be selected based on the user’s personal preferences. The first step in buying a new door bell is to determine if you want a wired or wireless door bell.

Wired door bells connect the button and the chime with wires. They are typically less expensive than wireless models, but can be more difficult to install. Wired door bells are currently available in more colors and styles than their wireless counterparts and tend to have better sound quality.

Wireless door bells are growing in popularity and are available in either battery or electricity powered. When considering a wireless door bell, it is important to check the range and make sure it will work in your home. Factors such as multiple walls can further obstruct a wireless door bell and decrease its range. Wireless door bells are fairly portable and take only minutes to install. Some even feature multiple chime options and allow homeowners to use a music file as their chime.

Can You Hear Me Now?

If you have a large or two-story home, you may need a more powerful doorbell so you can hear it no matter how far away you are. Ordinary door bells are adequate for most average-sized homes, but a large home may require a door bell with higher volume or lingering resonance.

Design Details

Door bells are available in many different colors, styles and materials. Even though the door bell button is a small addition to your front porch, it should reflect your home style, as everyone who comes to the door will notice it. Most door bell buttons are simply screwed in and can easily be changed to update your style.