How to Replace a Wired Doorbell With a Wireless Doorbell

Wired doorbells wear down over time, and their chime eventually becomes a little annoying. Or, it's just old and you'd prefer to switch it out to something new. Maybe you would like to try a new sound for your home.

Replacing older wired doorbells for wireless models doesn't have to be too complicated. Wireless models are convenient, and the receiver can be placed at any outlet inside the home so that it can be heard all over the house. Wireless doorbells also come with a variety of chime options to suit all kinds of tastes. Given the right steps, making the switch is pretty doable.

Before removing the older doorbell, turn off the power that goes into it by turning off the circuit breaker in the panel box. Do this even if the doorbell isn't working. Then, unscrew the face plate off of the the doorbell button. If it isn't screwed on, use a flathead screwdriver to pry if off the wall. To make sure there isn't any power surging through the wires and into the doorbell, use a voltage tester on the exposed wires to double check.

A lot of chime doorbells have an AC/DC transformer in a nearby junction box. If there isn't a junction box, the transformer may be directly in the beam of the door or nearby in the wall. To cut the supply, remove the AC wires from the transformer. On either side of the transformer, there will be two terminals that connect the transformer to the doorbell button and chime. If there is at least one wire connected to each terminal, use a screwdriver to disconnect them.

After the face plate and button are removed from the wall, there will be several wires left hanging there. If there are frayed or exposed wire ends, wrap them with electrical tape so that everything is completely covered. Once that's done, push the wires back into the wall. To patch the hole, it's easiest to use mesh and then cover it with plaster. Wait for the plaster to dry and then repaint the area so that it matches the rest of the door beam or wall.

Before placing the new wireless doorbell to the wall or beam near your front door, make sure that it has the appropriate battery. Read the package or ask a salesperson for help when finding the right battery for your new doorbell.

Once the battery is in, remove the paper covering the adhesive tape that comes with the doorbell and attach it to the back of the button. Peel off the paper that's covering the other side of the tape and press the button over or near the spot where the old chime doorbell used to be. A few screws should come with the new wireless model. Use them to attach the button to the door beam or wall through the two holes that are meant for the screws.

All that's left to do is pick your preferred chime from the the indoor receiver and wait for some guests to arrive.