Company's Here: A Look at Doorbells

In 1831, the electric doorbell was invented by Joseph Henry, an American scientist who was the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. It was a simple device, much like the wired doorbells we see today, where an outside button is pushed and electrical current flows to an inside transformer which activates a noise signal.

In the beginning, this noise was an annoying buzz, but the sound was enhanced in the 1920s to bells or a chime.

In my home, built in the early 18th century, the doorbell still features that annoying buzz sound, much like a bug zapper, and the signaler cover has so many coats of paint on it that its shape is hard to define.  I’m convinced that the same device has been working faithfully since the 1920s.   

Well, maybe not so faithfully.

In the recent past, any unannounced visitor could get very frustrated trying to reach us inside.  It’s embarrassing to admit, particularly because I write as The Home Guru, but something went haywire with my doorbell system that somehow got disconnected and didn’t ring for a couple of years.

Visitors would call us on our cells saying they were waiting for us in the driveway. Recently, I had a handyman install new buttons outside thinking that was the problem but, not being an electrician, he couldn't figure out the connection to the buzzer. Even the electricians who came later had a hard time getting it operational again. But now it works like a charm, albeit still with the annoying buzz.

Today the major choice in doorbells is whether to buy a wired or wireless version, and there seems to be a debate about which is better. While wired doorbell systems are still the preferred choice, wireless has caught the imagination of younger buyers who prefer living in a wire-free world.

Wired doorbells are cheaper than wireless, but more involved to install. Wireless can be up and running literally in minutes. Aesthetically, wired doorbells are more appealing, with many designs, shapes and materials from which to choose, while wireless models are more utilitarian in design. Wireless wins out on portability in that its receiver, whether battery operated or plug-in, can be moved around the house at will. 

Sound quality and the range of tunes are clearly better on the wired models, while wireless can have flaky performance if there is outside interference.

With the advent of iTunes and the MP3 player, sounds announcing visitors are limitless, much like telephone ringtones.  Now each time that I hear that annoying buzz from my antiquated but functional doorbell, I imagine what would best represent my personality in a customized sound. How about "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart?"