A buzzing doorbell is not an ideal sound to deal with.
It can become frustrating and impact your time inside the house. Due to this, it’s important to get to the bottom of why a doorbell is buzzing and what’s needed to fix it.
A doorbell can start buzzing when the button switch is stuck, the pistons have stopped working, or the voltage is off. It’s recommended to switch the problematic part to stop the doorbell from buzzing.
A lot of homeowners worry this is going to be a challenging task. It is not.
You should be able to replace the button switch, piston, or wiring within minutes. It’s simply important to inspect the doorbell to figure out why it’s buzzing before doing anything else. This will shed light on what should happen moving forward.
This article is going to look at some of the reasons a doorbell starts buzzing and how to fix it safely.
Table of Contents
Best Wireless Doorbell (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
No products found.
Reasons For Doorbell Buzzing
1. Stuck Button Switch
One of the more common problems with a doorbell buzzing is the button switch.
This is how the bell is rung and it has several internal mechanisms that play an important role in how it works.
There are multiple components (i.e. button switch, transformer, chime, and wires) associated with the doorbell. It’s best to start with the button switch because it can get stuck. This causes it to continue buzzing until it’s released.
2. Damaged Pistons
The doorbell’s pistons can start to wear down.
This will cause the doorbell to buzz but not ring. The most common reason has to do with overuse and aging, which is why maintaining a doorbell is just as important as any other part of the house.
With damaged pistons, you will want to open the doorbell and wipe the pistons using alcohol. This should help clean things up and repair the problem.
In some cases, the piston might be too far gone and will have to be replaced. Before doing that, use a little bit of alcohol and see how the piston responds. If it doesn’t work, you can look at considering a replacement piston for the doorbell.
3. Incorrect Voltage
There is wiring attached to the doorbell.
This is where it gets the power from and this wiring needs to be fine-tuned for a doorbell to work. If the wire is loose or the electricity isn’t going to where it needs to, this will have a disappointing effect on the doorbell.
The buzzing will continue because the electricity isn’t getting through to the unit.
You will want to open the doorbell, test the voltage, and see whether or not it is at the right level. You might have to replace the wire as it can eventually break or splice.
How To Fix Doorbell Buzzing
1. Inspect the Doorbell
The first step is to inspect the doorbell.
To do this, you are going to want to do a simple visual check and then press the doorbell to see when the buzzing noise comes. If it is a persistent noise then you will want to move on to the next step by opening the doorbell up.
It’s important to complete your inspection to see what the root cause is. You don’t want to start fixing everything as that might worsen the issue.
2. Use Screwdriver To Access Button Switch
Take a screwdriver and open up the doorbell.
You will want to get into the doorbell to see what’s going on behind the front plate. This includes the button switch, wiring, and everything else connected to the doorbell.
Make sure to do this methodically and keep the screws in your pocket for later. Do not lose them!
Be careful when you are doing this and make sure to turn off the electrical supply if you begin touching the wiring. This is dangerous and you should not be doing it with the power running to the doorbell.
3. Disconnect Wiring
At this stage, you will want to disconnect the wiring.
The goal is to see whether or not the wiring has been compromised. This can be the case if the wiring is broken and/or loose.
You will want to test the wire and even run a voltage check to see if enough power is coming through the wiring.
4. Replace The Button or Wiring
If a simple repair doesn’t work, you will have to consider replacing the damaged component.
This can be several things including a button or the wiring. It’s best to start with the button switch as it might be stuck or broken. If so, you will want to take your time and replace the button switch entirely.
If the wiring is an issue then you will want to replace it too.
5. Reconnect The Wiring
Once you are done, reconnect the wiring back to where it was and screw the plate back into place. You will want to do this carefully to avoid breaking anything else.
Remember, the doorbell has multiple components and even one getting ruined is enough to damage the doorbell.
Final Thoughts
Why is your doorbell buzzing all the time?
A doorbell can start buzzing all the time because its button switch is stuck, the wiring has spliced, or the pistons are damaged. It’s recommended to unscrew the front plate and check which component is damaged before repairing or replacing it.
Read More On Doors: