Door Chimes for the Times

A marvelous application of modern electronics for the home is the wireless door chime.

Available at most home centers in several models and price ranges, this battery-powered device allows easy installation of a new chime box anywhere inside or outside the house, even by a novice. The chimes can be as much as 200 feet from the button.

If you have a defective doorbell system in your home, the cost of the new chime and batteries ($15 to $50) is usually less than the cost of a service call and parts from an electrician.

If you have a large home and need more than one chime inside, you can purchase two wireless systems on the same frequency so they will ring simultaneously.

Wall installation is as easy as hanging a picture, or the chime can be placed on a shelf. The button outside mounts with two screws or with an adhesive strip. Batteries normally last for several years.

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Gary Abrams is a general contractor who has written about home improvement for The Times for eight years. Comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 711, Thousand Oaks, CA 91319. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope.