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Driveway Doorbells

Ding-Dong! Driveway Doorbells let you know who is coming

Ever been sitting at home alone in the evening, reading a good book, and suddenly “BAM BAM BAM!” on your front door? You drop your book losing your place, and now your heart is racing like crazy. Surprise visits can be annoying, so you want an idea to keep them from happening? Driveway doorbells!

These little beauties are installed in your driveway using a motion sensor to detect when a vehicle pulls into your driveway. A light chime sounds throughout your house, letting you know that company is on its way to your door. Also, a long tube is placed across the entrance of your driveway that will sound only if enough weight is placed on it. And only a vehicle will have enough weight to set it off, so your new driveway doorbell won’t be sounding over every little thing that wanders into your driveway.

Some driveway doorbells come equipped with a light that is triggered when a vehicle pulls in and seems like it lights the way for your visitors, but what it is really doing is giving you a brighter view of exactly who is cruising up your driveway. Some models can be installed with a call box, so when the visitors pull in, they can call up to your house and announce their arrival in person, yet still giving you plenty of warning that they are coming.

If you are looking at a rather long or winding driveway, maybe a camera installation with your driveway doorbell is a good idea. It gives you not only proper warning that someone is on their way to your house, but it gives you a clear view of the vehicle as well. And some models will actually record the video, and this is a great criminal deterrent. The would-be criminal sees the video recorder, and is scared away. And if they are not, the video will have evidence of their presence, and can be used for an arrest.

Installing driveway doorbells is simple and quick. Many can be installed by the homeowner in one afternoon. The more complicated models can be purchased and then installed by a professional. The choice belongs to the homeowner. Whichever model that is chosen and no matter the method of installation, driveways doorbells are a great way to end surprise visits, and give you peace of mind when someone pulls into your drive. You will know they are coming, and can know who they are, even before they turn the car off and get out.

Mechanical Doorbells

Mechanical Doorbells: Bringing the Old Into the New.

Mechanical doorbells got their start during the early Victorian era, and though we have moved on to more technologically advanced pieces, these charming bits of history still hold a place in the hearts of those with a fascination for old fashioned architectural accessories, and the people who like to add interesting bits of unusual style to their homes.

What makes mechanical doorbells such delightful pieces is their simplicity. These doorbells do not run on electricity, but are simply a bell on the inside of the door attached to a lever on the outside. The external handles vary from a twist handle (which tends to sound similar to a bicycle bell), and a push lever, which has a stronger, singular tone.

Most of these unique historic pieces are made of a heavy brass. Although you can find a style that is simple, you will find many more that are intricate in design. The lever designs are almost always elaborately fashioned; you will generally find them in golden hues, with complex scroll work patterns, or leaf and flower etchings. These ornamental outlines extended to the twist handle (or rotary) styles as well. However, they also included fun touches such as bold geometrical patterns, words sayings things like, “turn here,” and occasionally an animal bust. The twist handle design can also be done in a simpler fashion; these are generally smooth and sleek, and look similar to a vertically placed inn bell. This style, as well as the more elaborate counterpart, can be seen in a golden tint as well as silver, bronze and a patina copper.

When it comes to choosing this style of doorbell for your home, it is important to know exactly what you are looking for, and how much you would like to spend. Do you want an antique, or a reproduction? Will it be a showpiece, or something functional as well as stylish? Whether they are antique or reproductions, these doorbells are relatively inexpensive; the antiques ranging from $100 to $20 dollars depending on size and quality; the reproductions generally cost between $70 and $15 dollars. The originals tend to be made of studier material; however, due to their advanced age, they may require some repairs. On the other hand, reproductions are usually made of fine quality materials that will last a while, but they are not usually as heavy, and you may not find pieces that are as ornate as the originals.

Whether using them as a functional piece, or for purely aesthetic purposes, mechanical doorbells are certain to add a bit of old fashioned flair to your home.

Doorbell Site - An Introduction to Doorbells

Welcome to the Doorbell Site. Doorbells serve a very practical function and yet there is a lot of variety in the types of doorbells that you will see today. They have evolved from simple mechanical systems to sometimes very sophisticated wireless doorbell intercom systems. We’ll start by digging into the various types of door bells available.

Types of Doorbells

• Standard Doorbells – Nothing unexpected here. There is a button at the front door, wiring to the bell or chime unit and the actual “bells”. The standard door bell system requires electricity to allow the doorbell button to activate the relays that turn on the doorbells.
• Wireless doorbells – Wireless doorbells are a great invention for anybody that wants to replace or remodel the area where their current doorbell system resides. They are also an easy way to add a door bell to a door that doesn’t currently have a door bell. Wireless doorbells typically have a range of about 100 feet.
• Doorbell intercom – Easily answer your door without opening it! Doorbell intercom systems can be found in wireless models and you can even expand some systems to include multiple intercoms and make a whole house system.
• Mechanical doorbell – Mechanical doorbells require no electricity and they are just bells attached on the inside of the door with the level on the outside. When a visitor turns the level the bells ring on the inside. They are most often mounted at mid-door height they come with different types of twist levers. Mechanical doorbells are often called mechanical twist doorbells due to the twisting motion you make to use them.
• Driveway doorbells – Driveway door bells (also called driveway alarms) have a sensor that you place at the front of your driveway to detect vehicles and the doorbell chime unit in your house. Many detectors are passive infrared sensors, some are motion detectors and others use a rubber hose so that they trigger only when a vehicle drives over them (the others will trigger for people and pets). Almost all of the driveway doorbell systems are wireless these days.

Parts of a Doorbell System

• The bell or chime system. These can be actual bells are a speaker system that plays pre-recorded chime sounds.
• Wiring (or wireless) connection from the button to the chime unit.
• The doorbell button or level. It all begins here with the push of a button or a twist of a lever.

I hope that you can see that there is more to doorbells than most people realize. I hope to explore more of the doorbell world with future articles.