Be it your colleagues from work, curious neighbors, or someone in your family, part of being an extrovert with a wide social circle means there’s always someone stopping by at your place.
The constant chiming of the doorbell might not seem bothersome to you, but as a parent who just put their child to sleep, the loud din can be aggravating. A standard doorbell chimes at 70 decibels, loud enough to startle your noise-sensitive pets.
Unless you’ve installed a smart intercom, most typical doorbells lack a volume control button, allowing you to silence the chime or reduce the volume to your desired levels. Whether you’ve upgraded to a smart wireless doorbell or still relying on the wired version, we have summed up effective ways to silence a doorbell.
The easiest way to silence a doorbell is to muffle the speaker system or chiming unit with soft padding like acoustic foam or build a soundproof enclosure. If the noise doesn’t diminish, install flexible magnets on the doorbell chimes to dampen their contact. In the case of a wireless doorbell, use volume control buttons or the intuitive mobile app to silence the doorbell nose.
Types of Doorbells and How They Work?
Since most homes come equipped with an old-school wired doorbell and intercom system, you don’t naturally have a say in choosing a specific unit. Unless you are adamant about upgrading the doorbell, you must opt for strategies to mute their noise.
To derive the best soundproofing solution for the bell, you must figure out its type and how a doorbell operates. Let’s view the three main types of doorbells:
Wired Doorbells
Despite the onset of innovative solutions, wired doorbells are still the most widely opted unit for homes and apartments. The simple circuitry and non-intuitive design make wired chimes cheaper than their advanced counterparts.
Wired doorbells are connected to the main electrical supply line, which keeps them functional 24/7. However, the bell only chimes when you press the button outdoors. It closes the circuit and activates the doorbell transformer, reducing the current flow to 10 – 20V.
As the current hits the signal device, it clamors on the chiming units producing a ringing noise. Some versions feature pressure plates inside the chiming unit.
Wireless Doorbells
Even though wired versions are quite common, wireless doorbells have earned a spotlight in the list of smart household solutions. Wireless doorbells are installed as separate units, unlike wired units connected to the main supply lines.
The doorbell is mounted on the wall, whereas the chiming unit is plugged into a wall socket. The apparatus relies on radio signals for communication between the doorbells and chimes. The embedded transmitter signals the chime to ring when someone presses the doorbell.
Wireless doorbells eliminate the hassle of wiring indeed, but they come with their shortcomings. Since these units are battery-powered, you are bound to replace batteries every so often. Moreover, given the limited range of radio signals, the chiming unit ought to be installed in close proximity to the transmitter to ring effectively.
Smart Doorbells
Smart doorbells are an even more sophisticated version of wireless doorbells. Instead of simply relying on sound-based radio signals, smart doorbells are equipped with a camera, microphone, and doorbell, functioning just like an intercom.
All components in a smart doorbell link and communicate through wi-fi. The popularity of internet-connected doorbells has multiplied over recent years, even though some people have ethical concerns due to constant surveillance.
Besides being linked to the base component inside the home, the microphone and camera can also connect to your wi-fi enabled smartphone. This way, you can access an audio and video interface of your doorstep whenever someone rings the doorbell. Smart doorbells come in both battery-powered and wired versions, given the range of complexities.
How to Quiet a Wired Doorbell?
Silencing a wireless doorbell is incredibly straightforward. Since most versions feature a volume control button, you don’t have to tamper with the wires or apparatus mechanics to reduce the noise.
As for the smart wi-fi enabled units, all optimization controls are at your disposal. You can muffle, mute, and even optimize the tunes of your doorbell through the mobile app.
On the other hand, wired doorbells with volume control are still a far-fetched dream. Unless you are okay with unplugging the chiming unit from the socket and rendering it useless, you may have to resort to other solutions to quiet the doorbell.
Muffle the Doorbell Speaker
When silencing wired doorbells, you need to apply more intrusive methods because of their analog circuitry. Most chiming units that carry a speaker are enclosed in a grilled enclosure which can be padded to muffle the noise.
Now, there are two ways to muffle a wired doorbell; sticking a piece of duct tape over the grille or instating acoustic panels on the inner side of the enclosure.
- Besides the main grille, the enclosure has other vents and openings that let the noise snuggle out. Attaching duct tape over the grille of an intercom will significantly lower the noise, but you won’t be able to hear or speak into the microphone anymore.
- If the doorbell is unbearably loud, but you don’t want to block the intercom speaker, try infusing a small piece of acoustic foam on the plastic cover. Make sure to buffer other openings on the enclosure as well.
Box the Chime With an Enclosure
Sometimes, infusing the acoustic foam inside the enclosure doesn’t muffle down the high-pitched sound because of its low density. If you encounter the same dilemma, it’s time to take on a more developed approach by boxing the chime with an enclosure. Here’s how you can build a soundproof chime enclosure:
- Measure the size of your doorbell’s chiming unit and add 3 – 5 inches on all sides to ensure a seamless fit.
- Build the enclosure box using MDF or any hard cardboard material according to the measurements. Paint the box to match the color of your wall.
- Infuse soundproof insulation padding on the box’s inner walls and block any gaps or leaks using green glue.
- Mount the box to the wall using hooks, screws, or nails. You can also stick it against the walls with double-sided tape if it’s lightweight.
Implant Flexible Magnets
Noisy doorbells are not just an inconvenience for your toddlers and pets; the resounding noise could also annoy your neighbors, especially if you live in an apartment. The ideal way is to replace the ding-dong with a milder, softer sound – that’s where flexible magnets come in.
Equipping the doorbell chimes with magnets can smoothen the soundwaves, making them far more amiable to hear. Here’s how you can instate magnets onto your doorbell chiming unit:
- Remove the doorbell casing or the soundproof enclosure – if you have installed one. Examine the casing first to see how it’s removed. Some can be disassembled straight up, while others need to be screwed off the wall.
- After removing the top enclosure, inspect the inside of the chiming unit. You will see two metal chimes and electromagnetic pressure switches inside. The chimes clamor into each other when the doorbell is pressed.
- To muffle the contact between both chimes and the pressure switch, infuse a small magnet. The magnet should be small enough to encase the chimes but doesn’t restrict their movement.
- Now mount the enclosure back onto the doorbell chiming unit, and test it out. With magnets acting as a padded cushion, you will experience a considerable reduction in the noise intensity.
Wireless Doorbell Chime – How to Mute a Wireless Doorbell?
Wireless doorbells are costlier indeed, but they are a lot more intuitive and user-friendly when it comes to controlling the volume. Instead of tampering with the chiming unit of a wired doorbell, muting a wireless doorbell can be done through the control panel – or wi-fi enabled application. Follow these three steps to silence a doorbell:
Step 1: Open the control panel or mobile app on your smartphone – A control panel allows you to access all smart devices installed in your home. Choose the doorbell from the list, and go to volume settings.
Step 2: Monitor and adjust the volume – By clicking on the volume button on your control panel, a volume slider will pop up right next to it. Here you’ll be able to increase or decrease the volume as per your preference by swiping your finger.
Step 3: Check the sound intensity in real-time – Have someone press the doorbell while you tune the volume. This will help you figure out how soft or silent you want the doorbell chime to sound.
People Also Asked
Let’s refer to a few common questions relating to effectively silencing a doorbell:
Are smart doorbells easy to silence?
Internet connectivity and intuitive controls make smart doorbells easy to monitor and adjust when it comes to volume. They feature smartphone compatibility, allowing you to silence the doorbell from your smartphone through wi-fi.
How to silence a doorbell cheaply?
Stick duct tape, acoustic foam, or any other padded insulation on the grille of the doorbell cover to block or muffle the noise coming through. You can also build a soundproof enclosure around the chiming unit to silence the doorbell cheaply.