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Doorbells are not something about which most people spend their time thinking. Usually, your home comes equipped with a doorbell, and it simply works as it's supposed to when someone presses the button. However, there may come a time when your doorbell no longer sounds when the button is depressed. In other instances, your home may not have ever had a doorbell. In either scenario, you will find that there is safety and comfort in knowing that your home is equipped with a new door chime.
Just as door chimes are rarely thought of, they are also rarely noticed. Many door chimes are covered by simple white boxes and placed in an inconspicuous area in the entryway so as not to be intrusive. However, not all door chimes are hidden; some models utilize the chimes as a decorative element of the doorbell as a whole. Today, there is a great variety of door chimes that are meant to enhance the dor of the area in which they are placed. You will find door chimes made from hand-carved wood, pewter and a variety of other materials. So whether you want your door chimes to stand out or to fade into the background, you will find plenty of options available.
A new innovation in door chimes and accessories is that the bells are no longer monotone. In fact, newer models, such as some made by Craftmade, actually have a separate chime for different doors. Although this may sound like a nightmare to install, the process is actually quite easy if you follow the included instructions. The basics are that you set up two separate doorbell buttons on each of two doors. Each of the buttons is then connected to a single door chime unit. When someone rings the front door, one bell tone sounds; when the button for the back door is pushed, a different tone emits. The beauty of this system is, obviously, that you can tell which door to answer when the bell sounds.
When shopping for door chimes and accessories, keep in mind that you may or may not have to purchase additional hardware to complete the installation. In some cases, the button assembly is included in a kit with the door chimes. In other cases, it's necessary to purchase the doorbell button separately. The benefit to purchasing the button apart from the chimes is that you can match each element to the decor in the area in which it will be placed.