While technology like wireless doorbells has its benefits, it is not exactly problem free. From visiting the various home forums, I get the sense that there are many issues that even the best wireless doorbell can face. I want to use this chance to list some of these problems and how to solve them, if possible.
Wireless doorbell for thick walls
Thick walls is a frequent concern bought up by home owners as they are unsure if this will impair the wireless doorbell’s ability to send the signal through to whichever room they might be at. To make sure you got the best wireless doorbell for thick walls, check on the frequency that they can broadcast. Personally, I would go for those with at least a 200 Meters range if you want to ensure the signal goes through those thick walls. If you are buying those cheap ones with only 5-10 meter signal range, then you will face this challenge quite easily.
Inferences from metal
Another common problem is the interference from metal materials. It is not advisable to stick your wireless door lock near a place where it is made up mainly of metals. Instead, the ideal location should be somewhere with wooden materials. These are the best type of surface to minimize inference with the broadcasting of the signal.
Short battery life
It was widely reported that batteries in wireless doorbell do not last very long, especially those at the receiving end of the devices. My advice is to use battery on the main door unit and use the electric power for the receiving components. Experience tells me that if you used batteries on the latter, they might only last for 1-2 weeks depending on your model. In general, the cheaper doorbells have shorter battery lives.
Wireless doorbell going off by itself
One of the most annoying wireless doorbell problems is that it goes off randomly or by itself with nobody at the door. The cause can be due to different reasons but the most common has to be interference. Specifically, the communication signal might be crossing with your neighbors or some passerby’s signal. To fixed this problem, simply change the signal you are currently using and see if the wireless doorbell will still keep going off by itself.
Wireless doorbell not loud enough
Another common complaint I heard is that the alert from the doorbell is not loud enough. Fortunately, this is an easy problem to solve. First, you can get a model that has volume control so that it is easy to adjust the volume upwards when it is not audible.
Second. check where the speakers on the doorbell is located. Some brands have it on their back so when you hung them with the backs on the wall, their sound is muzzled. The solution then is either to get a new model with speakers on the front or find another way to hang the doorbell such that the speakers at the back are not blocked. This is how you get your wireless doorbell to be loud enough.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, any devices have its own set of problems. As long as they still perform their core functions well and the problems can be fixed and I see no reason why you shouldn’t consider getting one if you think they are useful.