Doorbells are a staple for any household, they let us know when someone is outside the door trying to get our attention – this is particularly useful for people expecting deliveries. Most front rooms aren’t used as often as other rooms in the house, so it’s not unusual for homeowners to not hear the door when someone knocks.

This is why we have doorbells. Now, doorbells come in a range of shapes, sizes, styles, and even have built-in songs to ring to, but they can also be simple or quite high-tech. A standard doorbell is usually either wired or wireless, and when the button mounted on your door is pressed, the sensor rings out from where you’ve placed it in your home.

However, smart home video doorbells, such as those that include video intercom systems, are becoming increasingly popular now.

Wired doorbells

In most wired systems, the doorbell makes a sound via a switch that is located inside the doorbell button mechanism beside the door. The switch is connected with wires to a terminal that is attached to a transformer with a low voltage, which saves electricity and lowers the risk of an electrical fire. Both parts of this type of bell have wires that run to the actual chiming unit.

This is the most common type of residential doorbell, as it has low maintenance, and doesn’t require batteries. Wired doorbells typically last up to ten years, or sometimes longer.

Wireless doorbells

Wireless doorbells use radio waves to connect the transmitter switch to the bell, making any physical wiring completely unnecessary. Most wireless doorbell systems consist of a radio switch/transmitter and a receiver, and they usually run on batteries of a kind (triple A and double A batteries are the most common in budget wireless doorbells). The transmitter is mounted on the door exterior and the receiver can be placed anywhere in the house as long as it meets the range specifications.

These wireless doorbells are easy to install – typically they only require sticking to the front of your door and then mounting the chiming unit on a nail somewhere in your home. More advanced wireless doorbell units will emit a warning sound when their battery is running low.

Smart doorbells

Smart doorbells on today’s market usually connect to your home’s internet and are even accessible from your smartphone. Most smart doorbells also act as a security camera, where they have a small camera that captures motion on your front porch and records anyone who rings your bell.

Depending on the model of smart doorbell camera you choose for your home, you could benefit from a range of features. These video doorbells are available as wired and wireless versions, but you should always check that your smart doorbell is compatible with your smartphone before you buy it.

Features include: Accessing a video history of everything your smart doorbell has recorded since being installed, video in high definition, a 2-way intercom system which allows you to speak to visitors, built-in night vision, live view and zoom.