How I Replaced My Doorbell, Step by Step

Recently, while sweeping leaves off the front porch, I noticed my old doorbell ringer was looking pretty sad. After 20+ years, it was time to consider replacing it.

I ordered the Michael Healy Pineapple Doorbell Ringer in their polished brass finish to go with my existing doorknocker and doorknob. This doorbell ringer also comes in a nickel and oiled-bronze finish on the True Value site. My ringer arrived quickly, and I couldn’t wait to install it!

Once I had the old doorbell ringer loosened from the wall, I once again ran into a rusty screw problem. The screws holding the wires in place would not budge. They were so rusted that they just chipped away as I tried to unscrew them.

Since the screws wouldn’t budge, I simply cut the old doorbell away.

I tucked the wires I had exposed behind each of the two screws and tightened down the screws to make the connection. It doesn’t matter which side the wires are attached…they can attach to either side or screw.

The doorbell ringer attaches to the molding with just one screw. Fortunately the screw is a good bit bigger than the previous screws, so I was able to use one of the existing screw holes for a snug fit. The screws that come with a Michael Healy doorbell ringer are stainless steel, which means there will be no problems with rusty screws down the road.

Since I had left the mounting plate attached to the pineapple, it was a little tricky screwing the mounting screw all the way in. The pineapple would only lift up a short distance, so it blocked my efforts to reach the screw with a regular screwdriver.

An offset screwdriver came to the rescue! Have you ever used one of these? It worked like a champ! Everyone needs one of these in their tool arsenal because you never know where you’re going to need it!

Using the offset screwdriver, I finished tightening the mounting plate against the door frame molding. Unfortunately, the molding around my door isn’t flat, so I couldn’t get a completely flush mount, but it was pretty close. The doorbell ringer didn’t wobble even the slightest. It’s a nice, snug fit.

Here’s how it looked once installed. So pretty and a definite improvement over the old one!

Because this doorbell ringer was such a nice, big size, it completely covered up the imprint left on the paint by the old ringer. It also has a little built-in light, so there’s a soft glow surrounding the pineapple once it gets dark. This makes it easy for guests to find the ringer even if the porch lights are off at night.

It makes a beautiful statement in all its welcoming, hospitality glory! I love how it looks with my existing brass doorknob and door knocker. So much nicer than the old one!

As mentioned before, this particular ringer comes in several finishes. Michael Healy makes so many adorable designs, there’s a shell, crab, palm tree, dragonfly, frog, fleur-de-lis…too many to list them all here. You can see them all on the True Value website or at your local True Value.