Drilling through a uPVC door frame

[Another John]

Hello all,

About a month ago I enquired about "kinetic bell pushes". The resulting discussion here in D-I-Y resulted in me being convinced to try re-connecting the house's old wired bell system. I've since looked at doing that and it looks like it might be possible. So ...

Re-connection will entail running an extension of the old wire to the outside of the porch (built long after the old bell was installed).

I seem to remember seeing words of caution, in here, about drilling through the frame of a uPVC construction: any words of wisdom on that for me, please?

(I realise that there is a steel core to this uPVC. Also, the hole I drill will be in the left hand upright, on which the door is hung -- not that I expect that a 5mm hole for bellwire will have an effect on that, but that location may have a bearing on the steel to be expected.)

Cheers all John

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Has the edge been filled with foam and silicon sealant? Mine was and I simply found a suitable place and poked a screwdriver through the gap and then the wire, Thin enough and you can run it slightly to the side and file a slot in the bottom of the bell push to connect it. Of course my porch is brick and where the mortar is there is plenty of room where its filled with the foam. Brian

[Jeff Layman]

I don't know whether it would be possible, but have you considered using telephone wire (the sort used for RJ11 connection) for the wiring? The sort of wire I'm referring to is used here:

It is very thin and pretty flexible. I wondered if you could run it along the PVC and out to the bell push without needing to drill into the frame at all.

[williamwright]

When I was an aerial and satellite installer this was an absolute no-no. Drilling a PVC frame led to all sorts of bother: warranties, leaks, cracking, etc. Normally we'd drill through the wall nearby, or drill into the mortar joint at an angle at each side of the PVC, thus making a curved hole that a stiff draw wire could get though. Doorbells should be mounted on masonry adjacent to the frame, with the hole going right through. Mount the bell on a nice-looking wooden pattress if necessary.

Bill

[jon]

My front door has a spy hole with some sort of screwed-in glass viewer, some people with similar doors have removed this and run a wire through.

[alan_m]

Just fit a wireless doorbell - even then the majority of delivery drivers seem to ignore it and knock.

[Andy Burns]

While I was fitting my front door, I drilled a hole down the vertical part of the frame and fed a bellwire, so nothing other than the push-button is visible inside or out.

Even with an illuminated button (which ought to be a clue it will work) and the bell being within earshot of the door (so they know afterwards it has worked) they usually knock a couple of seconds after ringing anyway, I tend to turn on the hall light on my way past the landing switch to let them know I'm on the way, to stop them knocking again!

[Another John]

Yes. Been through that loop thanks. The theme of the previous discussion on porch door bells was prompted by my wondering if a kinetic doorbell would be better than a conventional wireless doorbell.

The porch was built 10 years ago, and I fitted a wireless door bell because of the problem of wiring out to the porch door. For all of those ten years I had problems of unreliability: sometimes it would work, sometimes it would not. (All potential causes explored -- no success. Over ten years.)

The objective of taking up the old wired doorbell again is to free myself of this annoying unreliability. The old bell was probably installed with the house - 60 years ago. It still works (but is currently _inside_ the porch).

Cheers John

[Mike Clarke]

I don't mind them knocking as well as ringing the bell. It's the ones who ignore the bell and just knock that are the problem. We will hear the bell wherever we are in the house but if we're at the other and of the house there's no way we'll hear someone tapping on the door.

[Andy Burns]

Well, it has no batteries to go flat, but also no way for the drivers to be aware of that, so not likely to improve the drivers' usage ...

[Dave Plowman (News]

Never ceases to amaze me how many houses once fitted with a wired doorbell now have wireless ones. Cables must have self destructed. I can understand this in a household that does no DIY - but on here?

[Dave Plowman (News]

Same here. Replaced the weedy light with a couple of bright LEDs - clearly visible in daylight. And removed the door knocker.

[charles]

There is another category. they just drop the package on the doormat and go. I've just installed an Arlo camera system, so my phone beeps at me when the arrive.

[Dave Plowman (News]

The easy way to me would be to fit the wire round the outside of the door frame. But then I never run surface cables so would expect to have making good to do.