Historic Home Renovation Series: Smart Doorbell Is Also an Antique!

Did you know that a smart doorbell doesn't necessarily have to look like a smart doorbell?

In this Quincy, Illinois, historic home renovation, the homeowners wanted all the conveniences of a modern smart home but needed to remain true to the historical integrity of the home.

When Integration Controls went to work on the project, we found an antique doorbell in a pile of refuse in the driveway, which we believe dates back to when the home was built. It was horribly corroded and tossed aside. Because our own Jeff Briesemeister is somewhat of a tinkerer, he grabbed the doorbell to see if it could be restored.

“We thought the homeowners might want to use it, but they hadn’t said as much,” says Jeff. “So we took it and I gave it to my dad to refurbish it and clean all the contacts. Not only is this doorbell ‘smart’, it’s the last project he worked on before he passed and it’s awesome to see it work for this project”

The homeowners were delighted, but were even more impressed that the antique doorbell could be tied into the smart home. In essence, when pressed, the doorbell sends a signal to the system and a chime is played through the speakers inside and outside the home, indicating a guest has arrived. The same happens at another doorbell in the home, but this one plays a different chime so the homeowners know which door to greet guests.

This is just one example of the resourcefulness the Integration Controls team had to tap into to successfully reach the homeowners’ goals. We’ll share other aspects of this historic home renovation soon. Next up, we’ll talk about how we had to navigate 13-inch walls made of metal and plaster and the challenges it presented for retrofitting!