How To Look At A House

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Is a doorbell required by code for a house?

Sunday, January 24, 2021

A doorbell is not required for single-family and duplex residences by the International Residential Code (IRC) or the National Electrical Code (NEC). But a doorbell, buzzer, chime, or other signalling device is code-mandated for main entry (egress) doors for each unit in multi-unit residential buildings. Also, see our blog post Can a doorbell transformer be installed inside an electric panel?

    Although not required, a doorbell is like a towel bar and toilet paper holder in the bathroom: it’s expected by homebuyers. 

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about ELECTRICAL WIRING:

Which house appliances need a dedicated electrical circuit?

Can a short circuit cause a high electric bill?

What is the maximum spacing requirement for securing NM-cable (nonmetallic-sheathed cable)?

Is it alright to just put wire nuts on the end of unused or abandoned NM-cable or wiring?

What causes copper wires to turn green or black in an electric panel?  

What are typical aluminum service entrance wire/cable sizes for the electrical service to a house?

Why is it unsafe to bond neutral and ground wiring at subpanels?

Should I get a lightning rod system to protect my house?

Why is a strain relief clamp necessary for the cord connection to some electric appliances?  

Does a wire nut connection need to be wrapped with electrical tape?

What is the minimum clearance of overhead electric service drop wires above a house roof?

What are the requirements for NM-cables entering an electric panel box? 

What is the color code for NM cable (Romex®) sheathing?

Why are old electrical components not always "grandfathered" as acceptable by home inspectors?

How can I find out the size of the electric service to a house?

   Visit our ELECTRICAL page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.

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