How to tell if a doorbell chime is bad?

Determining whether a traditional mechanical or digital doorbell chime unit has failed involves inspecting both its physical components and testing its electrical continuity using a digital multimeter. First, remove the cover of the chime box located inside your home and inspect the internal copper wire coils for signs of severe overheating, melting, or a burnt electrical odor. Second, check if the metal spring-loaded plungers or strikers are physically jammed, rusted, or stuck inside the solenoid barrels, preventing them from moving freely when the circuit is completed. Third, use your multimeter set to measure alternating current (AC) voltage to test across the transformer screw terminals (labeled Front, Trans, and Rear) while someone presses the outdoor doorbell push button; if voltage spikes to 16 to 24 volts AC when pressed but the chime remains completely silent and the plungers do not strike the metal tone bars, the internal solenoid coils are permanently burned out and the chime box is bad. You can troubleshoot electrical component safety safely by shutting off the branch circuit breaker before touching internal terminals. You can verify that your corrective action is successful when replacing a defective chime unit with a compatible replacement model restores a loud, clear acoustic ringing tone throughout your home distribution system.