Chris wrote:

Recently my doorbell stopped working. I didn't really care since we
have a little one who naps, so the lack of neighbor kids ringing the
bell was just find by me. However, now that I'm trying to replace it
I have a problem. Here's what I've tried:

1) The chime was 'humming' so I figured it was the doorbell button got
stuck or something. Took off the old one and it looked like spiders
have setup shop. I replaced the doorbell button, but still had the
humming coming from the chime.

2) Let's replace the chime? I tried a new chime (same basic model as
the old one) and this time took the button off to just try connecting/
disconnecting the wires. I only have one doorbell button so I have
only 2 wires coming out. No matter how I connect it (front to red,
trans to white or vice versa) the doorbell 'rings' but doesn't unring
and that's where the humming is coming from.

3) Put the button back. Okay, maybe the taking the button off wasn't
the right idea so I put that back, but after following the same steps
with wiring as before I still get the same problem regardless if I
press the button or not.

I assume that I have power to the bell since it actually 'rings' when
I touch the wires to the trans/front connections, but I'm not sure why
it's not 'off' until I hit the doorbell. It would seem that my
problem would be the other way around if I had some bad wires. I've
also tried to trace the wiring in the basement with little luck to see
where it starts and stops since it's behind some drywall.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

The two wires that go to the button are shorted together somewhere, so
the bell thinks the button is being held in. Your mission:find where.
Do you recall what was going on over there around the time the doorbell
began acting up? Perhaps a nail/screw/staple driven into the wall hit
the hidden wires.