I am on the second floor of an old house in the northeast USA.

Spread the love

I am on the second floor of an old house in the northeast USA. There is another one at the entrance to the second floor, this at the backdoor. The button looks like a bell but what is the hole for?

Here are some of the answers:

1. One of them said: Honestly you might be able to speak into it and hear whoever is at your door when they speak back

2. One of them also said: How old is your house? Looks like a C. 1920s light switch. Are there modern light switches underneath both? The light could have come out of the hole long ago (screwed in there, maybe a lantern-style electrical light)

3. Other response was: Perhaps just another eyehole or peephole. Like a handicapped accessible hole.

4.The other answer was (maybe the right one): There’s a tube in the walls that connects the two ends so one person talking loudly into one end can be faintly heard through the other end. I’ve lived in several old houses in the Northeast where these are still in place, and the mouthpiece always looks the same, just like this. Around here they are most common in multi-floor, multi-unit walkup houses. The placement of the buzzer button underneath is a clue. Think of these as a pre-electric intercom speaking tube. At the upper end, there is often another button to activate a remote door lock so the visitor can be let in without having to go downstairs (having already recognized their voice through the tube) However, many of these no longer work very well, or at all. Any renovations or wall work, falling chunks of plaster, or other debris can break or block the sound from getting through. It is not some kind of electrical switch. If you were to look behind the wall you’d see a large diameter hollow metal tube, often made of sheet lead or tin so it could be gently bent around obstacles to get to its destination through the framing of the house.
These are some of the comments we found on the internet. That doesn’t mean they are all correct. Anyway, what do you think is the right answer and solution to this? Please leave a comment on our Facebook post and let us know your opinion!

Related Posts

US election: When will Donald Trump get the keys to the White House? This is what happens next

Spread the love

Spread the loveThere are still a few things that need to happen before Donald Trump is sworn in for his second term in the White House. The…

“Abandoned, But Not Forgotten: One Dog’s Hope for a Second Chance”

Spread the love

Spread the loveHeartbreaking Tale: The Dog Left Behind In a small, quiet town, a black dog named Shadow sits alone, waiting in silence. Once full of life…

Beyoncé Reacts Strongly to Donald Trump’s Victory

Spread the love

Spread the loveFollowing Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Beyoncé, a prominent supporter of Kamala Harris, voiced her deep frustration and disappointment. The pop icon,…

Picture of little girl ‘sinking into the ground’ is leaving people baffled

Spread the love

Spread the loveA puzzling photo of a young girl seemingly sinking into the ground left Redditors scratching their heads. Shared by her father on Reddit, the image…

Four Years after My Husband Went Missing, a Dog Brought Me the Jacket He Was Wearing on the Day He Disappeared

Spread the love

Spread the loveFour years ago, Maggie’s husband, Jason, went missing during a solo hike, leaving behind only his dog, Scout, and a faded promise to return. The…

Brain Teaser: Can you identify the error in this family’s dining room photo in under 15 seconds?

Spread the love

Spread the loveCan you spot the mistake in this quick IQ test teaser within 15 seconds? Take a look at the family’s dining room photo and see…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *