How to Maintain Church Bells

The tradition of bell ringing is over 400 years old and acts as a call to all those around with its unique chimes and peals. Maintaining the bells is an integral part of the process to keep the equipment in peak condition and protects the bell ringers as well as the bells themselves.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Make a visual observation of the bells to look for cracks and scratches. Check all the bolts and screws to make sure they are secure and use computer or digital monitoring equipment if you have it.
2. Ring the bells, listen for any unusual sounds and check the ease of the ropes when you pull them as well as watch their condition.
3. Clean the bells on a regular basis with a metal shine or polish specifically designed for your bells' type of metal, either brass, steel or composite metals. Check with the manufacturer if you are unsure prior to cleaning. Lubricate the clapper joints with oil to prevent rust and rubbing.
4. Record your observations in a log book or computer system and keep a list of all maintenance work and cleanings that you do. Keep all the manufacturer information together and readily available.
5. Contact the manufacturer for advice and information about professional repairers. Never attempt to repair a major mechanical problem yourself unless you know exactly what you are doing as this could damage the mechanics even more and is also extremely dangerous.
6. Allow only knowledgeable bell ringers to have access to the bells and check the equipment before and after every time they ring the bells. Never let untrained visitors encounter the bells, as this causes safety issues for them and the equipment.

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