Does your garage door make loud noises every time you operate your opener? While unusual or loud noises are often signs of a more significant problem, some noises have simple fixes you can perform on your own.
Before calling a professional garage technician to your home, we suggest trying a few of the solutions we’ve collected below to reduce your garage door noise.
Be sure to disengage the garage door from the opener before attempting any work on your door. Fully closing the garage door and disengaging it from the opener will prevent accidental operation of the door, which can lead to severe harm or death.
Lubricate moving parts
The easiest solution may prove to be the best way to quiet a noisy garage door. Garage doors have multiple moving parts, almost all made of metal, which will break down over time. If completely broken, we recommend replacing the parts. If the pieces are still in decent condition, lubricating the parts will do the job.
The parts you can lubricate includes hinges, rollers, and springs. Avoid getting lubricant on the track, and use a spare towel to clean any excess lubricant. Be sure to only lube the ball bearings on your rollers and not the nylon wheel itself.
Do not use grease, oil, or water-based lubricants like WD-40 as they can be corrosive, build up dirt and grime, and are often not thick enough for a long term solution. A silicone-based lubricant is the best lubricant for garage door parts.
Tighten garage nuts and bolts
Over time, your garage door nuts and bolts will become loose. This will cause different parts to rattle and shake when no longer held tightly together. Try not to over-tighten the nuts and bolts as this can strip the screws or snap the screw heads.
Garage door hinges
Garage door hinges connect two panels on a sectional garage door, allowing the door to bend when moving up or down. Dirt, rust, and grime may build up around the hinges, causing them to seize up and potentially break.
Broken hinges can cause costly damage if not taken care of quickly. Garage door hinges also help to spread the weight of the door evenly across all panels. If one hinge breaks, then the weight will become displaced and start pulling on surrounding hinges, speeding up the breaking process.
Replacing your hinges is a straightforward process once you learn how to do it. Remember that each row of panels uses a different numbered hinge. Check the number on your broken hinges before purchasing new ones.
Replace garage rollers
The garage door rollers allow the door to slide along the track easily. If one breaks, your garage door will have a more challenging time opening and closing. In some cases, the door may even come off of the track.
Many older garage door systems still rely on metal rollers, which can be very noisy. To greatly reduce noise, nylon rollers are the preferred option. These rollers have a nylon cover and additional ball bearings, allowing for both a quieter and smoother operation cycle.
Install a belt-drive opener
Belt-drive garage door openers are a great way to cut back on noise from your garage door system. Unlike chain-drives, which use a metal chain to lift and close the door, belt drives operate using a reinforced rubber belt.
This produces less noise and avoids the metal-on-metal clanging from a chain drive. Less noise and smoother operation reduce shaking and rumbling from the garage door opener as it lifts the door.
When to call a garage door technician?
Some fixes to reduce garage door noise require professional assistance and should be left to the pros. Incorrect installation and operation of tools can cause severe harm or even death.
Garage door springs
There is a lot of winding power behind garage door springs, and when handled incorrectly, it can lead to broken car windows or severe bodily harm. If you hear a lot of noise from your opener and your garage door refuses to open, then the spring might be broken. Inspect above your garage door frame and check to see if the springs have snapped in two.
Replacing springs on your own can be deadly without the proper knowledge or tools. Have a professional service and replace your garage spring ASAP.
Faulty garage door opener
Is your garage door opener making noises, and your spring isn’t broken? The problem may be the opener itself. Just like your garage door, without proper maintenance, a garage door opener will also break down with time.
Ask a professional for assistance to determine what is wrong with the opener to get your door back up and running.
Conclusion
A noisy garage door is often the result of an old and neglected garage door. Be mindful of the different moving pieces in your door and look for rusted parts and dirt buildup. What starts as a minor inconvenience can quickly become an expensive problem down the line. We presented a few solutions you could try at home, but if you ever feel uncomfortable working on your door, be sure to contact a garage door technician.
For professional and safe garage door service and repair, be sure to call GDS Garage Door Solutions for same-day service and repair. Give us a call at (760) 994-4805 or fill out our contact form, and we’ll be with you shortly.
