Whether you have an attached or detached garage area, your garage door is a big part of the overall look of the entire home. But it can be a problem if it starts to become a noisy garage door. It’s going to be a bother for the whole family, not to mention to your neighbors!
While hearing the garage door operate is a useful signal (in case someone from the outside might try to enter without your knowledge), most homeowners can do without the extra rackets and squeaks. Remember, you use the garage door two or more times a day – you’d want as little noise as possible each time!
Here are our expert garage door fix tips to make sure your garage door opens and shuts smoothly:
Tighten the Nuts and Bolts
Your noisy garage door might be due to some loose nuts and screws. It’s inevitable because the entire garage door mechanism – especially the spring tube and its bolt heads constantly vibrate and rattle on each other every time you operate the garage door.
If you have a basic toolset at home, like a square head or 8-point socket wrench, you can do periodic tightening of the bolts.
However, take care not to overdo it. Make sure the bolts are snug but not too tight. If you over-tighten the bolts and screws, you could risk affecting the mechanics and pulling the bolt heads through the garage door.
As always, take safety precautions before doing any maintenance work. Even something as simple as nuts and bolts tightening could lead to an accident if you don’t know what you’re doing!
If you’re not well versed with home repairs, DO NOT attempt to adjust the track bolts and screws by yourself. The track carries the springs loaded with high tension. This can cause severe and even fatal injury if attempted by a novice.
Spray Some Lubricant
The whole garage door unit is composed of moving parts that will inevitably clash with each other as the unit gets older. And if you don’t do anything about this, the hinges and all connecting parts will wear much faster.
Get a good lubricant (either lithium-based or silicone-based) that can be sprayed on the moving parts. Make sure to spray on the inside of each track, on the hinges in between the panels, on the springs, if they are exposed, and around the metal rollers.
If you have a chain drive, you can spray the chain assembly. But be careful not to put any lubricant if you have a belt drive.
Again, any moving part can cause rackets and vibrations. So spray liberally on these parts, and wipe off any excess that drips down using a cloth. If you do this at least twice a year, you could avoid any unnecessary loud garage door noise from bothering your family and neighbors.
Refer to the manual what type of lubricant your unit specifies. And if lubricating the metal parts does not subside the noise, it may be time to call a professional garage door maintenance team to inspect and repair the garage door.
Choose Nylon Rollers
Again, depending on the type of rollers you have on your unit, metal rollers will contribute to that squeaking noise when they move along metal tracks. You may already need to replace the roller with a smoother option, like a nylon roller. It will cost more, but it will require less upkeep in the long term.
Nylon rollers are much quieter, and they won’t require the periodic lubrication that metal rollers need. It does cost more, but not too far from the cost of metal rollers. If you are replacing your rollers, replace all of them at once. A standard-sized garage door, for instance, will need about a dozen rollers.
While those with DIY experience can install the new rollers, it’s always better to do it with the help of a garage door maintenance technician. He has the tools and know-how to complete the job in only a couple of hours.
Replace the Insulation Strip
Hear a loud, banging noise whenever you close the garage door? You may need to replace the insulation strip. This is the stuff underneath that helps keep your garage area warmer.
If the insulation strip is too worn out or is missing for some reason, you may feel colder coming into the garage. And, of course, without the rubber insulation, the door might come down banging each time you close the door.
If you’re replacing the strip on your own, get at least 16 feet of the strip at your local garage door supplies store. When you fit the new one onto the tracks, make sure not to cut too short. It’s better to adjust it later than cut the strip too short. And keep in mind that rubber insulation tends to shrink, so leave a few inches of width for allowance.
Check the Garage Door Opener
If your garage door hinges and springs are adequately maintained, maybe the garage door opener is your problem. Check if the noisy garage door rings loudest at the opener – near the roof of the garage. If that’s the case, have it checked by a professional garage door maintenance team.
If the mechanism is a bit loose, it can cause bumpy, erratic movements and those loud sounds. Contact a trained garage door maintenance team. They will usually assess the opener before making any fixes.
Let Our Experts Check Your Noisy Garage Door
The best part about letting professionals deal with your loud garage door? They can thoroughly inspect the parts of the entire garage door unit and then work out the right solution. We at Alpine Garage Door Repair can assist you with any noise concerns on your garage door. Talk to us today – and worry no more about the banging and clanking sounds every time you open or close the garage door!