Loud Garage Door? Here’s What to Do.

Older garage doors and electric door openers are what most people would define as loud. Even newer, much quieter systems will become louder if they are not properly maintained.  After all, they’re complex systems comprised of many moving parts, each of which makes at least a little bit of sound when it operates. If, however, you feel like your garage door is operating louder than it should be, or used to be, it’s always worth double-checking to make sure nothing is seriously wrong. To help make diagnosing a loud garage door easier, we’ve outlined a few basic steps you can take to check, and possibly fix a loud garage door.

Visually Inspect Your Garage Door

A simple visual inspection can tell you a lot about why your garage door is loud. Before getting too deep into your visual inspection, however, open your garage door and check for any unusual noises.  Try to determine if most of the noise is coming from your door or from the electric opener.  If you’re not sure, with the door in the closed position, pull the red emergency release rope to put the door in manual mode. Press the wall control or remote to activate the electric opener.  The opener will now run without moving the door – listen to see if the opener is significantly quieter than when the door is attached.  If it’s not, and the loud noise is coming from the opener there may not be any way to make the opener quieter.  Chain drive openers are inherently louder than belt drive openers so if you want a quieter system you many need to replace the electric opener.

Lubricate All Moving Parts

Now raise and lower the door by hand.  If you hear creaking/groaning sounds, simply lubricating the hinges and rollers with a quality light weight spray lubricant will often make the door significantly quieter.  Do not lubricate the tracks as this will only serve to attract dirt and debris. If you hear a loud squealing noise it’s unlikely the lubricant will help and your door will probably require some adjustments best left to professionals.  While you’re at it, it’s also a good ideal to check your garage door seals for wear, as these do wear out over time. Check out our handy guide on garage door seal replacement for more information on when and how to replace your garage door seal.

 

Tighten Loose Nuts

If the noise persists, take a ratchet wrench or socket and ensure that all visible door, track, and opener hardware is tight. Pay extra attention not to overtighten any nuts or bolts as this can strip bolt heads, threads, or even shear the bolts. Be sure to get in touch with a professional garage door repair company if you’re not sure where to tighten or suspect any nuts or bolts to be damaged.  Do not attempt to remove any bolts or nuts as some are under extreme tension and serious injury can result.

Check the Garage Door Rollers

Last but not least, check the garage door rollers and bearings. If the rollers do more sliding than rolling, then chances are they need to be replaced and could be what’s causing your garage door to operate loudly. Grab each roller with your finger and try to wiggle it on the roller shaft.  If there is anything more than a slight wiggle the bearings are likely worn out and the rollers will require replacing. Roller replacement is not something we’d recommend doing yourself as some  components the rollers are attached to are under extreme tension and one false move could lead to serious injury. Take a look at our post on garage door torsion spring replacement to learn more about garage door springs and safety.

 

Reach Out to the Professionals

If your garage door is loud or you suspect a faulty garage door opener or torsion spring, contact the Door House today. Our decades of experience and stellar reputation serving the Calgary community ensure you’ll be well looked after and receive only the best assistance and advice on garage door repairs and maintenance, replacement garage door openers, and the latest garage door systems.