It’s amazing what we can get used to in our lives. That noisy fan belt in your car? Chances are good you don’t even hear it anymore. The same thing applies to your garage door. If you go long enough with it squeaking and squealing, you might not even notice that it makes those sounds. We generally ignore small, minor noises. We chalk them up to normal operation.
However, what happens when those noises start to get out of hand? Does opening and closing your garage door wake up your neighbors? Can they hear it two streets over? If that’s the case, then you certainly need to think about a tune-up. The good news is that there are several things you can do to help silence that annoying garage door noise.
Lubricate Metal Parts That Make Contact
When it comes to silencing noisy garage doors and even extending their use life, we need to focus on lubrication. Your garage door should have been lubricated enough to last around 12 to 15 months when it was first installed. As part of regular maintenance, you should be re-lubricating those parts annually. If you don’t, then metal parts that contact one another will begin to suffer from wear and tear. They’ll make noise, and start to wear out.
What sort of lubrication should you be using? Actually, you’ve probably already got it on hand, particularly if you like to keep an eye on your car. It’s just regular old engine oil. What types of lubricant should you avoid? Never use WD‑40 – it’s a degreaser, and will actually remove the lubrication that your metal parts need to resist corrosion.
You should also never use automotive grease – the type used to fill grease fittings on suspension joints. Many people use automotive grease to wipe down the garage door track and curve, but this actually causes problems – it can make the rollers slide, rather than roll, which will wear out the track and the rollers. If you’ve applied automotive grease, use a rag to wipe it off.
Where should you be focusing your lubrication efforts? There are three primary concerns – the hinges, rollers, and lift springs of your garage door system. Apply the oil sparingly, though. A little bit can go a very long way. With your springs, apply engine oil with a clean cloth, and simply wipe it over the entire length and circumference of each spring. With the hinges and rollers, simply wipe on a layer with a clean cloth. Don’t apply it so heavily that it drips.
Finally, consider the weatherstripping at the bottom of the door. If this is made from PVC, apply a silicon‑based lubricant to keep it supple. You can use this spray on other sliding doors in your home, too.
Not sure where to buy your protectant? You can actually purchase both types of lubricant for your garage door from any reputable installer.
Tighten Things Up
Another important step in reducing noise from your garage door is to make sure that everything is tight. Bolts and screws are used to hold the door and track together. Over time, the vibrations from opening and closing the door will cause these to loosen. Use a screwdriver and wrench or socket to go over all the screws and bolts to make sure they’re tight. Special attention should be paid to hinge screws, as well as the bolts at the end of the horizontal track section. A sure sign of loose bolts is if you notice the track moving while the door is rolling up or down.
Change Your Rollers
In order to move up and down, your garage door uses a series of rollers. Metal rollers are actually the source of a great deal of garage door noise, particularly if you can’t locate loose hardware somewhere else. Watch the rollers as the door opens or closes. Do they roll smoothly, or are they sliding? If there’s nothing wrong, then a coat of lubrication should protect your rollers and silence any minor noise.
If your rollers have seen better days, then replacing them with nylon rollers will be necessary. Black nylon rollers are the right option if you have a single garage door (9’ x 7’), but double garage doors (16’) will need white nylon coated steel rollers with ball bearings.
The Garage Door Opener
The final culprit in your garage door noise issue might actually be the garage door opener. You will need to check the opener very carefully. If it is under seven years old, there is probably no maintenance that needs to be done. You don’t even need to lubricate it. However, double-check the chain or belt drive. It is possible that it has stretched and needs to be tightened. Look for slack in the belt/chain while it is not in use. If it sags, then it should be tightened a bit.
If the garage door opener is over seven years of age, or if you’re not sure how old it is, then you should first remove the light bulb cover and check the manufacture date. If it’s over 15 years old, the best option is just to go ahead and replace it. This is primarily due to safety and security reasons. However, garage door opener technology has evolved a great deal since 2006, and replacing your old system with something newer will allow you to take advantage of those advances.
You should also check the type of opener drive. Is it a chain? Or is it a belt/chain combination? Newer models only use steel reinforced rubber belts. Give the track a look, as well. Often, the track begins to loosen where it attaches to the ceiling. This can cause obtrusive noise, particularly if you have a room above the garage. You can reduce noise transmission here using rubber noise isolators.
If your garage door opener is past its prime, then we recommend replacing it. Go with a .5 HP model that uses a one-piece track (not an old-style three-piece track), and a steel-reinforced rubber drive belt.
Stuck on Your Own?
Don’t have the time or expertise to handle things? Contact us today, we can help. We can offer a tune‑up program that will keep your garage door working smoothly and silently for years to come. We can also help if you want to upgrade to a new garage door and opener. Call us on the phone, stop by our showroom, or get an email quotate on your needs.
If you’re in the market for a new garage door, take a moment to explore our Design Centre and image gallery to get an idea of what’s available to you.
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