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Have A Noisy Garage Door? Learn How To Quiet It Down With These Tips

7 July 2015

Sara Walters

You want your home to stand out – but not for the wrong reasons. A garage door that keeps up a lot of noise as it opens and closes is one way for your home to stick out like a sore thumb. Fortunately, getting your garage door to be a bit quieter isn't as hard as you'd think. Here are some great tips you can use to silence your garage door:

Tightening Up Loose Nuts and Bolts

As your garage door opens and closes, it creates minute amounts of vibration. Depending on how well it was initially put together, these vibrations can help work various nuts, bolts and other fasteners loose. In turn, these loose components can cause your garage door to make excess noise.

It's a good idea to inspect each and every nut, bolt and screw holding the track and garage door in place. Any fastener that has backed away from the surface should be tightened down.

If you're concerned about the effect that constant vibration will have your garage door components, you can isolate these vibrations with the help of rubber washers and inserts. Placing a rubber barrier between the fastener and the garage door surface will also help reduce unwanted noise.

Lubricating Moving Parts

When was the last time you lubed up your garage door's moving parts? Many experts recommend you do so once every 6 months or on a yearly basis if you don't use your garage door much. Keeping the tracks, rollers, hinges and chains properly lubricated helps reduce noise while extending the life of your garage door. It also helps prevent premature rust and corrosion from occurring.

All you have to do is grab some white lithium grease or a silicone lubricant spray and get to work. Carefully apply a light to moderate coating of lubricant on areas where friction occurs – the rollers, tracks, chains and other moving parts.

If you don't have those lying around, then you can use motor oil in a pinch – just make sure none of it lands on your car or garage floor. Mineral oil-based, water-dispersing lubricants are usually a no-go for lubrication since they're not durable enough to be particularly effective.

Getting Rid of Old Rollers

The vast majority of garage doors rely on metal rollers for smooth, unencumbered operation. But years of metal-on-metal contact can easily take their toll on these oversized bearings. Metal rollers wear down with age and constant use and eventually, they'll wear down enough to create that characteristic clacking sound.

At this point, you have two options at your disposal:

• You can replace your current metal rollers with a brand-new high-quality set. Just remember to keep them well-lubricated with the best lubricant you can find.
• You can get rid of those metal rollers altogether and go for nylon. These non-metal rollers are much quieter than their metallic counterparts, plus they don't require as much lubrication. Unfortunately, what you'll gain in quietness from nylon rollers you'll end up sacrificing in longevity, since nylon rollers don't last nearly as long as metal rollers.

Giving Those Creaky Springs the Heave-Ho

Believe it or not, garage door springs can also make noise as they age. As they get older, it's likely you'll hear them chatter as the spring coils make contact against each other. Although proper lubrication will help quiet down this chatter for a short period, there's a good chance the springs must be replaced. It's recommended to have a trained professional carry out this task, especially if your garage door uses torsion springs.

The above tips should help you get some peace and quiet out of your garage door. You can also check out sites like http://www.702garagedoors.com for more info and professional help.

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