How to Quiet a Loud Garage Door

Loud garage doors can be annoying and an inconvenience to those who live around you, especially if you're somebody who leaves the house very early in the morning or comes back home very late at night. While it's probably not something many people put much thought into, working to quiet down your garage door is an easy and quick project to take up on the weekend, and something your neighbors or other family members will probably appreciate.

Tighten Up Parts

One of the first things you'll want to do is make sure there are no loose parts in your garage door. Using either a wrench or socket set, go over your entire garage door's nuts and bolts and tighten any that seem to be loose. Also be sure to look out for any worn parts and contact a garage repair professional to replace them if needed. This one step alone could potentially fix the loud noise your garage door was making, and takes very little time.

Clean the Tracks

Tracks can get clogged up with dirt and debris over time, and depending on where you live, the metal can sometimes erode due to road salt.

To clean the tracks, dislodge any grime, dirt and debris with a toothbrush. Then try applying disc break cleaner or paint thinner in the tracks and use a clean rag to wipe them down and get rid of the cleaner and other left over debris.

Lubricate

Make sure you grease every part of your garage door that moves. Start with the roller shafts and hinges, and wipe off any excess that is dripping off. Then take some cardboard and put it behind the torsion springs and lubricate those as well. Also be sure to lubricate the track, and open and close your garage door a few times to help distribute the oil. Lubricating your garage door should be done yearly to help your garage door run smoothly and quietly.

Replace Rollers

Another cause for loud garage doors are old, worn rollers. Open and close your garage door while watching your rollers to determine whether this is the source of all the noise. Also make sure you check if the rollers are worn, as they can deteriorate over time due to rolling around in a dirty environment. If they are, replace them by unbolting the hinge. Then, tilt roller out of the track and replace them with the new rollers before reinstalling the hinge.

If your rollers appear to be in fine condition, they might just need lubrication. Use some metal lubricant on the rollers. You could also consider replacing metal rollers with nylon ones, which are quieter but more expensive. If you decide to replace metal rollers with nylon ones, make sure you get a garage door specialist to come in and change them for you, particularly if they're ones installed in the bottom section.

Replace Hinges

Old garage doors will likely have worn down or torn up hinges. If the roller stem starts to wear down, it can result in noise. Sloppy hinges can make noise and lead to your garage door binding and wear down joints at the door sections. Make sure you inspect hinges for any wear and move them from side to side. Look for signs of wear: gray dust and metal filings are some early signs of wear. If all seems fine, try lubricating the hinges a little.

If the hinges require replacing, make sure you bring your old hinges, or write down the numbers that are stamped into the hinge, and pick up new hinges with the same numbers at the hardware store. For more tips or assistance, contact companies like AAA Garage Door, Inc.

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