Noisy garage doors are no picnic. The good news is they are fairly easy to repair — as far as garage door repairs go. All it usually takes is a can of garage door lube spray and a wrench to tighten any loose bolts — and you’re good to go. Make the neighbors happy by eliminating that unsettling noise and impress the wife with your incredible DIY garage door repair skills. (You don’t need to tell her it was this easy.)
Why is Your Garage Door Noisy?
Before you participate in a DIY repair, it’s key to note why exactly you’re repairing your door. This can help you understand garage doors more, which in turn can help you impart your knowledge onto others.
If your garage door emits a squeaking sound, it’s possible that something is loose, likely your hinge or rollers. If your door is stuttering and shaking when you open or close it, chances are the door’s moving parts are in need of desperate lubrication. It’s also possible that certain key garage door parts are loose. Beyond general maintenance, garage doors will need to repaired if they’re simply too old and parts have worn out. As we’ve mentioned, it’s quite simple to fix your garage door’s noise problem so get your wrench ready.
Tightening Loose Parts
To begin this simply garage door repair, take a deep socket ratchet wrench and tighten down all loose parts on your garage door (especially the bolts that attach the brackets). While you’re at it, look for any worn or damaged garage door parts like your rollers, brackets, etc. Keep an eye out for garage door parts that have rusted – they’ll need to be replaced soon to mitigate any costly repairs. Most garage doors have unsealed bearings that will self-destruct as time takes its course. These you’ll want to replace as well.
(You might want to replace with nylon rollers. These are a little more expensive than steel, but are much quieter. It’s well worth it — especially if your door is near a living room or bedroom, or if the neighbors are sensitive.)
If you notice an oblong hole on the hinge, you’ll want to replace it. While some movement is fine in a hinge, too much makes your garage door noisy and can cause other parts to wear out faster. Gray dust and metal filings are other signs it’s time to replace the hinge.
If you’re a garage door novice, make it a point to leave door spring repair to the experts. Trying to repair a door spring without experience can lead to the door falling, which can lead to serious damage. That’s not to mention the tension that the spring is under, which could result in personal injury. Stick your local garage door repair services when it comes to your spring – you’ll thank us later.
Lubricating Your Door
Next, go over every moving part with a garage door lubricant. (Not WD40. This will cause your garage door to rust prematurely.) A spray works best, but you can always use a paint brush to get in all the nooks and crannies. You can find lubricants at the hardware store specifically made for garage doors.
This is a garage door repair you really should do every 3 months or so. You’ll notice the results (and so will your wife). This garage doors repair only takes 30 minutes, but you can stretch out the job so it looks more impressive. It will be our little secret.
Is Your Door Still Making Noise?
If you’ve tried lubricating the garage door’s moving parts and tightened any parts that feel loose and find still yourself with a loud door, don’t feel defeated. If your overhead door opener uses a chain and the noise is similar to a rattling, there’s a strong chance that it will be need to replaced or repaired by a garage door service. If you hear a popping sound, your torsion spring is no longer functioning as it should and has likely snapped. As any garage door novice should know, the spring is only to be touched by experts.