Learn How To Quell Those Garage Door Noises
Posted on: 28 October 2015
The sound of an opening or closing garage door is a common staple throughout suburbia. But that doesn't mean that your neighbors or your loved ones want to hear you make your grand entrance or exit every time you leave or enter your garage. Besides, the loud racket your garage door makes could also be a sign of serious problems on the horizon.
The following offers a few pointers you can use to nip garage door noise problems in the bud and give your neighbors and loved ones some peace and quiet.
Lubricate Those Moving Parts
Hinges, tracks, chains and rollers are all parts that require lubrication on a regular basis. Without it, the constant friction can cause these parts to wear out prematurely and make plenty of noise along the way. If you happen to hear any squeaking, squealing or other noises indicating metal-on-metal contact, then there's probably a component somewhere that needs lubricating.
You'll want to lubricate your garage door's moving parts on a bi-annual basis. Some garage door manufacturers recommend non-silicone lubricants like white lithium grease, while others allow silicone spray lubricants to be used. You can also use ordinary motor oil to lubricate chains and springs, although you'll have to be careful about application to avoid making a mess of your garage floor.
Steer clear of water-dispersing lubricants, as these lubricants do not provide the same level of lubrication as lithium grease or other lubricants. Most water-dispersing lubricants are actually solvents designed to dissolve rust and other compounds, creating a temporary lubricating effect that quickly wears away over time. Petroleum-based lubricants also won't work as well, especially in cold weather.
Don't forget that lubrication can also protect metal garage door parts against premature rusting and corrosion.
Tighten Up Those Loose Nuts and Bolts
Over time, the constant vibration your garage door creates can cause various nuts and bolts to slowly but surely undo themselves. This phenomenon leads to loose garage door hardware, which usually causes the chattering, rattling and other annoying noises you've been hearing.
All you'll have to do is check each nut, bolt and screw on your garage door's tracks, frame, hinges and other hardware. If necessary, tighten each loose fastener and make sure the components being held by those fasteners are firmly in place.
To cut down on vibrations, you can isolate the garage door hardware from the actual structure by placing anti-vibration pads between your garage door's mounting brackets and the garage. You can also place rubber washers between the fastener and whatever component is being fastened.
Replace Aging Rollers
If your garage door remains noisy after you've had it properly lubricated, then you may want to check out the rollers. Over time, these components can develop surface imperfections that can cause clattery, jerky movement that even ample amounts of lubrication can't fix. When this happens, you'll want to swap your old rollers for a brand-new set.
Most garage doors use metal rollers. They're reliable and durable, but they do create a small amount of noise in normal operation. For quieter day-to-day operation, you'll want to choose rollers made from nylon plastic. Nylon creates less noise on metal garage door tracks, at the expense of overall durability. In most cases, you'll need to replace nylon rollers at shorter intervals than you normally would with traditional metal rollers.
Replace Your Garage Door Springs
Torsion and extension springs can pop, chatter and creak as they reach replacement age, usually due to metal fatigue. Most springs are good for approximately 10,000 cycles, or 6 to 8 years of constant use. If it's been that long since you've last had your garage door springs replaced, then you should consider having them replaced again.
Replacing garage door springs, especially torsion springs, is a job that's fraught with safety risks. It's usually recommended to have a professional perform this task unless you are comfortable with doing it on your own and highly aware of the safety precautions that must be taken throughout this task.
For more information, contact a local garage door company like Academy Door & Control Corporation.
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