29 September 2015
 Categories: , Articles

The constant clattering of a noisy garage door can get a bit tiring after a while. Fortunately, a noisy garage door isn't something that you have to put up with forever. The tips and tricks listed below can help you bring a little peace and quiet to your driveway while keeping your garage door in excellent shape.

Tighten Up Those Loose Nuts and Bolts

The constant movement and vibration generated by your garage door as it opens and closes can cause the various nuts and bolts holding it all together to back out of their threads. Over time, this can cause various parts of your garage door system to become progressively looser until you start hearing those characteristic rattling and chattering noises.

For this reason, it's always a good idea to inspect each and every fastener tasked with holding your garage door system together. If you do encounter any loose bolts, simply take a ratchet with the appropriate sized socket and tighten the nuts until they fit snugly once more. You can also apply a small amount of thread-locking adhesive to the bolt threads to keep further vibrations from working the nuts loose.

Another idea for keeping vibration to a minimum involves using rubber washers to isolate the garage door hardware from the rest of the garage structure. This will help bring those troublesome vibrations down to a minimum.

Lubricate and Adjust Those Chains

If you have a garage door opener that relies on a chain to open and close the door, you may have noticed that it tends to sag and slacken with time and use. The end result is a chain that tends to flop around and make noise as it pulls and lowers the garage door.

As the Natural Handyman explains, there are two ways you can adjust the garage door opener chain:

• You can adjust the chain by locating the adjustment mechanism at or near the chain's engagement point with the garage door cable. Locate and loosen the inner nut, then turn the outer nut in a clockwise direction to tighten up the chain. However, you'll want to leave at least a half-inch of slack in the center of the chain.
• You can adjust the chain at the opener trolley guide rail or tube. Simply locate the adjustment screw at the top of the garage door opener body and turn it clockwise until the chain is properly taut. Again, make sure not to overtighten the chain.

Also, don't forget to lubricate the chains. A silicone-based lubricating spray can work wonders at keeping the chains oiled up. However, you can also use ordinary motor oil as a quick and dirty alternative. Penetrating oils with water-displacing properties can prevent rust, but the lubricant is usually too light to withstand the constant movement.  

Replace Those Rollers

Most garage doors use metal roller bearings that eventually wear down and create noise over time. For many homeowners, this is the source of the characteristic clattering noise heard when opening and closing the garage door. Fortunately, you have a couple of options to choose from when replacing these rollers:

• You can upgrade to a set of nylon roller bearings. These plastic bearings offer lower friction than comparable metal roller bearings while requiring no lubrication. However, these tend to wear a bit faster than your typical metal rollers, so you may find yourself replacing these a bit sooner than you'd normally expect.
• You can simply replace the current metal roller bearings with a high-quality set of the same. They're not as quiet as nylon rollers, but they tend to last longer and are usually less expensive to purchase.

If you're using metal rollers, don't forget to lubricate them, as well. Not only does this offer quieter and smoother operation, but it'll also protect them from premature rust and corrosion. 

If you find your garage door has more extensive issues, contact a professional repair service like AAA Garage Door, Inc.