Emily RiversDo you have a noisy garage door? It’s normal for a garage door to make some creaking sounds as it opens, but if it makes a dreadful racket every time you open it, that’s not quite right.
Luckily, once you know the cause of your noisy garage door you can take some steps to tame it.
Follow our tips to stop your garage door from terrifying the neighbours every time you open it.
What are the causes of a noisy garage door?
The unfortunate truth about garage doors is that there could be a number of things that are causing the door to make a noise as it opens. There are lots of different moving parts that could be causing the problem.
The most common cause of a noisy garage door is friction. As the mechanisms in the garage door get older, lubrication will decrease and the parts can rub against each other, making a noise that resembles fingernails on a blackboard.
Bolts and screws can also come loose on garage doors, and they may wear out and need replacing. Hinges and rollers on the door itself can also wear out.
Most of the time, these causes are annoying and can be an inconvenience, but they are normally a localised problem and can be sorted out easily. But some causes of garage door noise, especially if you have an old garage door, can signal a safety problem that should be sorted out as soon as possible.
Should you fix a normal garage door yourself?
As we mentioned before, if there is little lubrication left on the door you can simply apply a lubricant to the moving parts to stop the garage door from making so much noise. There are special lubricants for garage doors, but any silicone lubricant will be fine. Garage door experts warn not to use WD-40 though, as this can attract dirt and also drip on your car.
Another thing you can do yourself is check that all nuts and bolts are tight, which will help reduce noise.
When you should call a garage door specialist
If you’re worried about trying to tame your noisy garage door yourself, always call a professional. It’s not worth risking if you’re not sure what to do. Always call a pro if any of the parts need replacing – never attempt this yourself.
It’s also worth getting your garage door opener replaced if it is more than 20 years old and is beginning to get noisy, as modern ones are much quieter and run smoothly for longer.
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