Why is my garage door so noisy? It’s so annoying!
Your garage door is made up of an intricate system of pulleys, cables, gears, and springs, so there are many parts that can cause the door to make noise. Some of these are easily fixed, and some require the services of a trained garage door technician.
First, you need to identify the type of opener you own: screw drive, chain drive, or belt drive. Chain drive doors are noisy. Period. This doesn’t make them a bad choice. Chain drive doors are relatively inexpensive, long-lasting, and reliable in extreme climates. Regular lubrication will lessen the noise, but it’s not going to go away. Screw drive doors are less noisy early but become as noisy as chain drive doors over time. A belt drive door is quiet when it’s working properly.
If the door is not balanced, it can become noisy, or it can even stop operating. You can check the balance of the door by pulling the red emergency release cord and operating the door manually. Raise the door manually about halfway, and then release it. If it is properly balanced, it will have little movement. If it is unbalanced, it will begin to fall. Typically, worn springs are the problem. Extension springs, which run along the sides of the door, can easily be replaced by the homeowner. Torsion springs, which run along the top of the door, need to be handled with care. You probably need to call a professional garage door repair service.
A simple problem to fix is a hinge. If the noise you hear is a squeak, oiling the hinges may be the solution. Do you hear a grinding noise? This could mean a bent gear and sprocket and they would need to be replaced. The gear and sprocket are located inside the main console. Unless you know a lot about machinery, you will probably need to call a professional garage door repair service. If you opt to do the job yourself, make sure you unplug the unit!
If you hear a ticking sound, a loud ticking sound, the problem is probably worn bearings, either in the pulley or the rollers. You need to replace the bearings. Make sure you know how to do this as you could become seriously injured.
Possibly, the coils of the springs have become bent and are rubbing against each other. If this is the problem, you will hear a grating noise. The spring must be replaced. Refer to the third paragraph regarding torsion springs and extension springs.
If you decide to do the work on the door yourself, be extremely careful. A garage door is a heavy piece of equipment that can cause damage to people and property if it is not handled with knowledge and caution.