What Are You Building?

You don't exactly expect your garage door to operate without making any noise at all, but you also don't expect it to be loud enough to annoy your neighbors. If your garage door is excessively loud, there is a clear reason why. Getting to the bottom of the noise and solving the problem isn't that complicated; here are some tips to help you get started.  

Balancing Issues

Garage doors operate best when the weight of the door is evenly distributed along the track. When the correct balance doesn't occur, this can lead to instability, which manifests in the form of noise. If poor balance is to blame, you might be hearing a banging or knocking type of noise as the door is moving along the track. Resolving this issue can be dangerous and complicated, requiring a professional, but you can safely test for instability on your own.

From the open position, start by using the emergency lever to lower the door. Next, raise the door until it's about half-way open. While still holding the door, move your body back away from the path of the door and then release it. If the door stays open, you aren't dealing with a balancing issue. However, if the door starts to lower, even if just a little, the door is unbalanced.

Spring Malfunction

Overtime, the hinges and springs that support the door and track can start to malfunction. In some instances, the malfunction can easily be resolved, but in some cases, they need to be replaced. A squeaking noise when the door moves along the track signifies a minor issue with springs and hinges. This squeaking sound typically means that these parts simply need to be lubricated.

You can head out to a local home improvement store and select an appropriate lubricant and perform this step on your own. However, if you are hearing a grinding type of noise when the door operates, this is generally a sign that one or more of the springs or hinges have actually failed and they need to be replaced. You will need a professional to pinpoint exactly which component has failed so do not attempt this repair on your own.   

There are a number of additional reasons why a garage door might be overly loud while operating; however, you don't have to let a loud garage door bother you. A professional technician can help you get to the bottom of the problem and quickly resolve it for you. Contact a company like Plano Overhead Garage Door for more information.