Learning All About Barn-Style Garage Doors

Posted on: 10 July 2017

Garage doors can get noisier as time goes on. However, the resulting clatter can quickly turn into an annoyance for your neighbors and anyone living above your garage. The noise your garage door makes may also be a sign that it could use some well-needed maintenance. Here are some tips you can use to stop your garage door from making those annoying rattling, screeching, and clattering noises.

Tighten Up Loose Hardware

Over time, the various nuts and bolts holding your garage door hardware together can loosen to a small degree. It's usually not enough to cause any serious issues, but just enough to create the rattling and clattering that's all-too-common with many garage doors. If left unchecked, these loose fasteners may eventually come out completely, resulting in missing bolts and loose garage door components.

It's a good idea to check and, when necessary, tighten each and every fastener holding your garage door hardware together. Also be on the lookout for any nuts or bolts with stripped-out threads. Avoid over-tightening the fasteners, as this could damage them and make it much harder to replace certain garage door components in the future.

Minimize Excessive Vibration

Even after tightening up every nut and bolt on your garage door hardware, there's still a good chance your garage door will create vibrations every time it moves. Fortunately, there are a couple of ways you can reduce these vibrations to a minimum.

The first involves placing rubber washers with every nut and bolt holding your garage door hardware together. Using rubber washers to isolate each fastener from the actual hardware will prevent vibrations from traveling throughout the garage door mechanism, as the rubber washers will soak up most of these vibrations.

The second option involves isolating the garage door opener from the garage door by using straps or mounting brackets made from heavy-duty rubber. If your garage door opener is the cause of your door's excessive vibration, then isolating the opener with rubber mounts should significantly reduce this vibration.

Lubricate Those Moving Parts

Another common reason for an excessively noisy garage door involves poor or nonexistent lubrication. Without the right amount of lubrication, the resulting metal-on-metal contact between hinges, bearings, and other moving garage door components can create those terrible squealing and screeching noises. A lack of proper lubrication can also cause these components to wear out faster.

Proper lubrication of your garage door's moving parts should always be a part of your annual garage door maintenance. Silicone-based spray lubricants and white lithium grease are usually ideal for lubricating garage door components. Steer clear of water-displacing lubricants, as these usually contain solvents that are not ideal for long-term lubrication.

Remove Rust Whenever Possible

Rust buildup on garage door components not only makes those components difficult to move, but they'll also generate a lot of noise as they move. Fortunately, it doesn't take much to deal with rust buildup. Here's what you can do if you happen to spot any rust on your garage door components:

• Soak a clean cloth in white vinegar and use it to wipe down the rusted area. The vinegar will help dissolve some of the rust, making it a little easier to remove.
• Use a steel wool pad to rub away the rust buildup. Wipe the area down once more with the white vinegar.
• Use fine grit sandpaper to finish up any areas that still have rust buildup. Use a damp, clean cloth to wipe the surface clean.

Keep in mind that certain components, such as the garage door springs, cables, and bearings, should be replaced rather than cleaned if they happen to succumb to rust buildup. Contact a company like Georgia Garage Doors Inc. if you need help diagnosing garage door problems.