One of the most common problems we are asked to assist with is a “Noisy Garage Door”.
Garage doors are made up of many pieces of hardware. All of which require routine maintenance by the homeowner. That said there are several main things that can contribute to Garage Door noise.
Firstly, and most obvious, is lubrication. A garage door is full of points of flex, roll, and turn that all create friction. Friction without proper lubrication is the most common and easily solvable noise issue. Our technicians are all fully stocked with the proper type of Garage Door Lubricant and can help the customer better understand when and where they should be lubricating.
Additionally this is one of the most misdiagnosed issues of a Garage Door. Lubrication is sometimes an oversimplification to a greater, and most oftenly, more concerning underlying issue. Lubrication is important! But also not always the answer to every noise issue or function issue.
Secondly, noise is a result of age and use. A typical garage door system, and the hardware within, is rated for a certain number of cycles from the factory. The math is relatively simple. If a door’s hardware is rated for 10,000 cycles and the customer uses the door 2 times a day on average, the cycle rating will be exceeded after 13.69 years. 2*365 = 730 cycles/year; 10,000/730 = 13.69 years This is not a guaranteed or exact prediction of the life cycle, but an explanation for reasonable
expectations.
This cycle rating is also why we always require every spring on the door be changed at the same time. This prevents the broken one being replaced just to have the other intact spring break within days or weeks of the first. They have the same cycle rating and therefore should always be replaced at the same time.
A high use customer who uses the door twice as much as the average person can expect half he life of the parts, and someone who rarely uses the door can typically expect a longer life. his provides an explanation to someone who has a 20 year old door that’s still working, vs someone with a 5 year old door with a hardware issue. It’s simple. The more you use it, the
more maintenance it needs. That’s where we come in! We offer high cycle repair kits as well as a variety of warranty solutions based on each individual’s needs!
Lastly, a noisy door can be misinterpreted for a noisy motor. Noisy door operators can mask the door noise you should be hearing. Noisy operators are also a result of the quality of the motor when purchased, as well as stress and use related problems. Typically the average life of most contractor grade operators is 15 years. The conditions under which it is used combined with the quality of the construction, brand, model etc, contribute to how long these typically last before
becoming noisy or faulty. These are not all of the reasons that a door can become noisy, but it is a great place to start in
understanding. Noise is usually indicative of a larger issue. One that can be resolved cheaper, and more efficiently than an entire garage door system. Which can happen as a result of ignoring the warning signs. We offer all repair and door estimates for FREE in order to point the customer in the right direction and give an accurate assessment of the needs for each individual!