Why Is My Garage Door Noisy?

Your garage door & garage door opening system are meant to open and close smoothly with little to no noise. However, normal wear and tear & other factors like loose or broken garage door parts can seem to all of a sudden make your garage door noisy! Maybe it’s just a slight banging you hear when you go to open your garage door or perhaps it has started to squeak whenever the door is operated at all. No matter the sound, not only is a noisy garage door annoying it can also mean it may be in need of lubrication or repairs.

If your garage door is loud when opening & closing it could be time to upgrade your garage door insulation!

There are many reasons your garage door may be noisy, from improper maintenance to normal wear & tear, a bent track, becoming off-balance, or a loose part (rollers, nuts, chains, hinges, springs, etc.). The key is to listen to the type of noise being emitted and to take note of when the noise is happening during the open/close cycle. If you hear a banging noise it could mean that your door is off track or you may be in need of garage door panel replacement. A rattling noise usually means there are loose nuts or bolts or the opener support rails or chains could be loose. A scraping noise could indicate an unbalanced garage door which can be extremely dangerous. Clinking can indicate rust build-up causing garage door springs to rub together! And a popping noise usually signals a torsion spring has snapped and you should call a garage door repair service immediately. Any type of broken/snapped garage door spring or unbalanced door should be looked at and repaired by an experienced garage door expert as soon as possible.

Causes of A Noisy Garage Door

Improper Maintenance
Normal Wear & Tear
Bent Tracks
Loose Parts – rollers, nuts, chains, springs
Door Is Off-Balance
Opener Needs Repair/Replacement
Hinges/Rollers Need Lubrication

The Importance of Garage Door Maintenance

Garage doors are subject to the different weather elements, everyday use, and here in Arizona the extreme heat during the summer months. These things all collectively work together and wear on the many parts that compromise your garage door. That being said to ensure that your garage door is in proper working order & is performing as efficiently as possible it is important to schedule regular garage door maintenance with a trusted garage door company. Regular garage door maintenance helps to ensure that any repairs needed are spotted sooner rather than later which can help prevent serious injury or accidents as well as costly garage door repairs or replacement. Maintenance also helps to ensure that your garage door tracks are free of dirt & debris which can hinder movement & create a noisy garage door!

Lubricating Your Garage Door

Remember when your garage door starts making noise it’s trying to tell your something. If a little lubrication is needed it is important to add it anywhere needed as soon as possible.

Garage door parts that are rubbing together causing friction & heat, are bound to break completely, causing a dangerous more costly issue. This is also why it is important to lubricate your garage door and its moving metal parts regularly and not just in times of distress.

While it is always advised to work with a reputable garage door repair company, should you look to lubricate your garage door parts yourself we highly suggest that the garage door is disconnected from any power source before beginning. And while WD-40 may be used to help lubricate parts we suggest using lithium grease. Lithium grease will not cause dirt build-up over time like WD-40. Should you find a lot of dirt build-up, a little bit of brake cleaner goes a long way to help remove built-up grime.

In the end, your garage door is responsible for much of the heavy lifting in life (literally) and should be taken care of and maintained to ensure the safety of people and personal property. And proper garage door maintenance & lubrication can help to extend the overall lifespan of your door while also ensuring it is always in proper working order.

The Difference Between Torsion Springs & Extension Springs

When it comes to your garage door there are many moving & working parts that all play a big role in the opening and closing of the door both safely & efficiently. That being said when one of these parts is in need of repair or replacement, your garage door usually does not work properly or efficiently and can also pose a big safety risk. One of the most frequent garage door issues that will definitely hinder the use of your door & cause possible safety hazards, is broken springs.

There are two different main types of garage door springs. Both types of springs play a significant and big role in the overall motion of your garage door. And because both of these types of springs are big and hold a lot of force & tension they are also quite dangerous to try to replace or repair yourself. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves let’s first discuss the two different types of garage door springs.

Extension Springs

Your garage door extension springs are found running parallel to the garage door track. They are long & skinny and extend/ stretch whenever the garage door is opened or closed. With this action the springs store energy to help with the movement of your door. Extension springs come in a variety of different spring options such as, open-looped, double-looped, and clipped end extension springs. While there are many different sets of instructions & videos available showing how to replace or repair these springs on your own, there are a few important things to keep in mind. You need to be careful of falling garage doors, cuts from rusted metal on the spring or garage door track, and activated garage door openers during the repair process. Because of these hazards, it is always best to seek the help of a garage door spring repair expert.

Torsion Springs

You may have anywhere from 1 to 4 torsion springs incorporated with your garage door depending on the strength, weight, and size of your door. These springs can usually be found on the metal shaft directly above the door opening. On either side of the metal shaft are aluminum drums. The springs are wound around the drums to a certain torsion setting. These springs come in a variety of different options including, standard torsion springs, early set torsion springs, steel rolling door torsion springs, and torque master torsion springs. These springs are the most dangerous of the two springs to try to repair or replace yourself and definitely should be handled by a professional. Not only do you run the risk of activating the garage door opener, or a falling garage door, changing these springs on your own exposes you to serious safety risks. Because of the amount of tension these springs hold they often break which results in a flying spring or metal.

The most common residential garage door spring problems usually include any of the different extension springs and standard or early set torsion springs. The steel rolling door torsion springs and torque master torsion springs are most common in commercial or industrial doors. The springs on commercial or industrial doors absolutely should be repaired or replaced by a professional garage door repair technician.

Tips To Keep Your Garage Door From Breaking Down

If you are eager to learn more about garage door maintenance and safety, you have come to the right place. Usually, the garage door is the largest movable object inside your home. When used correctly; your garage door allows you to park your vehicles, garages can be used as storage space or you may use it as an additional living space for your house. Your garage can even help you save money if insulated properly.

Here Are Some Tips To Keep Your Garage Door From Breaking Down

Though having a garage door is very convenient, it can also be very dangerous causing serious injury, or even death. Even if you are capable of making small repairs to your garage door, we always suggest that you call a professional. Especially if you are in need of a new garage door installation or spring replacement for your existing garage door, leave that task to the professionals. So here are some tips to keep your garage door from breaking down.

Call A Professional

‘Do-It-Yourselfers’ repairman can easily be injured when working on a garage door, but children can also be seriously injured. Small children have a bad reputation of playing with garage doors. If you have little ones, it is important to teach them that the garage door is an operating system, and not a toy.

Feel free to take time to browse around the Parker Doors & More website for more information on the products and services we provide. Our goal is to offer information and techniques to best maintain your garage door so you can get the most of its use over the years. We will show you how to perform routine checkups and outline garage door safety for all ages.

Garage Door Safety

Not only does Parker Doors & More want you to be educated on your garage door, we also want you and your family to be safe when operating the door at all times. Here are safety tips for you and your children:

Do not play with the garage door or garage door opener. They are dangerous if misused and can cause serious injury, or even death.

When the door is closing, do not stand, walk or run in the door’s path.

Children should not be allowed to have access to the remote controls or push the wall controls for the garage door opener systems. Keep all remotes out of reach of children.

Keep fingers and hands away from the door sections when the garage door is opening or closing to avoid injury.

Perform routine maintenance on the door to keep it operating properly. Annual maintenance by a trained technician is recommended.

Remember that the garage door is powered by electricity. Always unplug the garage opener before repairing the wiring and other electrical issues.

Never attempt to repair garage door springs or garage door cables. Cables and springs are under a high amount of tension. Special tools are needed to repair and install garage door springs and cables. It is best if a trained service technician performed these repairs.

If someone backed into the garage door, call a service technician to perform a full inspection. Even though it may look as if no physical damage was done, the alignment can be off, creating a dangerous environment.

Garage Door Check-up

Below are a few maintenance techniques you can perform on your garage door to ensure it is working properly. By following these maintenance directions, you will better understand how your garage door operates and you will be able to prevent any major, costly repairs. Before you perform these tests, make sure everyone in your household is aware that you are working on the garage door and it should not be used.

Perform the following in this order:

Monthly Visual Inspection: Stand inside the garage with the door closed. Inspect the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and the mounting hardware. Check for signs of any damage, fraying, wear or tear. Does the mounting hardware look loose? Are the cables beginning to fray? If something doesn’t look right, or if the garage door doesn’t sound right, call Parker Doors & More to have the garage door inspected by a professional.
Monthly Balance Test: If you have an automatic opener for your garage, close the door and disconnect the automatic opener. Once the automation is disconnected, manually open the garage door. The door should lift smoothly with very little resistance. Once the garage door is fully open, it should stay open on its own. If the door is difficult to open, or if it doesn’t stay open on its own, the door might be out of balance and will need to be looked at by a professional.
Monthly Reverse Mechanism and Photo Eye Test: Garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993 are required, by law, to be equipped a reverse mechanism, meaning that is something is in the garage door path while closing, the door will automatically reverse.
Photo Eyes. If your garage door has photo eyes, or sensors at the bottom of the garage door, test to see if the sensors are working properly. Push the button to close the garage door. While the door is closing, place an object where the garage door touches the ground, blocking the sensors. The garage door should reverse automatically. If your door fails any of these tests, call a professional from Parker Doors & More.
Semi-Annual Lubrication: Apply a small amount of spray lubricant to the door hinges, rollers and tracks.

The Take Away

Although some of these tips may be obvious to some, we can easily forget them with our day to day lives. Apply these tips to keeping your garage door from breaking down, and you’ll increase your garage door’s life span.

Garage Door Service 24/7

Parker Door’s & More is a leading garage door repair company in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. We provide high-quality garage door services for commercial and residential customers throughout the Valley. We are family owned and operated, established in 1988. We only work with high-quality garage door and opener products and aim for exceptional customer service.

Help! I Backed Into My Garage Door!

It’s Monday morning. You’re exhausted from a long weekend. Everything is falling apart. Kids don’t want to go to school, you spill coffee on your shirt, you burn the toast, and now you’re late for work. You run to your car in the garage, throw it in reverse and then WHAM, you back straight into your garage door because you forgot to open it. It’s embarrassing but believe us, it happens a lot.

So now what? Well, the first thing you should do is contact Parker Doors for fast and reliable garage door repair service.

But then the questions start. You have a damaged garage and a damaged car. Is insurance going to cover any of this? Do you contact your homeowner’s insurance agent or your car insurance agent? More than likely, the answer is both.

Generally speaking, car insurance only covers your car against loss whether it’s from an accident, a telephone pole falls on your car, or some dirtbag steals your car. Some auto insurance policies do include property damage coverage, but that only comes into play when it’s somebody else’s property as your own personal property is normally excluded. So if the above scenario happens at a friend’s house, then your car insurance could possibly provide coverage for the garage damage, but repairing your friendship is all your responsibility.

If your garage is attached to your home it’s considered part of the structure and therefore is usually covered by homeowners insurance

Let’s assume it’s your own garage. If your garage is attached to your home it’s considered part of the structure and therefore it’s usually covered by homeowners insurance. The tricky part is whether or not the insurance company considers the damage a result of your own negligence. Perhaps you hit the garage door opener button as you do every morning, but for some reason, this morning the garage failed to open. Maybe a cat ran in as you were opening the garage and tripped the auto-reverse sensor. Or maybe it was just all your fault.

Your best bet when something like this occurs is to call a garage repair professional immediately so they can assess and diagnose the situation. It’s possible repairing your garage door may cost less than your deductible so there would be no need for an insurance claim. It’s also possible their report can help you prove the accident wasn’t your fault.

Ultimately it all depends on your insurance policies. It’s good idea to review your policy with your insurance agents so they can advise what is covered and what isn’t.

Have a question? Contact Parker Doors – family owned and operated since 1998!

602-870-9848

Garage Door Repair – Holiday Specials

The holidays are a time for presents and parties, which means money is always being spent! There is nothing worse than experiencing garage door issues during the holiday. We don’t want this to be an area where you have to spend tons of money. So we decided to show you, our customer, that we are providing amazing specials for this holiday season.

To avoid having major garage door repairs in your future, it’s a smart idea to do regular maintenance check-ups. That’s why we have provided you with our Tune & Lube Special. If you are trying to improve the overall look of your home, before family comes into town, we have a discount on any new garage door & opener.

Take this holiday season to prepare your home for the new year, by allowing us the opportunity to take care of all of your garage door repairs. Make your home holiday ready! Parker Garage Doors & More is proud to be the Valley’s one-stop source for quality garage door services.

Springs
Openers
New Garage Doors
Roller Replacements
Commercial Garage Replacements

For more information on how we can help you with your garage door repairs, call us at:

Phoenix Area – 602-870-9848

Lake Havasu & Parker, AZ – 928) 216-5756

Sales - Service - Repair - Installation