Top 11 Ways on How to Quiet Garage Door

Imagine it is 3 in the morning, you coming home from late night party, you open your door, and unfortunately it squeaks all the way up. Well, that noise can be irritating, and the next thing you will be thinking about is how to quiet your garage door to avoid such distractions.

If you are looking for a way to quiet your garage door, it is important to note that the noise is from the entire system of the garage door and not just the door opener.

So, how do you quiet garage door?

You can quiet it on your own by using simple tips like; tightening up everything and lubricating the garage door components. You can also use torsion springs, a quiet door opener, replace any worn-out seals, and a door silencer.

In this guide, I will be highlighting different methods you can utilize on how to quiet a garage door so that it never makes noise again.

How to Quiet Garage Door

Lubricate the Door

Lubricating your garage door is a fantastic idea. When you lubricate it once or twice a year, it helps to decrease wearing out and keeps it smooth. If the door runs smoothly, it will not have so much disturbing noise when you try opening it or closing it.

To lubricate the garage door, you will need to purchase oil-based lithium.

I would recommend you buy the right lubricant and avoid normal oils not meant to lubricate the garage door. Using the wrong lubricant will only collect dirt and build up dust on the door.

Something like 3-IN-ONE – 100581 Professional Garage Door Lubricant will help get rid of those creaks and squeaks caused by dry metal surfaces rubbing against each other.

So, once you buy your lubricant, it is time to apply. Here are the parts you should apply;

• Apply on the hinges
• On the locks, it helps prevent rust and makes it easy to open or close
• The springs and bearing plates
• Rollers inside the garage door frame
• The rail where the door leans when opened fully

If you lubricate these parts, the garage door will function more quietly and smoothly. If you do this yearly or twice, your garage door will also have a prolonged life span.

Tighten Up the Nuts, Bolts, and Screws

Mostly, your door is making a lot of noise because the loose bolts, screws, or the nuts. So, one of the simplest ways of fixing this issue is to tighten everything up.

Over time, continuous vibrations loosen these garage door parts, making them start squeaking or rattling.

Therefore, if your garage door is making noise, first inspect these components. If they are loose, use the right tools like wrench spanner to tighten everything.

For this task, you will need something the Flexible Ratchet Wrench Set to ensure that all the loose bolts and nuts on your garage door stick tightly.

Ensure everything is perfect but don’t over-tighten the components.

Use a Quiet Garage Door Opener

If you are using an automatic door opener, it will make it easier to drive your vehicle into the garage. However, not every opener for garage doors is made equally in terms of the noise level.

For instance, belt-driven door openers are quieter compared to chain-driven door openers. Engines powered by AC are also very noisy, unlike modern engines powered by DC.

Therefore, replacing the old door open with a quieter opener improves the quietness when opening your garage door.

If you are looking a fantastic quiet door opener get Genie 7155-TKV, it is easy to install, strong and will help quiet your door.

Replace the Garage Door Springs with Torsion springs

Although garage springs are not the major reason it makes a lot of noise, they can also contribute to the noise.

With time, the spring wears out and begins squeaking or creaking. So, you should replace the springs and other components before they snap or break because it can be risky.

If you want to replace your older springs, buy torsion springs. Torsion springs have angular energy, making them excellent for opening garage doors.

The fantastic thing about torsion springs is that they don’t wear out easily compared to extension springs, making less noise. However, even after getting Torsion springs, ensure you regularly maintain them so that they can have a longer life span.

I would recommend you get Zhen T springs, they are of great quality and easy to install. Although it is not a difficult task to change extension springs with Torsion in your garage door, but I would recommend you get a professional to help because these springs hold much energy, and if you do not handle them right, they can be risky.

Replace the Door Rollers

Door rollers are essential components of the garage door; they roll to help keep your door on track when opening or closing. Door rollers are in both automatic and manual garage doors.

Mostly, you find most garages have steel rollers because they don’t wear out easily. Steel rollers are likely to cause noise when they roll on metal rails.

At the same time, the rollers will also deteriorate due to use over time. So, if your rollers are damaged, you will hear a rattle noise when you open your garage door.

You can lubricate them to reduce the noise, but lubricating is a temporary solution. So, if you want something more long-lasting, you can replace the roller.

If you decide to change the rollers, I would recommend you use Xike 10 nylon rollers. When you use plastic or nylon rollers, they will function more smoothly; hence there will be less noise.

However, before going for the nylon rollers, note that they wear out faster than steel. So, it would be best if you inspect them often and when they get damaged, replace them immediately.

 Insulate the Garage Door

Normally, garage doors are made of vinyl, steel, or aluminum materials. These materials are good at sending vibrations contributing to the noise made by the garage door.

So, to fix the noise, it is a good idea to start by preventing the doors from vibrating. One of those ways to avoid vibrating is insulating the garage door with the correct materials. Depending on your garage door type, you can use a mixture of dampening and mass materials.

For instance, if your garage is made of rolling material, you will stop it from rolling up when you fit rigid material. However, with a solid door, you will have various options to choose from.

If you decide to insulate your garage door, you can use mass-loaded vinyl, which will help with preventing the vibration.

Upgrade to Quiet Belt Drive Opener

Since metal chains make a terrible noise, you will find that many quiet garage doors rarely depend on metal chains to pull the door open or shut them.

So, if the metal chains make lots of noise, lubricate them or replace them with new chains. However, if that does not help, it is your time to upgrade to belt drive openers.

Using a belt-drive opener is quieter than metal chains. The good about these belts is that they do not require so much maintenance and are easy to replace. Using the belt openers also makes it easy for you to open the garage than using chain openers.

If you decide to upgrade to a belt-driven opener, you can do it in two ways. Either you can replace the entire chain door opener using the belt drive or add a belt to the old metal chain opener.

If you choose to add a belt to the existing chain opener, you should first confirm with an expert and see if it is possible to upgrade your current chain-drive opener.

Use a Garage Door Silencer  

Fitting a door silencer to your garage door will help with the noise. This is because even if you have a very quiet door opener, the doors are likely to have some vibration when you are closing or opening.

Since the door openers are bolted directly to the ceiling, the vibrations will most likely travel into the ceiling and on the above floor, causing disturbance to the whole building.

So, how does a door silencer work? It decouples the automatic door opener from the ceiling hence dampening any vibrations. It is easy to fix the garage door silencer. However, if you don’t know the process or are uncomfortable trying, get a professional to help you.

Replace Worn Weather Seals

Weather seals help provide sound-cushioning to your garage door when opening or closing. So, if the seals are worn out, the garage door will not be able to seal itself correctly. You will notice a slamming noise anytime you close your garage door.

To help fix this problem, you should replace any worn-out weather seals at the garage door with perfect weather seals. At the same time, ensure every side of the weather seal is fixed on the level with your garage door.

 Getting newer weather seals will cushion the door and quiet the noise.

 Add Rubber Isolators to Motor Mount

When in operation, garage doors will send vibrations and noise. The vibrations then transmit to the entire engine and amplify the noise.

Adding anti-vibration like m8 rubber pads to your door openers will prevent unwanted vibration, which amplifies noise on the garage door.

After installing, the anti-vibration isolators, you will get long screws to compensate for the slight thickness increase.

Replace Garage Door Bottom Seals

Mostly, the noise that comes from the garage door is blamed on every door mechanism, whether the rollers or springs. However, if your garage door is rattling, you will still find that it makes much noise just like the other mechanisms like rollers. So the door will be noisier when you close it than when you open it.

You can make your garage door quiet by replacing its seals with padding and bottom seals that fit perfectly.

If your door fits well and has adequate padding, it will not make as much noise because it won’t slam loudly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is my garage door so loud when opening?

If your garage door is noisy, it could be because some components of the door are loose, the rollers are worn-out, they lack lubrication, or your opener requires anti-vibration padding.

How do I make my garage door opener quieter?

If you want to quiet your garage door, you can start by lubricating the metal parts like the springs, rollers, tracks, and hinges.

Ensure you use the right lubricant like 10w30 oil after applying, and clean the excess using a rag.

Can you spray wd40 on the garage door?

Yes! You can use WD40 as a lubricant for your noisy garage door. It helps to lubricate and gives the parts a protective cover against moisture which can cause rusting and corrosion.

Should the garage door chain be lubricated?

Yes, it is important to lubricate the door chain of your garage at least two times a year. Please note that you should not use oil with solvents or oil that might attract dust.

When you lubricate your door, it ensures the chain moves smoothly without friction and closes more quietly.

Final Thoughts on How to Quiet Garage Door

On average, the openers of your garage door can last about ten years or more with proper care and maintenance.

So, if your door opener is already making so much noise and announcing to almost the entire neighborhood you have arrived, you should inspect it.

It can be irritating, a bother, and even affect others, especially when it makes a noise at odd hours.

So, how do you quiet garage door? First, know the source of noise and fix it using the tips discussed in this article. You should not assume the noise is only coming from the opener only but inspect the entire system of the garage door.

As you quiet your garage door, it is important to note that it is impossible to achieve complete silence, but you will reduce the disturbing noise.

Therefore, fix the problem as soon as you notice your garage door is noisy. Also, ensure you lubricate your garage door components once or twice a year to avoid wearing out faster and more friction; it will prevent too much noise.

 However, if after trying the above methods, the problem does not cease, consult an expert.