Noises can often be one of the key indicators that something is going wrong with a system or component in your home, and a great example here is your garage door. While garage doors naturally make some basic noise while they open and close, home or building owners come to expect these typical sounds on a regular basis. As a result, it’s usually pretty easy to notice unexpected noises that might signal a problem taking place.
At Accent Garage Doors, we’re here to help with this and any other kind of garage door issue you may be experiencing. We offer a comprehensive range of garage door services, including garage door repair for several different issues — strange noises included. While our page on garage door noise (linked in the last sentence) contains valuable information on some of the general issues that might be causing unusual noises in general, our blog today will focus on the other side of this coin: Specific sounds you might hear if your door is having some problems, and what these exact sounds could be telling you. Let’s dive in.
Rumbling Sound
While most garage doors do have some level of low rumbling as part of their standard operations, you may notice some occasions where this sound becomes louder, more pronounced, or any number of other variations that make it stand out from the norm. If this happens, it’s often an indicator that your garage door’s spring or coil tension is beginning to wear down.
You see, when your garage door’s springs or coils are fresh, they’re able to hold the door up with relative ease and allow it to move smoothly along its tracks. However, over time these parts will gradually wear out and lose some of their tension, causing them to work less effectively and making that low rumbling sound more noticeable as a result.
If you believe your garage door’s springs or coils might be wearing out, it’s important that you have them inspected and replaced by a professional as soon as possible. These parts are integral to your door’s smooth operation, and if they’re not in good working order, it could cause major problems down the line.
Squeaking or Squealing Sound
If you hear a high-pitched squeaking or squealing sound coming from your garage door, this is usually an indication that there’s some sort of friction problem taking place. Friction can occur in a few different ways when it comes to garage doors, but one of the most common causes has to do with the tracks.
If your garage door’s tracks are out of balance, meaning they’re not perfectly level or aligned, this can cause the door to move unevenly along them as it opens and closes. This uneven movement will then create friction between the tracks and the door itself, leading to that telltale squeaking or squealing noise.
In some cases, this kind of friction problem can be resolved simply by readjusting the tracks so they’re level again. However, if the issue is more serious — such as bent or damaged tracks — you may need to have them replaced entirely.
Banging Noises
What about specific issues of banging or pounding coming from your garage door? These sounds can vary quite a bit in terms of both intensity and frequency, but they all generally point to the same problem: Your door’s panels have become defective and are banging against each other or the frame as a result.
This kind of problem is usually caused by either physical damage to the door itself (such as from an accident) or longstanding wear and tear that’s finally taken its toll. In either case, the solution is typically the same: You’ll need to have the damaged panels replaced with new ones.
Clinking
In other situations, you may hear a metallic clinking noise instead of (or in addition to) the banging. This sound is usually indicative of two specific problems: loose hardware or a problem with the door’s rollers.
In the first case, if your door’s panels are banging against each other or the frame as we just discussed, this can cause the various pieces of hardware holding the panels in place to become loose over time. These hardware pieces can then begin to clink against each other, creating that characteristic noise.
The second potential issue has to do with the rollers themselves. Just like with the tracks, if your door’s rollers are out of balance or not properly aligned, this can cause them to create friction as the door moves. This friction can then lead to the rollers themselves becoming loose and clinking around inside the tracks.
If you believe either of these issues might be to blame for the clinking noise you’re hearing, it’s important to have a professional take a look as soon as possible. In both cases, left unchecked, these problems can cause much more serious damage to your door down the road.
Possible Opener Issue Sounds
In addition to the above, there are a few specific sounds that may indicate a problem with your garage door opener unit. For instance, a rattling or grinding noise coming from the opener unit itself could be a sign that the gears inside are starting to strip.
If you hear this kind of noise, it’s important to have a professional inspect and replace the opener’s gears as soon as possible. Otherwise, the issue will only get worse over time and could eventually lead to your opener breaking down completely.
With the right attention to detail, it’s usually not too difficult to diagnose strange noises coming from your garage door. However, if you’re ever unsure about what may be causing a particular noise or how to fix it, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional for help. Our team at Accent Garage Doors is here to assist with any such issues; contact us at your nearest convenience for help with any garage door concern.
