Wear and tear
Garage door rollers, hinges and tune-ups in Fishers
A noisy door usually has a worn roller, a dry hinge or a door out of balance. Some of that you can handle. A door that shakes or binds is worth a call.
Your call goes to an independent garage door contractor.
What the noise may mean
A squeal often means dry metal. A pop near the top of the lift can be a hinge. A groan from the motor can mean the opener is straining against a door that's out of balance.
A shudder as the door moves often comes from a cracked or flat roller. Leave it long enough and it can pull a section out of line.
What you can do
If it's only squealing, spray the hinges and roller bearings with a lubricant sold for garage doors. Leave the cables and the bottom brackets alone, and don't grease the tracks.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to look over the door and opener every 30 days, and that a door that binds or sticks should be serviced by a professional.
What a tune-up should cover
- Hardware
- Tightening brackets and fasteners that have worked loose.
- Rollers and hinges
- Replacing worn ones. Nylon rollers run quieter than steel if noise is your complaint.
- Balance
- Disconnecting the opener and checking the door stays put when lifted halfway.
- Reverse test
- Closing the door on a 2x4 to confirm it goes back up.
- Sensors and seals
- Checking the eyes line up, and looking for torn or hardened rubber along the bottom.
Need someone to look at the door?
Call this number to reach an independent contractor. Say what the door is doing, whether it is stuck open or shut, and what happened just before it stopped.