Last Updated on October 17, 2021

Noisy Garage Door

 

A loud garage door can be annoying to both you and your neighbors, but often there are easy fixes for this problem.

If the noise is coming from a stuck torsion spring, it may cause an overall louder noise when the garage door opens or closes. This happens because the torsion springs tighten as they unwind during the opening or closing of the garage door. When something gets in their way, makes them jam, or restricts their movement, they can screech or squeal until they get over that obstacle.

To fix this particular issue:

  1. Remove all objects underneath and around your garage door
  2. If any items are caught in the path of the torsion spring mechanism (a chair leg, garden tools), remove these items by hand or with the assistance of a broom handle
  3. Push the emergency release to release the tension on the torsion spring mechanism
  4. Lift up on the garage door manually until you can access both torsion springs at once
  5. Inspect for any kinks, creases, or damage in either torsion spring and remove these issues as needed so that they can move through their entire range of motion
  6. Once the torsion springs appear free from obstructions, carefully test each one by hand to ensure it will spin freely on its axle before lowering your garage door again
  7. If any are still stuck, loosen them further by loosening each bolt just a smidge (1/8th of a turn) and then gently try spinning each spring by hand again
  8. If they appear free, hold them above the center of the torsion shaft with one hand while loosening their mounting bolt(s) with your other hand so that they gradually take on more weight as you are removing the last of the tension
  9. Once both torsion springs are loosely mounted to their axle, spin them by hand again to ensure they move fluidly before re-tightening their bolts
  10. Reinstall any objects you removed in step 1 and test your garage door operation to ensure it is now quiet before closing your garage door all the way – Go here for more information about fixes for a loud garage door.

If the noise is caused by a misaligned garage door, there are several quick fixes for this issue.

  1. If you hear clunking or banging when opening your garage door, your hinges may need to be adjusted so that they pull up parallel with each other
  2. Check that each hinge plate has screws snug enough to hold the hinge in place but loose enough that the door can still move freely without scraping against them
  3. Tighten any loose hinges and then take a look at the springs to determine if one side appears off-balance compared to its opposite counterpart (some springs will twist as opposed to lay flat along the length of the torsion shaft)
  4. Pinch and release both ends of these twisted springs until they sit evenly along the torsion shaft
  5. Check to make sure your garage door has balanced tension by closing it halfway and then releasing it
  6. If you hear any additional noises during this process, inspect for issues with misaligned hinges or off-balance torsion spring(s) before continuing
  7. Once the door is balanced again, test its operation to ensure that these quick fixes have fixed your loud garage door problem

If none of these quick fixes seem to work and you cannot identify exactly what may be causing the loud noise every time your garage door opens or closes, you will need to find a reliable garage door repair service.