Does your garage door wake up the neighbors? There are many reasons why your door is so noisy — rusty parts, an old chain, perhaps it’s out of alignment. The good news is the problem is often very simple to fix. A little oil and maintenance can help your door to run smoothly again. Here are a few ways to handle the problem.

Tighten & Lubricate All Moving Parts

Every time you use your door, parts loosen. This can cause a rattle in the components of your door. And the more your door rattles, the looser the parts become, producing a snowball effect. This can damage your door, leading to increased repairs. It also causes your door to wear out faster.

It’s a good idea to go over any bolts in your garage door with a socket wrench from time to time. You should do this every few months — or whenever you notice something is starting to come loose. The tighter the parts of your garage door are, the smoother it will run, the longer it will last, and the fewer repairs it will need.

You should also oil any moving parts — this includes the chain, rollers, hinges, and along the track. Always use a lubricant designed for garage doors — not WD40, which can wear out the door prematurely and cause it to rust.

Replace Any Worn Hinges & Rollers

Garage door parts will roll out much faster than the door itself. Check any rollers and replace any that are brittle, cracked or falling apart. Take a look at the hinges and replace any that have gotten rusty or worn out.

Check the Balance of Your Door

It’s a good idea to check the balance of your door from time to time. An unbalanced door can put undue pressure on the tracks, causing them to creak and strain.

To check the balance, release it from the opener and open the door half way. Let it hang in the air and see if one side leans to the other. If it does, call a garage door repair professional to have it rebalanced.

Check the Track

Take a look at your tracks from time to time and make sure they’re straight. Bent or leaning tracks can make for a noisy garage door. If not straightened out, it could cause your garage door to go off track. If your door does jump the track, stop using it immediately. This could further damage the tracks or even the door.

Consider Installing a Quieter Garage Door Opener

One easy way to quiet down your garage door is to install a higher quality of garage door opener. This is especially true if your garage door opener works on a chain drive. This looks like a bicycle chain that moves the opener along the garage door trolley as your garage door opens and closes. These openers tend to be cheaper but the catch is they are very loud. You could instead install a belt driven garage door. This operates off a vinyl belt. These are more expensive than chain driven garage door openers but work much quieter. These openers are great if your garage is near a living space such as a living room or bedroom.

Know When to Call a Professional

If that doesn’t work, call a professional to do an inspection. There may be something wrong with the spring or opener. It could also be that your door is just worn out. You might consider installing a new garage door. Most doors are only designed to last 15 to 30 years. It might just be time.