Need some advice on how to isolate these garage door openers so the noise is lessened. They are attached to the 12″ floor joist, and the room above is a bedroom with wood flooring over advantech. There is fiberglass batt insulation in the cavity, but with a direct connection to the framing … it makes for a great alarm clock in the morning. Don’t think it matters, but the doors are metal, one a single and one a double. Ceiling height in the garage is about 12 ft.
I’m sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
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probably something the manufacturers have not thought about. they could prob fix it with rubber mounting of the motor and pull up track.
i have same problem over a den
wonder if architechs think about this?
park outside?
wonder if architechs think about this?
Some do, some don't, kind of like contractors, in that it's one of those "if the customer permits" situations. If you're being hounded by the customer to be faster, or to be cheaper, or to be better (or any combination of those), it's easy to lose focus and "miss" a thing or two.
Unless you've lived in close proximity to a low-bidder or all-budget-will-allow opener, it's easy to forget just how much noise there is. Remembering that there's a bedroom over that opener while working on the floor plan with the garage can be a problem too.
My reflex guess is that there were no specs for the opener, other than to install per mfgr's instructions.
The straps almost rubbing the fluorescent tubes caught my eye, too. Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
The house is only 4-5 years old, and shows signs of much corner cutting.
The v-belt idea sounds neat, using large s-hooks on each end. I like the mud flap too, if I can find one that is fabric reinforced.
One of the straps is actually touching the tube.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
go to a glass shop and get a dozen or so chunks of rubber (they use them for shimming insulated units). at the bolted connections to the joists and at the drive unit itself, interupt all the metal-metal and metal-sheetrock connections with a chunk of rubber. you made need to lenghten some of the fasteners depending upon how thick of rubber chunks you get, shouldn't need to be anything over 1/2". oil and lube motor and track. good to go!
Dave
WTB the light fixture is acting as an amplifier..
you can put machine vibration dampers between the brackets, units and cieling...
spread the mounting bracket's foot print out over a larger area...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
I haven't done it but I've heard of using belts (like old car serpetine car belts) instead of the metal angle to mount the unit to the ceiling. They leave the angle bracket that is on the ceiling and replace the two drop down pieces with belts. Those units don't weight very much and belt will hold up an elephant. They also put a piece of rubber between the wall mount and the wall to stop the vibration.
Also check the tension on the chain of the operator. The chain should be snug and pretty flat, if you see the chain dipping down then the noise would be a chattering type of noise which is the chain rubbing against the track guide that the arm going to the door clicks into. We also have liftmaster's and sometimes the chain loosens and rubs on that guide. If it wasn't doing it from day one then this is probably the problem.
That looks like an old chain drive. Exactly like the 25 YO unit I replaced last year. If that one is of a similar age time to repace it anyway.
You can start by replacing it with a Wispher Quiet belt drive unit (or similar from another Stanely or Marantec).
On Ask This Old House, Tommy used a mud flap to isolate the opener.
3-5 bolts with washer through it to the angle iron in the ceiling.
Then down a couple of inches install a 2nd angle iron that attaches to the opener.
But if you use any kind of rubber isolation I would also install a safety chain.
I just replaced the old sears unit and with it there was a loud rumble when the door opened. Replaced with a chain in the track type (got it cheap). Still rumbled! Went to PEPBOYS picked up exhaust rubber strap hangers and installed to break the solid metal hangers. This alone has cut the noise by half! Worth a try!
You can buy sound isolation hangers from an industrial supply company such as http://www.mcmaster.com. It's important to get the right weight rating and type. If you get one too stiff it won't do any good.
Well, if I tried to totally quiet down the opener on the bay for my truck DW would be all on my case about trying to sneak in too late at night!
<G> -I've left the squeak in it even.