Tried ultrasonic repellents a couple years back—honestly, didn't notice much difference. Rabbits seemed totally unfazed, just kept munching away. Ended up building a simple chicken-wire fence instead...not pretty, but it worked better than anything else I've tried.
Interesting you mention ultrasonic repellents—I had a similar experience with squirrels in my attic. Tried every gadget out there, but nothing beat good old-fashioned physical barriers and sealing entry points. Speaking of quiet garage openers, has anyone had luck retrofitting older garage doors with quieter belt-driven systems? My current setup rattles the entire house, and I'm curious if upgrading just the opener would be enough or if I'd need to overhaul the whole door mechanism...
"My current setup rattles the entire house, and I'm curious if upgrading just the opener would be enough or if I'd need to overhaul the whole door mechanism..."
Had a client recently with the exact same issue—garage door sounded like a freight train every time it opened. We swapped out just the opener for a belt-driven model, and it made a huge difference. But honestly, if your rollers and tracks are worn or misaligned, even the quietest opener won't fully solve the problem. Might be worth checking those first before investing in a new system...
Totally agree that rollers and tracks play a big part. Have you checked the hinges too? Had a similar issue at my place—thought swapping the opener would do it, but turned out the hinges were rusted and creaky. A bit of lubrication and replacing a couple worn hinges quieted things down dramatically. Might save you from buying a whole new opener if that's all it is...
"Had a similar issue at my place—thought swapping the opener would do it, but turned out the hinges were rusted and creaky."
Funny you mention hinges—I had a client last summer who was convinced their garage opener was shot. They'd already picked out a pricey new belt-driven model, thinking it'd solve all their noise issues. But when I took a closer look, turns out the hinges and rollers were practically fossilized with rust and grime. Honestly, it looked like no one had touched them since the Reagan administration...
Anyway, after some elbow grease, lubrication, and swapping out a few of the worst offenders, the difference was night and day. The homeowner was pretty shocked—almost disappointed they didn't get to splurge on that fancy new opener they'd been eyeing. But hey, saved them a good chunk of change.
That said, I wouldn't completely dismiss upgrading your opener if it's older or chain-driven. Even with perfect hinges and rollers, some openers are just inherently noisy beasts. Belt-driven or direct-drive openers can be whisper-quiet by comparison. I've installed plenty of those newer models for clients who have bedrooms above or next to garages—they swear by them.
Still, always worth checking the simpler stuff first before dropping serious cash on replacements. Hinges and rollers are cheap fixes that can make a huge difference...and if you're lucky, that's all you'll need.
