Storm Door Noises

[leitrim1050]

A few weeks ago I had an Andersen storm door installed on my south facing front door. Everything is fine until the sun hits the door in late morning. Then there are intermittent cracking and popping sounds for the next hour or two. They can be REALLY loud, almost explosive sounding. This is northern New York State so the nights (and mornings) are cool already. I realize that metal expands when it warms (like from brilliant sunlight) but these noises are unusually intense. My old storm door was quiet. I can't tell if the cracks and pops are coming from the door block, the metal frame, the hinges, the wood frame. Improper installation? Any suggestions for quieter mornings?

------------------------------------- leitrim1050 *** *** ***....** **...*** **........** **.......** *** **..........*.........** *** **.....** **..................** **.....** **.........** **..............** **.........** *..............* *..........* *..............* **..............* *......* *..............** **..............** *....* **..............** *......................................* **..............**........**..............** **..............* *....* *..............** *..............* *....* *..............* **.........** *....* **.........** **.....** *....* **.....** *** **....* *** ** * * *

[Roy]

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 ***

=3D=3D Ear plugs? =3D=3D

[rochacha]

leitrim1050_at_att_dot [e-mail] (leitrim1050) wrote in news:4cb62$4cdcb355$45499b77$ [e-mail]:

I'm in WNY....sun, what's that? My roof makes banging sounds if and when there is a sunny day. In the middle of winter the aluminum door facing north gets difficult to close. It just started doing it in the last couple of years, after

30 years have elapsed.

[Robert Green]

I'd call/write Andersen. They're pretty good about defective products, if that's what you've got and might offer some ideas to quiet down the door if that's just the way things are.

If you've got a tape or digital recorder with a microphone, you could tape the microphone to various parts of the door and record the morning noise fest. You should be easily able to determine where the sound is coming from by determining which microphone placement results in the loudest noise. If there is a strong pop, it's really going to register on the mike, assuming that the recorder has a reasonable frequency response.

I usually do this sort of work with an old laptop that has a microphone input and a copy of CoolEdit96. That gives me a visual graph of the noise and makes it easy to compare peak levels. Also allows you to make 24hr recordings. I did this to see if the dog was barking like a maniac when we were away (she wasn't, *except* for when the mailman wiggled the mail slot and pushed the mail in the house) and to figure out what was making noise in the basement (pipe strap nailed too tight). Next job is to find out what's rattling around in the van.

-- Bobby G.

[Red Green]

rochacha wrote in news:4cdcd40e$0$31201$c3e8da3$ [e-mail]:

I'm in NW VT. When there is a sunny day the 911 center is overloaded.

[aemeijers]

Just for giggles, I'd try loosening the screws that hold the frame in place, about half a turn. Sounds like metal sliding on metal as door heats up in sunlight. IOW, an installation problem of some kind, or the doorframe was a Real Tight Fit in the wood opening, and doesn't have any room to flex. ANYTHING attached to a house can make noises as it expands or contracts- roof framing on my addition makes sound like rifle shots after sundown, even in winter. But Andersen is a good brand, so I'm more inclined to suspect an installation issue.

[Robert Green]

Loosening parts of the assembly is certainly another good way to try to isolate where the problem is coming from. Not sure what you do after that, though, if it's expanding into a place where there's just no room to expand. I agree it's likely to be an installation issue, but I'd talk to Andersen about it as a first order of business, if only to get any possible future warranty claim documented from the get-go. I wonder how many bridges were built in the world before they discovered expansion joints?

-- Bobby G.