How To Lubricate Garage Door
A noisy and creaky garage door may be the result of poor maintenance. More importantly, a noisy door indicates that your garage door needs to be oiled more, which could later result in more severe damage. Fortunately, the noise can be avoided and the lifespan of your garage door extended with appropriate upkeep and lubrication.
Things to Be Aware Of
- A moist rag and a vacuum cleaner can be used to clean the door’s tracks. Your rollers won’t get stuck that way.
- To clean the moving parts of the garage door, use garage door lubricant and oil with a lithium base.
- Clean the lock, bearing plates, rollers, hinges, and, last but not least, the top of the rail.
Making the Tracks Clean
Snap the garage door shut
Close the door manually or with the remote. You will be able to reach the rails and the remaining movable pieces of your door by doing this.
Cut the door’s electricity
You should make sure that your door is not in use before lubricating it. After closing your garage door, unplug it from the power source. Turn off the breaker that controls your garage door opener in your circuit box if the plug is hard to reach or hard-wired.
Use a wet rag to clear the tracks
The garage door rollers move open and shut along the tracks. For your door to function properly, you must ensure that these are thoroughly wiped out rather than lubricated. Clean both tracks’ inside and get rid of any dirt or debris. Make sure there isn’t any leftover debris in the tracks that the rollers could cling to. Utilize an automobile brake cleaner to dislodge and remove dirt.
Remove dirt and dust from your tracks by vacuuming
Use a vacuum with a hose extension to remove dirt and debris if you are having trouble getting it out of the tracks. This is a fantastic way to go to the higher part of the tracks that you might be having trouble getting to.
Putting grease to the Moving Parts
Purchase some garage door lubrication or grease with lithium in it
Standard degreasers that are widely used, like WD-40, are not the greatest choice for a garage door. Instead, buy a lithium-based grease online or at a hardware store. Additionally, there are some greases designed exclusively for garage doors. Never use oil. The common container for garage door grease is an aerosol or spray can. Oil is more prone to drip than garage door grease or lubricant because it can collect dirt and dust. Make sure the grease you’re using is suitable for your doors by reading the label.
Spray the oil on each of the hinges after opening the door
Manually raise your garage door slowly, then spray each hinge where it meets the track bend. This will lubricate the door’s working parts and greatly improve how smoothly the garage door opens and closes. On each hinge, spray one or two times. Lubricant ought to be applied to your hinges.
Lubricate the rollers
The rollers, which are connected to each of your hinges, are the circular moving parts on your garage door. Small ball bearings inside of these rollers require lubrication in order for your door to open and close properly. Spray the grease within the rollers with the thin hose attachment. For the sake of keeping your door balanced, remove any extra lubricant. Ball bearings that are visible must be adequately greased. Never lubricate nylon rollers with any sprays.
Spray your bearing plates and springs’ exteriors
The garage door’s springs, which are often located at the top, also need to be well greased. The rotating, circular components on either side of the springs are the bearing plates. Open and close your garage door to disperse the grease, then spray down the outside of the springs and close to the center of the bearing plates. To access the springs and bearing plates, you’ll probably need a stepladder. You need to lubricate your springs if they are creating noise. Before continuing, have any damaged or bent springs replaced.
Spray the arm bar and lock
Locking your garage door will be simpler if the lock is lubricated, and it may also stop rust over time. Spray the lubricant once into the keyhole of the lock while aiming it in that direction. Spray the oil on the broad arm bar at the top of your garage door to complete lubricating it once you’ve finished lubricating the lock.
Lubricate the rail’s top
The rail, which should run along the ceiling of your garage, is the section on which your chain rests. Your chain actually travels along the top of the rail, thus this is the area that requires lubrication. Spray down the rail’s top, then use a towel to spread the grease all over. You don’t need to constantly lubricate the chain because it already has a natural protectant on it. Nothing happens if you spray the rail’s bottom.
Tips for Generally Lubricating Garage Doors
Every six months, it’s crucial to lubricate all of the working parts in your garage door. This keeps your door quiet and increases its lifespan. You should lubricate your door more frequently if you reside in a hostile area (like, say, close to the ocean).
Because lubricants can get thick and viscous in cold conditions, make sure you’re using an all-weather product. The door is more difficult to open and close as a result. It’s crucial to lubricate your door’s springs in cold weather since they become brittle in frigid conditions. They are therefore more likely to fracture or shatter, which might be costly and dangerous.
Recommended Garage Door Lubricants
Choose a high-quality product because there are many different garage door lubricants available. Here are the top five lubricants available right now:
- White lithium WD-40 Specialist Grease Spray
- Teflon Non-Stick Dry Film Lubricant by DuPont
- 3-in-1 Garage Door Professional Lubricant with Smart Straw
- Garage door lubricant made of premium silicone by Blaster Chemical Company
- Water-Resistant Silicone Lubricant Specialist WD-40