Posted on July 18, 2019

How to lubricate your garage door

Recently, you've noticed that your garage door is making quite a bit of noise – enough that you can hear it from your kitchen. You can reduce this noise by simply lubricating its major components. What's more, this will avoid a situation where your door fails and you are forced to call a garage door technician for an emergency repair. Taking care of your garage door so that it operates well at all times will prevent any of these problems from happening.

First of all, to ensure that no part is broken or about to fail, check that the whole system is operating correctly. If you have a door opener, pull on the emergency release cord so that the door operates manually. Your door should be easy to lift and should weigh between 8 and 10 lb. (3.5 and 4.5 kg.).

Is everything okay? Then here are the parts you need to lubricate

Apply oil to the top of the spring. Wait for a few seconds then, using a cloth, spread it around the spring. Wipe off the excess so that it doesn't drip on your car or the garage floor. Garages are very humid places during winter months. Humidity attacks metal and causes rust on steel surfaces. Proper lubrication of the springs will also eliminate the clicking that comes from the friction between the steel coils.

All metal parts, like rollers and hinges, that are in contact with other metal parts (ex.: tracks), must be lubricated… a little at a time. Go ahead, but with restraint. Apply with a dry cloth and wipe off the excess. For the hinges , placing a small amount of oil where they open and close is enough. The same goes for the bracket at the bottom of the door and the one for the top section. For each metal-to-metal contact, apply a little oil.

Only apply a little oil on the horizontal track. The movement of the rollers will take care of lubricating the horizontal tracks. There are a few other places to watch:

There is a difference between door openers equipped with a chain drive and those equipped with a belt drive. For the second type with a belt, there is nothing to apply. At installation time, the qualified installer placed a small amount of white grease on the drive sprockets located at the ends of the trolley and that is enough for as long as you own your house.

Now, for chain-drive openers (like the chain on a bicycle). There are two types: one with a chain attached to a steel cable, and one with a complete chain. In both cases, it is best to use white grease. On the chain, it is possible to use a little oil. Apply it with a cloth, wiping off the excess. You don't want any drops falling on your car later on. If the trolley moving your door is made in three parts, now is the time to tighten, as needed, the bolts holding them together.

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