How to Fix a Squeaking Garage Door?

A squeaking or often screeching garage door is one of the most annoying problems and most homeowners are so annoyed that they pick up their tool bag to try and fix it. However, where do you start? A squeaking garage door is a sure sign that your garage door lacks maintenance. Fortunately, if you know what to do and how to do it, you can fix the squeaking in no time.

Not it is important to understand that the squeaking is generally a sign that some of the parts responsible for lowering and lifting the door are dry. Since these parts can often be difficult to access, you will want to lubricate as many parts as you can.

Let’s Start With the Correct Lubricant

One of the most common mistakes we see people make is assuming that WD-40 is a lubricant and will help to lubricate moving parts. WD-40 will not work because it is only effective at repelling oil and water. If anything it will remove much of the grease from the parts. So, instead, you will want to use what’s called a lithium spray or alternatively a silicone spray. These offer a thicker coating that sticks to all the parts that need lubrication longer.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Safety first

Before you begin, create a safe working environment by ensuring:

• the area is well-lit
• you can easily and safely reach all moving parts using a stool or step ladder

You’ll also need to disconnect the door from the automatic opener, to prevent anyone from accidentally opening it while you’re working on it. The vast majority of doors have a rope with a handle hanging down from the opener – a gentle pull will disengage the motor.

Lubricate all the Moving Parts

You want to start by moving the garage door manually, and then spray the lubricant on all the moving parts, i.e. pivot points, hinges, locks, nubs, armbar, and stems. Then get down and check the rollers. If you have plastic rollers, then you don’t have to worry about lubricating them. However, for metal rollers you will need to use lubrication which can be delivered with a nozzle extension on the lubricant cant. You should try and get as much lubricant inside of the ball bearing casing as possible.

While moving the door up, you will want to lubricate the pulleys and then push the door up and down a few times. However, stop short of lubricating the garage door’s chain since the protective coating lasts a lifetime and is enough to not require lubrication.

Speaking of parts not to lubricate, you also shouldn’t grease the tracks. If anything, it ends up picking up dirt, and that clogs up the tracks. The best you can do is to wipe them down with some WD-40 or brake cleaner.

Conclusion

Fixing a squeaking garage door is easy, and most people can do it. Just make sure to wear gloves and shatterproof glasses at all times. You can also call a team of professionals to fix it for you.