Over time, garage doors tend to produce noises which they shouldn’t be making. Squeaking, groaning, straining – you may not be sure what’s causing it but you can tell it’s not right. Fortunately, this problem is usually easily solved simply by applying lubrication to the relevant parts. Not only does this routine maintenance procedure protect your ears, it protects your door’s reliability and can prevent costly damage.
Before you do anything else, you want to check out the door’s mechanism and make sure that everything is working correctly. One way to do so is to activate the emergency cord on your opener, checking to see if the door operates manually the way it’s supposed to. The door should only require one hand to lift, and should only weigh about eight to 10 pounds. If not, there may be a bigger issue at play, and you should contact us for an onsite assessment
If everything seems to be working properly, then it’s time to lubricate the door to ensure it continues to work the way it should.
The spring system
Using a high quality lubricant designed for metal parts, put the product into a plastic or metal applicator and apply it to the relevant parts. This holds true whether you have a torsion or extension system. Another alternative is to use regular motor oil, such as 5W30 weight.
Begin by applying the oil to the top of the spring. Give it a few seconds to soak in, then spread it around using a cloth, being careful to remove the excess oil to prevent dripping.
This maintenance routine serves two purposes – it prevents the clicking sound caused by friction between the coils, as well as the rust damage that can result from humidity inside the garage (particularly during the winter).
The rollers
You will also want to lubricate the other metal parts of the garage door, such as hinges and rollers. Anything that comes into contact with other metal components should be oiled, however this should be done sparingly. Apply the lubricant using a clean, dry cloth, paying attention to wiping the excess off.
- Steel rollers, with no coverings: apply oil sparingly at the location of the ball bearings.
- Black nylon rollers (with no ball bearings): apply a small amount of oil between each individual roller and its shaft.
- Steel rollers with white nylon covering: the ball bearings in this type are sealed, so no lubrication is necessary.
The hinges
A little bit of lubricant where the hinges open and close is sufficient. You can do the same on the brackets which are located at the top and bottom of the garage door. Just be sure you’re applying the oil any place where metal meets metal.
The tracks
Just a small amount of oil is necessary on the horizontal track. Once this is done, the rollers will carry the oil to the rest of the track system.
Other places?
You can apply a small amount of lubricant to the anchor plate of the torsion spring shaft, located over the door. You don’t need to oil the lift cables or drum coils.
The opener
As for the door opener system itself, lubrication practices depend on the type you have. There are two types – a belt drive, and a chain drive. When a belt drive system is installed, the installer lubricates the drive sprockets at the ends of the trolley with a little bit of white grease. This typically lasts the life of the door.
If you have a chain drive, which is very similar to the way a bicycle chain works, you should use white grease to lubricate the system. If you have any trouble locating this product, let us know. We carry it.
You can use a little bit of regular oil on the chain, using the same procedure as above. Apply a small amount, using a dry cloth, and remove the excess to prevent dripping onto your car or garage floor.
While you’re doing this routine garage door maintenance, you might as well tighten up the bolts holding the parts of the trolley together. This way you kill two birds with one stone and won’t have to worry about it for a while.
Final advice
It’s best to perform these lubrication procedures at least two times each year – the spring, and just before winter are the perfect times for this. Doing so will offer you peace of mind and prevent future headaches (i.e. expensive repairs!).
If you have annual maintenance concerns, or need any other service related to your garage door, make an online request for a service call or get a free quote at 506-455-3667. Our experienced, skilled, and friendly technicians will be happy to help you out.
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