If you periodically lubricate the major components of your garage door, it will last longer
Have you been noticing that your garage door is a lot louder than it used to be? Over time, if a garage door’s large parts aren’t properly lubricated, they’ll cause a lot of noise, which can be really disturbing, especially if you’re trying to sleep and one of your housemates or family members comes home late and opens the garage door.
Fortunately, with periodic lubrication, you can avoid all that and prolong the life of your garage door – and you can do it all without calling a garage door professional to come out and do any emergency repairs.
When you take proper care of your garage door, it will last longer, you’ll spend less money on maintenance, and you’ll have better peace of mind, too. So how do you lubricate a garage door?
First, to make sure that you don’t have any broken parts or pieces, and to see if you need any professional help from the beginning, do a visual check of the whole garage door system. To inspect the door itself, if you have a garage door opener, you’ll want to disconnect it. Do this by pulling on the emergency release cord. Then manually open and shut the door. If it’s working properly, you should be able to lift and lower your door easily with about eight to ten pounds (3.5-4.5 kilograms) of pressure. In other words, you should be able to open and close it with just one hand. If you can’t, then you know there’s a problem with your garage door system. Contact us, and we’ll be happy to come out for a garage door check-up at your house.
If everything is working properly, you should lubricate the following large components to keep your garage door functioning well.
Spring system
Whether your garage door operates with an extension or torsion system, you can lubricate the spring system by applying lubricant (5W30 motor oil works well) to all metal parts.
To apply the lubricant or oil, drip or spray it on the top of the spring. Then, after you’ve waited a few seconds for it to penetrate, spread it around the rest of the spring with a clean shop cloth and wipe off any access.
Why does your spring system need to be lubricated? Humidity can wreak havoc on metal, and garages can be very humid areas, especially in winter. Lubricating the springs can prevent a lot of noise, especially the clicking sound that occurs due to friction in the springs’ coils.
Rollers
If any moving metal component of your garage door comes in contact with another metal component, it must be lubricated. This includes your rollers, hinges, and other parts. Avoid over-lubricating by using only a small amount of lubricant at a time and applying it with a clean rag or shop cloth.
- Steel rollers with no covering get a small amount of oil on their ball bearings.
- Black nylon rollers (with no ball bearings) get a small amount of oil applied between the roller itself and the shaft holding it.
- Steel rollers with white nylon covering do not need to be lubricated.
Hinges
To lubricate your garage door’s hinges, simply apply a little lubricant at the points where the hinges open and close. Do the same for the metal brackets at the bottom and top sections of the door, too. Apply lubricant wherever there is contact between two pieces of metal.
Tracks
The horizontal tracks should get a small amount of lubricant. The rollers will spread the oil and keep the tracks lubricated.
Other parts and components
Watch these parts, as well:
- Apply a small amount of lubricant to the shaft that holds the torsion spring over the door.
- Do not lubricate the lift cables or drum coils.
Your garage door opener
There are two types of door openers – chain driven openers and belt driven openers. If your garage door opener is belt driven, do not lubricate it. If it’s chain driven, you will want to use a small amount of white grease, applied to each link of the chain. When you are finished, wipe any excess off with a clean rag. If you’re having trouble finding white grease or you have any other questions, contact us.
It’s important to make sure that you only use a little bit of grease on the chain and to wipe off any excess. Otherwise it could drip onto your car.
Also, if you have a three-part trolley moving your garage door, go ahead and tighten up the bolts holding it together to keep it in good working order.
One final tip
To prolong your garage door’s life, follow this lubrication procedure at least once in the spring and once in the fall each year. Doing this will save you a lot of time, energy, and money when you don’t need to repair or replace your garage door for years to come.
For all of your other garage door needs and services, please do not hesitate to make an online request for a service call, or you can call us at 1-800-409-3667 to get a free quote. Our skilled and trained technicians are always friendly and professional.
Comments
Don't lubricate tracks!
I'm surprised by your statement: "The horizontal tracks should get a small amount of lubricant. The rollers will spread the oil and keep the tracks lubricated."
All other sites, including a Chamberlain manual, specify that the tracks should NOT be lubricated, just kept clean. Brake cleaner or another solvent can be used if a damp rag isn't sufficient. The rollers should roll, not slip, as they travel.
A‑1 Overhead Door Systems
Hi Bob, we understand your concern. The roll can change from a company to another, and some may need different maintenance practices. We recommend a minimal amount of lubrication on those parts. We invite you to contact us directly at 978-342-3344, as we can guide you with your track and roll maintenance.
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