How to Lubricate Your Garage Door and Reduce Noise

A well-maintained garage door provides protection for your house and operates in silence. In Orange County with a mixture of coastal and inland climate, lubrication, and tune-ups are important to avoid typical wear and tear. Homeowners should know the basics of using lubrication on a garage door, but since overhead doors carry heavy weights and full assumed spring tension, a professional service is highly recommended. This discussion describes the common styles of doors (sectional, roll-up/roller, and tilt-up styles, with or without automatic openers) and describes what to listen for and what specific noises suggest.

We recommend that you hire a trained technician (with special tools and safety protocols) who will do a full safety inspection and thorough tune-up of the garage door, instead of gambling on a tricky DIY gig.

Common Garage Door Noises and what they mean

Having a noisy garage door should indicate an issue of some sort. You may be able to identify the noise, which may help you diagnose the issue:

• Squeaking or Screeching: Usually the result of dry or corroded rollers, hinges, or spring. Similarly, loose bolts and/or oxidation from steel fasteners can squeak. Usual fixes involve using proper lubrication on metal rollers and hinges; then tighten any loose hardware.

• Grinding or Rattling: Grinding usually sounds like worn rollers, or rubbing on metal parts of an opener (e.g. a loose chain or belt). Rattling suggests loose fasteners in the track or debris. Usually a technician successfully tightens all nuts/bolts and/or replaces worn rollers and gets track free of debris; cleaning consecutively followed by lubrication into bearings reduces noise.

• Popping or Banging: Loud pops or bangs upon opening/closing are more serious issues.They can point to either a locked or broken torsion spring, loose/broken hinges, or sagging panels binding on the track. The noises usually represent spring tension, so a pro should inspect/repair the springs or hinges before failure happens.

• Cutting or bumping: a cycle clicking or thumping is usually a sign of the opener force settings, or broken/misaligned cables....so that will require checking the opener, and reversing cables. (For example, the clicking spring could just need some lubrication but the unstable door should be serviced by a pro).

If noises continue after lubrication, and the door seems slightly unbalanced, or is closing unusually slow or un-cyclic, stop attempting the DIY and call a professional. As experts have advised, garage door springs have stored energy sufficient for you to get seriously hurt if handled incorrectly.

Lubrication Basics and Safety

Lubrication is what keeps your door rolling freely and quietly.

Lubrication makes a thin film on the moving metal parts to help prevent friction and rust. You should only use lubricants for garage doors - which are typically silicon sprays or white lithium greases - and NEVER use any general oils or WD-40 (WD-40 was originally a solvent and will actually attract dirt).

While lubricating the opener, make sure to disconnect the opener (if it is automatic) and inspect wear conditions.

A safe lubrication routine includes inspection of the following components:

• Rollers and Bearings: Provide a spray of white lithium grease or a garage-door specific grease into a metal roller with an open bearing. (If your door is equipped with nylon rollers, do not lubricate the plastic parts; You may lightly mist the roller stems, but no thick grease is advisable.) Remove all debris from the rollers and tracks before applying lube.

• Hinges: Apply penetrating or silicone oil on the metal hinge pivots. Wipe the excess off so it will not drip on the door. (Do not lubricate plastic hinges – lubricate with products that will not deteriorate the plastic.)

• Springs: Torsion springs (the springs that are mounted above the door) should receive a light mist of lubricant along the springs coils to help reduce friction. Be careful: springs are under significant tension and only qualified professionals should service springs. (Extension springs are located on the side tracks and you apply lubricant on their pulley bearings.)

• Bearing plates/cable drums: Spray grease on the bearing plates and cable drums so the cables wind smoothly.

• Opener drive (Chain or screw): If you have a chain or screw drive opener, apply white lithium grease to the chain or screw so it will not have slack or wear-(belt driven openers do not receive lubrication).

• Lock and keyway: Spray a small amount of silicone based lock lubricant into the lock and keyway to keep both moving freely.

All throughout the process, be sure to wipe any excess lubricant off. Too much lube will attract dust and grit and this will cause new binding. Also, never lubricate the tracks, while the debris should be removed, the tracks should remain dry so the rollers can grip to them accordingly.After lubrication, run the door through a few open/close cycles by hand (opener unplugged) to work the lube into all parts, and check to see if the door is binding or making noise.

Safety Tip: If you notice any cracks, rust, or loose hardware, stop and call a technician. A homeowner should never adjust any, red-tagged torsion springs or cable drums. Technicians have unique winding bars and tools that are needed to perform these adjustments safely.

Most experts recommend lubricating any garage door parts at least every six months. In Orange County heat, you may lubricate garage doors even more, for example, every 3–4 months in summer. Regular lubrication (with drips wiped off) eliminates squeaks and helps components last longer. A technician will follow a checklist of items: cleaning, tightening hardware, and applying a meticulous amount of the right lubricants to the appropriate places.

Choosing the right lubricant

Not all lubricants work well on all garage door parts. Here are some commonly recommended:

• White lithium grease (spray): (WD-40 Specialist White Lithium Grease) is a good choice to use on a heavy component that has metal-to-metal contact such as springs, hinge pivots, ball bearings, and opener chain. White lithium grease works well, resists moisture and heat, and will last a long time on heavier components of a garage door.

• Silicone-based spray: A silicone lubricant (Super Lube Silicone Spray or 3M Silicone Lube) is a great choice for plastic or rubber parts and for general lubrication. It will not damage nylon rollers or weather sealing.Silicone sprays dry cleanly and don't get sticky, so they are good for roller and track use (note that you wipe the tracks down, rather than lube them).

• Garage Door Specific Lubricants: Products that are labeled for garage doors often combine silicon or lithium with corrosion inhibitors. For example, 3-IN-ONE Professional Garage Door Lubricant is made for hinges & rollers, and Blaster Garage Door Lubricant penetrates nicely into hinges and pulleys. These product types can serve as handy all-purpose sprays.

• Avoid general oils: Do not use motor oil, or household oils like WD-40 "water displacement." They will likely tend to thin out, or pick up dust. (The specific products listed above are exceptions from the WD-40 company, but not regular WD-40).

In practice most pros carry two products: a silicone or PTFE spray, for light components, and a heavier lithium grease for metal components. Check the label to make sure that the lubricant should be compatible with garage door hardware.

Professional Maintenance: what technicians do.

A licensed garage door tech will provide a full safety and lubrication service. Here's what a typical professional tune-up involves:

• Component Inspection: The tech inspects the springs, cables, rollers, tracks, hinges, and hardware for wear or damage. “Under-goal” cracks or rust can be caught before they become “over-goal” failures. (Springs and cables are inspected with special attention; keep in mind springs and cables can be dangerous because they are under tension.)

• Hardware Tightening: All bolts, nuts, and screws are re-tightened. The vibration from the operation of the door can loosen hardware, which creates rattles or misalignment. Tightening the loose hardware can often stop• Lubrication: The technician will remove any old gunky lubricant and apply the appropriate lubricant to the hinges, rollers, springs, bearings and opener parts. The technician will not lubricate the tracks or plastic parts which should not be oiled. Proper lubrication will reduce noise and friction.

• Balance and Spring Adjustment: The technician tests the balance of the garage door (this is usually done by disconnecting the opener and moving the door by hand). If the springs are not properly counterbalancing the garage door the technician will make adjustments to the spring tension. This process must be performed with professional tools as spring adjustments can be dangerous if done improperly.

• Opener and Safety Checks: The technician will confirm the opener’s drive system (chain, belt or screw), and lubricate it if necessary. The technician will also test the auto reverse safety feature, photo eye sensors and force settings. The technician will conduct safety checks to make sure your garage door stops or reverses if it strikes an object.

• Final check: After the yearly maintenance, the technician will cycle the door several times to ensure it operates smoothly and quietly. If the technician hears any new noises or feels binding points, they will take addressed. The technician will also point out any parts that are getting close to end of life (e.g. sagging weather seals, fraying cables) hopefully leaving you enough time to have them replaced.

A properly maintained garage door should operate with little if any sound. Most importantly, the technician will ensure that the safety features are functional and that the door balance and spring tension are correct.This complete service prevents many typical challenges from happening again, and prolongs the life of the door itself.

Seasonal Factors for Orange County

Homeowners in Orange County have to factor the climate where they live and work. Coastal area's (Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, etc.) have salt-filled sea air and inland valleys (Lake Forest, Yorba Linda) see high heat and low humidity. Both of these factors affect garage doors:

• Coastal (Salt Air): Salt particles in the air are some of the most corrosive on earth. They quickly deteriorate protective coatings on springs, cables, rollers, and other metal parts. Corrosion causes parts to bind and break which well lead to noise and failure. (even rubber weather seals can succumb to the salt and become noisy) Meeting with professionals working in coastal areas suggested using corrosion resisting hardware such as (stainless or galvanized springs and rollers). They also suggested inspecting the door more frequently. They also suggested doing periodic cleaning (with mild soap and water) to rinse off accumulated salt deposits first and then doing a lubrication of components afterwards. For instance, lubrication using PTFE or silicone create a protective barrier to decrease rust. In effect, using coastal garage doors would require using a wide variety of high quality grease and more frequent tune-ups (every year, bi-annually) to overcome the wearing effects of salt air.

• Inland (Heat & Arid Climate): Hot dry summers in Orange County cause metal to expand and dust to collect. Both of these attribute to increased friction in the garage door operating system which could likely cause squeaks or delay in door movement.In the summer months, some lubricants thin out, so using heat-resistant products is essential, if possible. A summer garage door tune-up typically involves generously greasing springs and bearings even more than usual. Technicians caution that similar temperature drops can cause door parts to contract. Something that was silent may pop or bind when it cools down. It is recommended to lubricate the moving door parts at least two times a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. In extreme weather conditions could mean more. (As per your usual schedule…service a garage door at the end of the winter and again before the hot summer is at its peak.) The intention is to not allow any sound to develop from the whole expanding/contracting cycle, and protect metal in the dry air.

• Humidity Blips: Occasional humid/rainy periods (primarily coastal) can cause rust. It is a good idea to wipe off and relube any rusty areas after rain or during an El Niño event, which at times may be days short of the last rain or unusually humid condition.

Well, either way, timing, and lubricant may vary seasonally. For instance, an all-weather synthetic grease or silicone spray will handle humidity or heat. Don’t let salt or dust sit on your garage door hardware. If it is cleaning off lucky for us, and a quick rinse and wipe followed by a light re-oiling of the springs and bearings will quiet that maintenance system for that year!

Conclusion

A properly lubricated garage door should operate quieter, operate safely, and last longer. With knowledge of noise making causes and proper lubricants, you may reduce or eliminate squeaks, rattles and grinding noise.

But, because of the heavy springs, and safety components, it is best to have qualified professional maintenance for your garage doors. Qualified technicians will conduct all required safety checks, apply proper lubricant on all moving parts, and catch those small issues before they result in expensive repairs. In the unique climate of Orange County California, a semi-annual garage door tune-up and perhaps more frequent service if near the coast and/or in very high heat areas is the key. A semi-annual service will equal smooth and quiet operation of your garage door for years to come!