Many people do not realize that a garage door needs to be maintained until it produced that high-pitched sound when it opens and closes. If a squeaky door is left unattended, the sound may worsen to the point that it may be bothersome to your neighbors. No matter the level of the noise coming from your garage door or the section it is coming from, the fact remains that it’s bothersome and needs to be silenced.
Does your garage door squeak during operation, and are you wondering how you can fix this issue? This guide has all the information you need to solve this problem effectively and acceleratedly and prevent the same from occurring in the future. We also offer box truck roll-up door repair you can read more about it.
Gather all the necessary materials for the task
To troubleshoot and remedy a squeaking garage door, you need the following:
- Silicone/Lithium-based lubricant
- A wiping cloth
- Access such as a ladder
- A screwdriver
Identifying the source of the squeaks
Listen to all moving parts focusing on the hinges, rollers to identify the source of the squeaks. You can also visually inspect any rusted area as this may be a sign of a potential noisy part.
If you cannot determine where the squeaking sound is coming from even after testing all the moving components, lubricate all of them and test if the sound is silenced. This is even more important when you have not lubricated the parts for long.
Even if you identify that the noise is coming from a particular section, you may still need to lubricate the other parts but put a little more focus on the noisy area.
How to remedy a squeaky garage door
Clean the track
The track is the tunnel-like structure where the garage door rollers slide to move the door up and down. Since this area does not need lubrication (follow though to find out why), you need to give it a good cleaning. Get the cloth you acquired, wet it, and wipe any dirt or grime accumulated on the track. You can use a ladder to clean the entire track up to the top of the garage door. Please leave it to dry as you proceed with the practices below.
Tighten the hardware
Do you hear a wobbling sound when you open or close your garage door? It would be best if you tightened the hardware first before you move to lubrication. Tighten any screws or hinges installed on your garage door but ensure that you don’t fasten them until they hinder motion. In the tightening process, you should identify if there are damaged units and consider replacing them.
Lubricate the primary moving parts
The two main components of a garage door that a squeaking noise will come from are the hinges and the rollers. Below are tips for lubricating them:
The rollers
The rollers are the wheel-like structures that ease the movement/sliding of the garage door up and down the rack. They are the most used parts of a garage door’s opening and closing system and may quickly build friction. When lubricating the rollers, your need to focus on the innermost part (the ball bearing). Use a spray lubricant to reach this part.
If your garage door has plastic rollers, you don’t need to lubricate them as they won’t have ball bearings. Also, note that lubricating products may compromise the working process of plastic rollers.
The track should not be lubricated, as doing so would only make it prone to dust, dirt, and grime. The extra layer on your track may hinder the rollers’ movement and the operation of the openers.
The hinges
The hinges can either be the connection or movement points of your garage door components or even the entire door. They bear most of the door’s weight. When lubricating the hinges, you need to focus on the pivot points and the rod that connects the two pivots. To get the lubricant inside, you need to spray along the rod’s seam. If the seam is hidden, you can spin the rod to access it.
Test whether you’ve silenced the squeaks
After tightening the screws, cleaning the track, and lubricating all the moving parts, you should test the garage door to see if you have silenced the squeaks. Move all the lubricated sections and ensure that the sound has been eliminated. Also, open and close the entire garage door and confirm no noise coming from the structure. If you still hear the high-pitched noise from any parts, give it additional lubrication and test it again. Call your professional to assess the situation if the noise from your garage door is not responding to lubrication.
Bonus tip: To avoid the same problem in the future, you should lubricate all your garage door’s moving components at least twice a year. You can also do this maintenance more frequently if you live in a dusty area.
Final thoughts
Don’t let a squeaky garage door disturb your peace and your neighbors. Take advantage of the above practices and tips, and you will eliminate the noises coming from your garage door without professional intervention. Please note that lubricating and maintaining your garage door is not a one-day task or something that you will do when such a problem arises. It would help if you frequently inspected your garage’s moving parts, cleaned and lubricated them as discussed above to keep the door operating noise-free and smoothly for an extended period.