Lubricating Your Garage Door

When maintaining your garage door, lubrication of your garage door(s) is the most critical component of any good maintenance program. Garage doors have many parts that are consistently moving on a regular basis. When you have a new garage door installed you notice the immediate difference in the sound and the smooth operation, to ensure that your door remains working in this condition these moving parts require lubrication. 

Type of Lubricants To Use on Your Garage Door

We often see many different types of lubricants being used for garage door maintenance, but sometimes certain lubricants can in fact do more damage and cause operational problems rather than prolong the life of your garage door. Here are a few options we advise to use for at home lubricants. 

• Silicone based Lubricants – these are an excellent choice for your garage doors. They have a long lifespan which helps reduce the frequency of lubrication and they do not attract dirt or dust in the way other types of lubricants do. Silicone based lubricants also maintain their viscosity which helps maintain a consistent performance whether it’s during the heat of the summer or the freezing cold of the winter. 
• White Lithium Grease – This is another great option that was designed for metal-on-metal performance. This a great option for the weight bearing springs. 

Lubricants to avoid would be WD-40 and other oil-based lubricants which attract dust and dirt that can lead to premature wear on your garage door parts. 

Identifying Parts That Require Lubrication

Your Garage door has many critical moving parts that require lubrication. The best place to start is the hinges that connect your garage door panels together and make them work as one complete unit. Apply lubricant directly to the hinge pins to keep them rotating freely and silently. 

Next, the rollers that allow your door to move through the track also require good lubrication. Spraying into the bearings and within the roller carrier will help ensure the bearings don’t seize and there is little to no friction between the roller stem and the roller carrier. If you have steel rollers you can spray the roller wheel itself but not in excess, if you have nylon rollers there is no need for lubricating the nylon. 

Make sure you take the time to pull out a ladder and lubricate the torsion springs and end bearing plates, these are vital to the operation of the garage door and work best when lubricated. Make sure any excess lubricant is wiped off to prevent any unnecessary dirt and dust build up. 

It’s a good idea to wipe down the tracks from any debris, oils, and dust. This helps prevent and friction between the rollers and track which helps ensure there is no strain placed on the springs and garage door opener. Please note: there is no lubrication of the track needed.

Step-by-Step Lubrication Guide

To properly lubricate your garage doors, we combine the elements we discussed earlier in this blog to ensure you have a step-by-step process you can always count on to prolong the lifespan of your door.

1. Choose the right lubricant – silicone-based or white grease lubricants are both acceptable options, make sure to always wipe any excess. 
2. Prepare the door – go over the entire door to make sure there is no build up of dirt, or old oil lubricant that has built up on any of the rollers and clean it with an automotive break cleaner and let it dry. Once this is done you can proceed with the next step. 
3. Lubricating Hinges – Make sure to lubricate the hinge pins to ensure smooth operation of the door, these are critical to ensuring the door moves as one unit. 
4. Lubricating Rollers – Make sure to lubricate the roller bearing and roller carriers to prevent friction in the movement of the roller and increase the longevity of the roller. (try to avoid getting lubricant on the track)
5. Lubricating Springs – If you have a torsion spring across the top of your garage door, give the full length of the spring a good spray and clean off any excess. If you have extension spring running across the sides of the garage door track, lightly spray the springs and pulleys where the cable runs. Make sure to be cautious as springs do contain lots of energy when they under tension.

Helpful Tips

• Use the right amount: don’t over-lubricate your garage door parts. Excess lubricant attracts dirt. Use a clean cloth to wipe any excess. 
• Testing your door after lubrication helps work your lubricant into the moving parts ensuring any missed or had to access spots are being maintained.
• Most noises from your garage door stem from a lack of lubrication. If you hear squeaking or rubbing, you can lubricate your door to reduce noise level and ensure all parts are moving with ease and little to no friction.

Recommended Lubrication Timeline

Many factors influence how often you should maintain your garage door. We recommend lubricating your garage door every 3-6 months based on the average household. If your door sees heavy use more frequent lubrication may be needed. This would also be similar in areas with lots of dust and humidity as the longevity of the lubricant may not be as effective. 

Another factor to consider when creating a maintenance schedule is the age of the garage door. When a garage door is new you will notice little reason to lubricate as the door will operate smoothly.