In a nutshell: You can avoid most garage door maintenance problems by performing simple lubrication.
When I repair a garage door I always include an annual service and tune-up on the garage door and opener. A lot of the issues with a garage door and opener is due to the lack of the door being lubricated. Garage doors have many moving metal parts. Metal parts roll against each other as the door moves up and down, creating friction. As a result, lubrication must be applied.
Homeowners can minimize garage door wear by applying a silicone or Teflon lubricant to the moving parts of the door at least twice per year. How to do this? Simple. With the garage door closed, spray the lubricant to the rollers and roller hinges and inside the track. Go from top to bottom, then move across the door lubricating the hinges from top to bottom, then move to the other side of the door. Again lubricate the rollers and roller hinges and inside the track from top to bottom. As you perform this step, do not be afraid to use a lot of lubricant. Next, operate the door up and down a few times to allow the lubricant to work its way into all of the moving parts.
For a wooden garage door, you will need to tighten all the nuts on the hinges. The hardware on a wooden garage door is attached with a different nut and bolt combination than a metal door. Naturally, vibration from regular daily use will loosen them. Use a 7/16 wrench and start in a pattern from one side of the door to the other working from top to bottom and across the door tightening the nuts holding the hinges in place.
What type of lubricant to use? The easiest why that I answer this is to tell homeowners what NOT to use. Do not use grease, oil, WD40 or lithium grease. Grease will not work into the moving parts of the rollers and hinges. Oil will work into the rollers and hinges but will drip out all over your car or whatever is under your door. WD40 is more of a cleaner and is designed to remove water more than it is to lubricate. Lithium grease is like regular grease and will not work into the moving parts. This leaves silicone or Teflon sprays. Purchase silicone spray at any home improvement store.
In summary, Teflon and silicon sprays are the best lubricants for your garage doors.
Not comfortable doing garage door maintenance? Or, after you do this, it still does not work correctly? No worries—call us! Or click on our convenient on-line booking calendar. Covenant Garage Doors performs garage door maintenance and tune-ups to garage doors and garage door openers.
