How to Clean and Lubricate Garage Door Rollers, Tracks and Chains
When your garage door opener isn’t greased adequately, it can become loud and create squeaking or grating noises when it’s opened or closed. If your garage door is not lubricated and cleaned with regular maintenance, it may become damaged and its lifespan may be shortened. Regularly lubricating and maintaining your garage door system helps you enjoy ongoing access to your garage and protects your investment.
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Lubricating Your Garage Door
Start by getting the right materials. You will need a cloth and possibly a vacuum cleaner. You will also need the right lubricant. Do not use degreasers or oils, as these can cause your garage door to work incorrectly. Look for a lithium-based grease or a lubricant created specifically for garage doors.
Before you start, stand inside your garage and close your garage door. Then, shut off power to the opening system by unplugging it or by turning off the breaker. It’s imperative that your garage door opener is off and cannot be activated while you work. This will protect you from injury.
Cleaning and Lubricating Your Garage Door Tracks and Chains
You will want to identify the tracks of your garage doors. These are the grooves into which the door wheels fit and move to open and close the door. Using a damp cloth, clean out the tracks carefully. You want to remove all the debris, and you may wish to use a vacuum to reach and remove any trace of dirt. Debris on the tracks can keep your rollers from working correctly.
Gradually raise the garage door, spraying the hinges as they become exposed by the movement. Each hinge should be well-coated in the lubricant.
How to Clean and Lubricate Garage Door Rollers
On the sides of the door, and attached to the hinges, are garage door rollers. These are circular and contain ball bearings. Any exposed ball bearings need to be lubricated. Since it can be difficult to get inside the rollers, some formulas of grease come with thin tool attachments for this work.
After you have sprayed the ball bearings, wipe off any excess grease, which can prevent your door from working correctly. If your door has nylon rollers, make sure you do not leave lubricant on them.
Once you have done that, you will want to spray your grease product onto the springs at the top of the door and onto the bearing plates on each side of the springs. To do this, open your garage door and close it again to redistribute the grease.
Lubricate the lock by spraying once in the keyhole and then lubricate the armbar and the top of the rail on your garage’s ceiling, where the chain moves.
Contact Your Local Garage Door Professionals
Beyond Maintenance
Sometimes, simply cleaning or lubricating does not help the sound of squeaking or improve the operation of your garage door. Or, you may notice an issue while maintaining your garage. In either case, contact Hunter Door. Our garage repair services in New Jersey help keep you safe and protect the life of your door.
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