Garage Door Lubricant – How Do You Know When to Use It?

When you’re heading home from work in Weston, and looking forward to a relaxing, stress-free night the last thing you ever want when you pull into your driveway is to have your garage door suddenly fail. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to get into your home after a long day,and there are so many ways that it could play out. Maybe the door is screeching, maybe it is groaning, maybe it seems to be doing nothing at all. No matter what the situation, you need to correct the problem as quickly as possible. However, you can prevent this situation altogether by performing a little preventative maintenance. In our previous article we talked about the different maintenance tasks you can perform,and while we mentioned lubrication, we didn’t really expand on it. We want to do so now.However, before we get too far into that, we want to point out the importance of paying attention to the signs. There are plenty of warning signs that indicate your garage door needs fixing, for example, loud noises or jerky operation. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing these.If possible, lubricate your garage door before these issues crop up, and if you miss the signs and do encounter problems, don’t hesitate to call us for professional garage door repair.

How Should You Lubricate Your Garage Door?

It is important to understand that every single garage door is different which means maintenance will also be unique; however, when it comes to lubrication you can follow a specific regimen:

Track Cleaning

Contrary to popular belief you do not need to lubricate your garage door track; you can simply clean it and make sure that it is clear of debris. This small gesture will help your other garage door components operate smoothly and without damage.

Spring Cleaning

No, we’re not talking about that time of year where you clean your entire house, although that time of year is almost upon us. The springs in your garage door control the speed at which it moves up and down and also keep it from plummeting to the ground when you stop it halfway. Torsion springs are responsible for lifting your door each time you use the opener and since they do so several times per day; you can see how they would begin to wear out. A few drops of lubricant can really go a long way!

Rollers

There are two types of rollers:

Nylon – Lubricate the metal bearings only
Metal – Lubricate the entire roller lightly

Once you are done,you should take care to clean up the excess lubricant.

Hinges

Between each panel, in your garage door, you will find hinges,and they need lubrication as well. If you have plastic hinges, however, keep in mind that you should not lubricate them as this will simply cause them to break down.

Lubricant Distribution

After applying the lubricant to your door you must make sure it is properly distributed and by this, we mean you should lift and lower your garage door a few times. Noise is a good determination of whether you have adequately distributed the lubricant; excessive squeaking or grinding indicates an area that needs a bit more, so follow the sound and add as needed.

A Word on Lubricant

One of the biggest problems that Weston garage door owners have with lubrication is knowing what to use. In the case of most moving parts people use WD-40 but, in the case of your garage door, this would be a mistake. Instead, you should try using a silicone or lithium-based spray as this will ensure that your parts do not attract dust which would cause the garage door to seize up later on.

The great thing about white lithium grease is that it stands up better, and while WD-40 might seem to work quite well at first, it eventually falls short. Here are some of the benefits of using white lithium on your garage door:

Heat Resistant –In Florida there are many things that you can count on year-round and heat is one of them. White lithium grease can resist the heat whether it is a result of the environment or of friction from the garage door itself moving up and down.
Weather Resistant – The weather can be unpredictable in Florida; one day it might be perfectly clear,and the next might bring a storm. Keeping your garage door hinges and rollers protected is a great way to ensure continued operation.

Lubrication is simply a matter of basic garage door maintenance and something that you need to work into your regular plans. Always pay attention and listen to what your garage door is doing so that you know how and when to maintain it properly. Doing so will extend its life considerably! Now that you know how to keep your garage door lubricated, feel free to join us on our next post where we talk about choosing the right garage door for your home.