The Hidden Trick To A Quiet Garage Door When Lubrication Fails

If your garage door releases a bothersome squeaking noise every time it opens and shuts, you are likely desperate to find a solution to the problem. Applying lubricant is probably the first remedy that comes to mind, but what do you do when it fails? Well, in that case, there's a chance that a slightly more complex problem is causing the squeaking sound. According to Bob Beacham, House Digest's expert carpenter and remodeler, the noisy garage door could actually be caused by problems with your rollers. If you discover that the rollers on your garage door are the source of the sound, Beacham shared that you can simply replace them to solve the problem.

Make sure to confirm the source of the sound before moving forward with this solution. There are a number of other problems that can cause a garage door to squeak. "Chains tend to rattle," Beacham explained while speaking exclusively to House Digest, as he revealed the various garage door parts that can make noise. "Same for any parts of the mechanism that are worn or loose. Springs can get squeaky. Basically anything that moves or comes into contact with other components but is not lubricated properly." If you conclude that you do in fact need to replace the rollers to stop the sounds, proceed with the steps Beacham outlined below to get your garage door working properly again. Keep in mind that it's best to hire a professional if you are not confident that you can repair this common garage door problem yourself.

While speaking exclusively to House Digest, Beacham provided an overview of how to replace noisy garage door rollers. "You'll need an appropriately sized socket and wrench, or adapter and drill, as shown in the video," he said. "You'll need to replace one at a time so the other rollers are still supporting the door. I would suggest working in horizontal pairs. In other words, change one on the left, then the matching one on the right." Beacham also warned that you need to pay special attention to the roller brackets. They should be aligned properly so that you don't run into additional issues.

It is important to note that you will need to follow a different technique if your garage door contains rollers connected to a wire. "It is very dangerous to try to change this in the same way," Beacham warned. Instead, follow the instructions in the video above. "Other safety steps are to disconnect the power and make sure everyone knows what you're doing so nobody tries to open the door while you're working," the expert added.

Far before you get to the point of having to replace your garage door rollers, you need to keep up with routine maintenance to prevent the squeaking from starting up in the first place. Luckily, the recommended prevention process is super easy. "The best thing is to prevent a garage door from getting noisy in the first place with a little regular maintenance and lubrication," Beacham explained while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "If the rollers are at fault, try some spray oil (not WD-40, which isn't actually a lubricant) or better yet, work in some synthetic grease." Since you should not use WD-40 to lubricate your garage door, the expert recommends using Super Lube Multi-Purpose Grease instead.

It's also helpful to understand that there are a variety of different components and roller materials that may cause squeaking and other unpleasant noises. "Metal rollers on metal rails can be noisy," Beacham shared. "Worn bearings can rattle. Seized bearings will mean the rollers won't rotate so they'll scrape along the runner." It's worth taking a close look at your rollers to determine whether any of these problems are the source of the squeaking sound.