When it’s working properly, your garage door should slide open and close smoothly on its runners with very little effort. Like any device with moving parts, however, it needs to be lubricated to operate properly. The right lubricant prevents the door from sticking or becoming damaged.
In this article, we’re going to explain why you should keep your garage door regularly lubricated, the right products to use for the job, and how often you should do it.
The benefits of garage door lubrication
There are many advantages to lubricating your garage door. Here are some of the most important ones:
Noise reduction
A common way to tell if your garage door mechanism is not properly lubricated is the noise it makes. As the moving parts rub against one another, you will hear the familiar scratching and grinding sound of metal-on-metal. It may start off barely noticeable, but over time, it will get worse until the door is practically screeching every time you use it.
Friction reduction
That sound is caused by the friction of two or more components rubbing against each other, but it’s not the worst side effect. Friction causes wear and tear on your garage door’s moving parts, which can result in them deteriorating over time. Friction also generates heat, which could end up warping plastic components.
Smoother movement
Garage doors are designed to open and close with ease, and that smooth motion is thanks in large part to using the right lubrication. Without it, the wheels and casters can’t roll along your door tracks as easily. They might end up catching on the runners, making it more difficult to operate.
Improved longevity
You should make lubrication a key part of your home and garage maintenance regime. By reducing friction and allowing smoother movement, it helps to extend the lifespan of your door, reducing the risk of damaged components that will require repairs or replacements.
What problems arise when you don’t lubricate your garage door?
When metal components move across one another, they generate friction. This is caused by the parts moving in different directions from one another and each component trying to stop the other in its tracks. Lubrication reduces friction, allowing all moving parts to operate smoothly. If you don’t lubricate your garage doors regularly, you’ll hear grinding and squeaking noises each time you open or close them as the separate parts struggle against one another. This is not just irritating; it can cause those components to become worn over time and need to be replaced more regularly.
What lubricant should you use on a garage door?
When choosing the right lubricant for your garage door, you should aim for a light silicon lubricant or one that has been specially formulated for use with garage doors. While the opening mechanism is holding a lot of weight, thicker and heavier lubricants will just end up clogging up the moving parts. What’s more, these thicker products have a tendency to attract dust and grime. This can lead to an increase in friction, which is exactly what we hoped to avoid in the first place.
One of the most common questions we get asked is, “Can I use WD40 to lubricate my garage door?” The short answer is: No. While WD40 has dozens of applications around the home, it simply isn’t up to the job of lubricating something as substantial as a garage door. Its combination of mineral oil, mineral spirits, and carbon dioxide might work well enough when first applied, but after a week or so, most of it will have evaporated, leaving only a thin film of oil that won’t be enough to keep your garage door mechanism opening and closing smoothly.
What parts of the garage door should you lubricate?
The purpose of lubricant is to reduce the amount of friction generated when two or more moving parts rub against one another. Therefore, a general rule of thumb is to lubricate any moving components in your garage door’s opening mechanism. This typically includes the rollers, hinges, and springs, but not the tracks themselves, which remain stationary.
Common mistakes when lubricating a garage door
Lubricating your garage door isn’t a major chore, but there are some simple mistakes that are easy to make if you’re not sure about what you’re doing. These are some of the most common ones that you should try to avoid:
Using the wrong lubricant
We’ve already mentioned the best kind of lubricant to use on your garage doors, but it’s worth repeating here. Do not use a water-based lubricant like WD-40 on your garage doors, as they can cause more harm than good.
Over-lubricating
If you apply too much lubricant, you can end up in a worse position than when you started. Excessive amounts of lube attract dust, grime, and dirt that can build up in the mechanism, clog up the door’s moving parts, and lead to reduced movement.
Neglecting regular lubrication
Lubricating your garage door is not a once-and-done job. You need to do it regularly to fully benefit from the process. Make lubrication part of your regular maintenance routine and see that you stick to the schedule.
Applying lubricant to dirty components
If your garage door’s moving parts aren’t clean before you apply lubricant, you will end up creating a thick, grimy paste that will end up clogging up the mechanism, making it difficult to open and close.
How often should you lubricate your garage door? Final thoughts
There’s no strict rule for how often your garage door needs lubricating. Much of it depends on environmental conditions, such as heat and humidity, as well as how often you open and close the door. Generally speaking, it’s recommended that you lubricate all of the door’s moving parts about once every six months to keep things running smoothly.
If you need assistance lubricating your garage door or require garage door repairs, the team at Abby Doors is here to help. Working out of our South Shields office, we cover a 35-mile radius that takes in Tyne and Wear and some surrounding areas. Wherever you’re based, we promise a fast and effective service to get your garage doors operating at peak performance.
For garage door maintenance and repair services you can depend on, give us a call today on 07710 509 465 or send an email to info@abbydoors.co.uk to see what we can do for you.
