Three Tips To Fix That Squeaky Garage Door

Isn't it annoying when you open the garage door and it squeaks & creeks? Well, you don't have to put up with it if you take an hour or so to address a couple of the culprits. Here are three tips on how to make your garage door quieter:

1. Replace Worn Hinges - the garage door hinges can wear out over the years or some of them may even be bent. This can cause the hinges to bind and squeak. Check over all of the hinges and look for any damage or binding. Replace the hinges as needed.
2. Replace Worn Rollers - when the bearings in the rollers wear out they no longer roller properly or stop rolling altogether causing them to drag on the track. Check each roller and see that they are rolling freely and there's no excessive wear. A Word Of Warning: DON'T replace the bottom two rollers unless you are skilled and knowledgeable in how garage doors work. These two rollers are in the bottom corner brackets which are connected to the cables which connect to the springs. The springs are under extreme pressure and can cause injuries if they are not replaced properly. All of the other rollers can be replaced without having to worry about the springs.
   
3. Lube - this is the most important & most often overlooked maintenance issue. Simply spray the springs, rollers, hinges, pulleys (if the door has them) and bearings. Stay away from WD40 and grease - these tend to attract dirt and in cold weather areas the grease gets stiff. Stick with a light chain & cable fluid or garage door lubricant. Do this at least once a year and your garage door will be happy.