How To Fix A Squeaky Garage Door

There are few things more annoying than hearing the ear-piercing squeak of your garage door every time you come home or leave your house.

Plus, a squeaky garage door is often an indication of a larger and more serious structural issue. In short, it’s something you need to take care of as soon as you can.

In this post, we’ll tell you the best DIY methods when it comes to learning how to fix a squeaky garage door. We’ll also let you know when it’s time to get a professional to come work on your squeaky garage door.

Read on to learn more.

Get the Right Materials

If you want to know how to fix a squeaky garage door, make sure you have the right tools. You’ll need:

• Old rags
• A step ladder
• Grease designed for garage door
• Wrench
• Solvent
• Silicone-based lubricant spray
• New garage door rollers (if needed)

Now that you have everything you need, it’s time to do some diagnostic work.

Identify the Problem

The first place for you to take a look is the hinges on your garage door. You should also inspect the tracks, the wheels/rollers, and the mechanism that actually opens the door.

This is where you should also consider replacing rollers–especially if you notice they’re damaged or coming loose. Check out a tutorial on how to make that happen here.

We suggest using nylon rollers as opposed to steel ones. Why? Because they’re much lower maintenance and more durable.

Now is also the time to knock away and thoroughly clean off any visible debris. This may be what’s responsible for a squeaky garage door–and it’s a nice easy fix if that’s all that’s required.

Screw in Loose Nuts

Next up, grab your wrench and carefully tighten any loose nuts and hinges. You’ll need to take care not to tighten them too much, as this can cause serious damage.

Now is also the time to get out the spray solvent you purchased. This is what you should use to properly clean off the rust or corrosion on your moving mechanisms.

For this reason, when you’re buying your spray solvent, you need to make it a point to look for options that contain anti-corrosive properties. One of our favorites is this Rust Release Spray from WD-40.

If you notice that your door has an excessive amount of rust and dirt, you may want to let the solution soak in for a few minutes. Just make sure you completely wipe it down with a rag afterward.

Properly Lubricate the Mechanisms

Now that you’ve cleaned off your mechanisms with the solvent spray, it’s time for the most important step in learning how to fix a squeaky garage door.

Now is the time to properly lubricate all the parts that you suspect might be the source of the squeaking. It’s alright to use a heavier amount of lubricant than you might initially think you’ll need.

When you’re looking to purchase the right kind of lubricant for your garage door, look for either silicone spray or grease that’s designed for use on a garage door.

There are some areas, however, that many homeowners often miss. Make sure you properly spray the tracks and springs of your door. Don’t miss the bearings, either.

You need to make sure that you spray the exterior of the door. This is because your door is often impacted by high heat and humidity levels. Properly lubricating it won’t just help you to eliminate the squeaks–it will also extend the overall life of your door.

Once you’ve done this, open your garage door and close it several times in succession. This actually works the grease or lubricant into the parts that need the most attention. Plus, you’ll be able to hear whether or not you’ve properly tackled the squeaky garage door.

If it works, congratulations! You’ve successfully fixed your garage door. Your last step is to wipe off the excess grease with your old rag.

Help! My Garage Door Is Still Squeaking

So, you’ve done everything in this post. You’ve even repeated the process again, but you’re still dealing with a squeaky garage door.

In some cases, the problem may simply be too big for you to fix on your own. You may need to invest in larger replacement parts, or your garage door opening mechanism may need replacing altogether.

If this is the case, it’s the time to call in the professionals. You don’t want to waste your time–and more importantly, your money–replacing or working on parts that aren’t actually the source of the problem.

Plus, no matter how much of a skilled DIYer you are, some issues within your garage door are just too dangerous for you to fix yourself. Ending the squeakiness of your garage door isn’t worth putting your own safety in jeopardy.

We’re here to help you to properly identify the problem and fix it correctly the first time around.

Getting Professional Help for a Squeaky Garage Door

From making sure that you start with the right tools, to using the right kind of anti-corrosion spray, we hope this post has helped you learn how to fix a squeaky garage door.

Of course, we also hope it’s made it clear when it’s no longer safe to tackle the problem on your own.

If you’ve reached that point, go ahead and give us a call. Spend some time on our website, too, to learn exactly how we can help you to tackle a squeaky garage door.

When you’re ready, get in touch with us to schedule a proper consultation and set up an appointment.