When to Lubricate Your Garage Doors in Visalia
Part of being a homeowner is making sure that your home is maintained well. Although you can hire someone to deal with certain issues in your home, there are some tasks you can learn to do yourself. Lubricating your garage doors in Visalia may just be one of them. Keeping your garage door lubricated can help extend the life of your garage door. It can also help it to run smoothly and quietly.
How Often to Lubricate
The requirements of garage doors vary by model. However, most require some lubrication every three months. A garage door is made up of multiple moving parts. Over time, they may grind together due to friction. If your garage door is making a grinding sound or it is not running as smoothly, this can point to your garage door needing lubrication.
Before attempting to lubricate your garage door, inspect the door to make sure the chain, nuts, and bolts are tight. You also want to look at the rollers and hinges. Inspecting your garage door may help to identify any other issues that could be causing your garage door to be noisy.
Once you have inspected your garage door, shut it and disconnect the power supply. Next, you want to clear the tracks of debris by vacuuming it. Doing so will make it possible for the rollers to move smoothly along the tracks. Afterward, wipe away any remaining debris with a damp rag. For stubborn messes, you can use an automotive brake cleaner to loosen the dirt.
Why Garage Doors in Visalia Need Lubrication
During winter, the outside elements can cause contraction and expansion of your garage door. Due to this, your garage door may require some maintenance, including lubrication. Adding a sufficient amount of lubrication to your garage door will prevent damage to it because the lubricant will stop the door from grating and shearing.
The springs, hinges, rollers, and tracks of your garage door need to be lubricated the most frequently due to the amount of stress they face compared to the other components of your garage door.
Depending on the climate in which you live in and the frequency in which you use your garage door, these components will need to be lubricated at least four times a year. As for the rails of the door, they require less maintenance and may only need to be lubricated once a year.
What Type of Lubricant Should You Use?
If you are considering using grease as a lubricant, you want to go light. Although your garage door may seem heavy-duty, too much grease can attract debris which can cause more friction and lead to you having to replace your garage door a lot sooner than normal.
When choosing a lubricant, you want to choose one that is specifically designed for garage doors as they are less likely to attract dust and debris. This type of lubricant usually has packaging that makes it easier to apply lubricant to the necessary components of your garage door.
On the off chance that you cannot find a lubricant that is specifically made for garage doors, you can go for a light silicon spray. Lithium-based grease is another good choice for lubricating your garage door.
The Lubrication Process
In order to lubricate the hinges, you need to lift up the door. As the door is bending, wipe the hinges with grease. Then, lubricate the rollers as they are connected next to the hinges. When lubricating the small ball bearings inside the rollers, use a thinner straw attachment.
To access the springs, you will need a step ladder as they are at the top of the garage door. You will also find the bearing plates on either side of the springs. Both these components need to be lubricated so they function properly. You can use grease to either spray or wipe them down.
Once you have applied the grease, spread the grease by opening the garage door. Damaged springs need to be replaced immediately. As it can be challenging and dangerous to replace springs, you may want to have a professional do it for you.
The Final Steps
Now, you want to apply lubricant to the top rail and arm bar. The top rail is connected to the garage door by the arm bar. It runs parallel to the garage ceiling, and the chain moves along it. The reason this needs to be lubricated is the chain moves along it.
Lastly, you want to add lubrication to your garage door’s lock. This will prevent the lock from rusting. It will also make it easier for you to both lock and unlock the garage door.
Now, you can reconnect the power supply. Check to see that the garage door works. You also want to check that door is moving more smoothly and is less noisy. If you still notice issues with the garage door, you may have to call in a technician. Although grinding noises from your garage door can point to it needing lubrication, it can also indicate a more serious problem.
Other Reasons for a Noisy Garage
Some other reasons for a noisy garage may be that the chains, belt drives, and screws on the garage door opener are not properly maintained. If the screw drive is loose, it can grind against the rack which can cause a scraping sound. A squealing sound can come from the belt if it is also loose. Issues with the door opening and closing can also cause a grinding sound.
If your garage door is unbalanced, you may hear a thumping or banging sound. A loud snap could point to a broken torsion spring. If the spring is broken, it is best to call a professional as trying to repair it on your own can be dangerous.
Worn-out hinges can cause your garage door to make a screeching or grinding noise. Check to see if the hinges are worn out or cracked. If they are damaged, you need to replace them immediately as they can be a safety hazard. Do not do this yourself, though. Removing the bottom bracket can cause your garage door to crash down on you. Instead, you want to call a professional to replace the hinges for you.
