Garage door lube and tune
Garage door squeaking when it moves?
A squeak almost always means dry metal on metal at a hinge, roller or spring coil, not a worn-out door. The right lubricant in the right spots usually quiets it. We find the source and lubricate only the parts that need it.
- Same-day service
- 4.9 stars, 400+ reviews
- Licensed & insured
Is this what you're seeing?
A high squeal or chirp happens each time the door moves.
The sound comes in rhythm, once per roller or hinge as the door passes.
A long groan comes from the spring above the door.
The noise got worse in cold weather or after a long idle.
You sprayed something on it and it came back.
What's going on
A garage door has dozens of moving metal joints: hinge pivots, roller stems, the torsion spring bearings at each end and the center, and the opener chain or screw. All of them are built to move on a thin film of lubricant. In our dry air and dust, that film wears off, and the first sign is a squeak.
You can usually tell where the noise is coming from. A squeak that follows the door section by section is hinges or rollers. A single groan or creak above the door is the spring or its bearings. A chirp near the opener is the chain, trolley or opener rail. A sound that comes only on the way up often means the spring is working hard to lift.
Wrong lubricant is the most common mistake. A thin spray oil like a general penetrating oil quiets things for a day or two, then attracts dust and gums up the track and bearings. Grease on the inside of the vertical track picks up dirt and slows the rollers. The right products are a silicone or lithium-based garage door spray on the hinges, roller stems, bearings and opener chain, and nothing in the track itself.
What to do right now
Do
Close the door and use a garage door lubricant on the hinge pivots and roller stems you can reach.
Wipe old, black grease off the hinges before you add new.
Put a drop at each end bearing plate, if you can reach it from the floor.
Listen after one full cycle to find which spot is still noisy.
Don't
Do not grease the inside of the track, it collects dirt.
Do not spray the cables, the bottom brackets or the spring ends heavily. Leave those to us.
Do not use thick grease or a tub of axle lubricant on a hinge.
Do not ignore a squeak that turns into a grind.
How we fix it
This is a garage door lube and tune. We lubricate the correct points with the right product, tighten loose hardware, check the springs, cables and rollers for wear, and balance-test the door. If a part is worn, we tell you which and why.
Repair or replace?
Most squeaks are solved by lubrication and a tune-up. If the rollers are nylon with worn bearings or steel rollers with flat spots, replacing them is what silences the door for good, and roller repair is a normal part of it.
A door that is squeaking and also hard to lift may be out of balance and needs a garage door repair visit rather than another can of spray.
Related questions
How do I stop my garage door from squeaking?
To stop a garage door squeaking, lubricate the hinges, rollers, springs, and bearings with the right product. Here's the fix and why WD-40 makes it worse.
Read full answerHow often should I lubricate my garage door?
How often to lubricate a garage door: twice a year for most homes, more in dry Colorado air. Learn which parts to grease and which lubricant to use.
Read full answerWhy is my garage door so loud?
Why is my garage door so loud? Grinding, squeaking, rattling, or a loud bang each point to a different part. Here is what each sound means.
Read full answerWhat's on a garage door maintenance checklist?
What's on a garage door maintenance checklist? Lubricate parts, test the balance and auto-reverse, tighten hardware, and check rollers, cables, and seals.
Read full answerQuiet your garage door
Book same-day service or call us. Available 24/7.