Care guide
Noisy garage door: what each sound means
Most garage door noise comes from dry or worn moving parts, and a lot of it goes away with the right lubricant and quieter rollers. Some noises, though, are warnings. Here's how to tell them apart.
A garage door has dozens of moving parts: rollers, hinges, bearings, springs, cables and the opener drive. When the house is quiet, especially if there's a bedroom over the garage, every one of them can be heard.
What the sound tells you
| Sound | Usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Squeaking or squealing | Dry hinges, rollers or springs | Lubricate (see below) |
| Grinding | Worn roller bearings, or a stripped opener gear | Check the rollers; if it's the opener, call |
| Rattling | Loose nuts and bolts, a loose chain | Tighten hardware; adjust chain tension |
| Popping or snapping | A spring binding, or a cracked hinge | Have it inspected |
| Scraping | A roller rubbing a bent track, or a door rubbing the jamb | Have it inspected |
| A single loud bang | A spring just broke | Stop. See broken spring |
How to lubricate a garage door
Use a garage door lubricant, either silicone- or lithium-based spray. Don't use household oil or a thick grease: it collects dust and grit.
- Close the door and unplug the opener.
- Spray each hinge pivot.
- Spray the bearings in the center of each steel roller. Skip nylon rollers' wheels; just do the bearing.
- Lightly coat the springs, then wipe off what drips.
- Spray the bearing plates at each end of the spring bar.
- Don't lubricate the inside of the tracks. Wipe them clean instead.
- Plug the opener back in and run the door a few times.
Doing this every six months or so keeps most doors quiet.
Quiet upgrades
- Nylon rollers. Steel rollers clank in steel tracks. Sealed-bearing nylon rollers are one of the biggest noise reductions for the money.
- A belt-drive opener. Chain drives are the loudest. Belt drives and wall-mount openers are much quieter. See opener types.
- Tightening the hardware. Vibration loosens nuts and bolts over time. Tightening them (not the bottom brackets, which are under tension) cuts rattles.
- A balanced door. An unbalanced door makes the opener strain and grind.
Questions
What is the best lubricant for a garage door?
A spray made for garage doors, usually silicone- or lithium-based. Avoid WD-40 as a lubricant (it's mainly a cleaner) and avoid heavy grease, which attracts dirt.
Should I grease the garage door tracks?
No. Grease in the tracks collects dirt and makes rollers skid. Keep tracks clean and lubricate the rollers' bearings instead.
Why is my garage door so loud when it opens?
Dry or worn rollers and hinges, loose hardware, or a chain-drive opener are the usual causes. A loud bang once is different: it often means a spring broke.