Guide to Garage Door Lubrication
Guide to Garage Door Lubrication
A Guide to Garage Door Lubrication
Garage doors are easy to take for granted until they start squeaking, grinding or getting stuck. The good news is that a little upkeep can go a long way. One of the best ways to keep things working the way they should is regular lubrication. It’s quick, it’s simple and it can help prevent bigger problems down the line.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to lubricate a garage door, which parts need it, how often to do it and when it might be time to bring in a pro. And if you ever want to talk it through in person, our showroom is always open.
Why Garage Door Lubrication Maintenance Matters
Garage doors are built to last, but they have many moving parts. Over time, things like hinges, rollers and springs start to wear down. Lubrication helps reduce that friction, so your door operates more quietly and doesn’t strain your opener. It also helps prevent rust and keeps everything running efficiently.
Regular lubrication can:
- Cut down on noise, like loud squeaks and thumps.
- Keep your opener from working harder than it needs to.
- Help parts last longer.
- Give you an early opportunity to catch wear or damage.
How to Lubricate Garage Door Springs and Other Parts
It’s best to leave garage door lubrication to professionals who have the products, tools and experience to do it right. The steps include:
- Picking the right lubricant: A silicone-based or lithium-based spray, like a white lithium grease, is best. WD-40 is more of a moisture inhibitor and a degreaser, so it goes against the point of lubrication.
- Starting with a clean door: It’s important to wipe down rollers, hinges and tracks with a dry cloth to remove dust and debris.
- Applying the lubricant: The next step is spraying key components, like the rail, hinge pivot points, springs, bearing plates, rollers, pins, pulley disc and mid-hinges — but not the track, since lubrication there could cause slippage.
- Opening and closing the door: Opening and closing the door a few times spreads the lubricant around evenly.
- Wiping up the excess: The final step is to wipe off the excess from most parts with a paper towel or rag. It’s best not to wipe the rail and the springs, where the lubricant needs time to penetrate effectively.
How Often to Lubricate Garage Door Parts
We get this question a lot. For most people, twice a year is perfect — once in the spring and once before winter. If your garage door gets a lot of use or if you live in a damp or salty climate, you might want to do it every two to three months instead.
When to Call in a Professional
If you’ve kept up with lubrication but your garage door still isn’t moving as it should — or it’s making unusual noises — it’s time to get it looked at by a professional. Sometimes the problem isn’t friction. It could be worn-out springs, a misaligned track or an issue with the opener.
Olympic Garage Door offers full-service repair and maintenance for residential and commercial garage doors. We never sub out our work. Everything’s done by our own trained, licensed and insured technicians who know our products inside and out.
What Sets Olympic Garage Door Apart?
We do things a little differently at Olympic Garage Door. Our goal isn’t to just fix your garage door. We want you to feel confident about how it works, how it looks and who’s working on it.
Other factors that set us apart include:
- Real people offering real support: Our professional showroom is open and fully staffed, so you can come in, ask questions and see your options up close.
- The brands we stand behind: We carry Clopay® and LiftMaster products that are dependable and long-lasting.
- Site visits beforehand: Before we start a project, we’ll visit your home or business to get a clear understanding of the space and what you need.
- Everything under one roof: We handle garage door and opener sales, installation, service, repairs and parts all in one place.
Come Visit or Reach Out
Let us know how we can help! You can visit the showroom, give us a call or schedule an appointment at your home or business.
From garage door lubrication maintenance to full replacements and opener upgrades, Olympic Garage Door offers honest advice, expert work and high-quality products. Let us know how we can help!
The Importance of Professional Installation for Commercial Garage Doors
If you run a business anywhere on the Olympic Peninsula, you know that smooth operations and reliability go hand in hand. One element that’s often underestimated is your commercial garage door. It’s more than a way in and out. It’s part of your security, efficiency and first impression. When installed properly, it works seamlessly in the background. When it’s not, it becomes a constant headache.
Seasonal Maintenance Checklist for Garage Doors
When you live in a place like Port Angeles or anywhere on the Olympic Peninsula, weather isn’t just background noise — it plays a major role in how well your home runs. Rain, wind and salt air can take a toll on your garage doors if they are improperly maintained.
The Benefits of High-Speed Garage Doors for Commercial Use
When it comes to running a business, every second counts. This is especially true for industries that rely on loading docks, service bays or controlled environments. High-speed commercial garage doors are designed to move quickly and reliably, so your operations never skip a beat. These aren’t just doors — they’re performance tools that help you work smarter, safer and more efficiently.
When to Buy a New Garage Door
Why buy a new garage door? Even if your garage door doesn’t have any major issues, underlying issues may make a new door a necessity. Replace your garage door when you encounter significant issues that a professional cannot fix or repair, including the following:
1. Significant Wear and Tear
Over time, garage doors can become worn down from wear and tear. Something as simple as frequency of use can affect your door — for example, if you use your garage door four times a day, it will likely last longer than those who use it eight or more times a day.
Weather factors can also influence the wear of your garage door, with significant rain and snow potentially leading to rusting and warping of the door. Mechanical failures become more common as doors age, with springs and lift cables needing more frequent replacement or maintenance over time. Even a slight track misalignment can progress to the point of serious damage to your garage door. With evidence of this kind of wear and tear, you need to replace your garage door.
2. Failure to Open or Close
Coming home after a long day and not being able to get inside due to a faulty garage door can be frustrating. If your door isn’t opening or closing properly, there are a few culprits for the cause:
- Faulty opener: An old or faulty garage door opener can lead to safety and security risks. Faulty openers can lead the auto-reverse feature to malfunction, putting anyone who walks under your closing door in danger. Thieves can also override old or outdated opener systems, giving them easy access to your home.
- Broken remote: Your remote could be out of batteries or become disconnected from the motor unit. More seriously, the motor unit may be burned out, calling for a complete replacement.
- Misaligned sensor: An obstructed sensor can impact the opening and closing of your door. Anything from dust and debris to more serious mechanical failure could be the cause.
You can solve some issues like dirt and debris yourself. Call a professional if you think your door needs any more serious repairs.
3. Damage to the Door
While small dents and scratches may not be very noticeable from the street, even minor dents can impact a door’s functionality. Having a dent in your door can prevent its smooth and unobstructed movement along the tracks, resulting in issues from misalignment to total door failure. In some cases, you might fix it by replacing one of the panels, but it’s usually better to replace the whole door.
If you notice any serious dents or the door encounters significant trauma from weather, sports balls or vehicles, call a professional to assess the damage and limit opening or closing the door until it is replaced or deemed safe for use.
4. Poor Energy Performance
Since a garage door can significantly impact a household’s energy output, having a poorly insulated garage can result in higher overall costs for utility bills and issues such as mold and water damage. Some insulation issues are fixable with repairs or additions, but old garage doors may not support these techniques.
If you discover your garage is at fault for your home’s poor energy performance, a new garage door can be an investment in future savings down the road and a greener choice for the environment.
Browse Our Showroom to Find Your New Garage Door
Olympic Garage Door services Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, and other areas throughout the Olympic Peninsula. We offer an extensive showroom staffed with professionals and a vast selection of new residential garage doors. A qualified technician will perform a site visit to your home to assess your property’s unique needs, answer your questions and oversee proper installation. At Olympic Garage Door, we also offer continued maintenance services to keep your new garage door functioning well over time.
Browse our selection of garage doors online or visit our showroom to speak with a knowledgeable team member. To learn more about our products and installation, call us at 360-452-3859 or fill out a contact form for a detailed estimate.
Benefits of a New Garage Door
The life span of a garage door with proper maintenance can be up to 30 years. However, many factors can decrease that life span, such as a lack of maintenance, repair issues, or environmental factors like humidity and severe weather. In the Olympic Peninsula, rain and wet weather conditions can lead to multiple issues for garage doors. Having proper insulation and ventilation for your garage door can save you money in utility costs and increase the value of your home.
Why Is My Garage Door Making Noise?
A well-maintained and high-quality garage door should run smoothly and quietly. Over time, however, even the best doors inevitably face wear and tear that can lead to strange noises. Dealing with a loud garage door? Try some of these tips to identify the issue and troubleshoot a solution.
Parts of a Garage Door Opener System
Several parts of a garage door opener system work together to open and close a garage door automatically. With the push of a button, you eliminate the need to manually lift heavy doors, especially in inclement Washington weather. A well-functioning garage door with a modern opener contributes to the overall curb appeal of a home.
Understanding how different garage door parts work helps you maintain your opener system and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Whether you’re thinking of installing a new unit or repairing an old one, first, you need to learn more about how every part contributes to a reliable garage door opener system.
Contact Our Experts on Garage Door Openers
Smart Technology Inside the Home and Out
From thermostats to front door cameras to kitchen appliances, nearly every home features some type of smart technology. Whether you’re a smart tech aficionado or want to start incorporating the basics in your home, you may be interested to know that smart technology goes beyond the confines of your house — you can also find plenty of helpful gadgets for your garage.
There are all kinds of new tech in garages, allowing homeowners to access their vehicles more easily, park better and keep their electric cars charged. Explore some of the top garage and garage door technology below for ideas on how you can bring your garage into the modern era.
1. Wireless Remotes and Opener Apps
For many homeowners, being able to conveniently operate their garage doors is paramount. An automatic garage door opener makes the process simple, but smart tech takes it a step beyond to offer true convenience. Adding a new wireless remote to your garage allows you to control your garage door from anywhere on your property, with some featuring ranges extending hundreds of feet.
If you want even greater control over operating your garage door, you can use a phone opener app that’s compatible with your overall smart garage hub. These apps include different capabilities, but you can expect features like voice command, status alerts and schedule automation, letting you open and close your door when needed and monitor its performance even when you’re away.
Upgrading your garage door remote can be a great first step as you consider other new garage tech.
2. Proximity Sensors and Parking Assistants
Sometimes, parking correctly inside your garage is tricky, especially if you drive a truck or SUV, your garage is small or your driveway is uniquely shaped. Make parking simpler by implementing proximity sensors and parking assistants.
These gadgets use sensors to detect when the car is too close to the back or sides of the garage. Then, they employ visual signs like lights or lasers and audio signals like beeping to tell you when to stop the car in the right spot.
As with most other kinds of smart tech, you can operate some parking sensors and assistants through apps, so you can adjust and turn them on and off accordingly. If you choose parking tech that doesn’t come with an app, you may be able to control it remotely anyway — a smart plug or outlet can turn any electric device into a smart device by connecting it to your home’s smart hub.
3. Automatic Lights
Keeping your garage well-lit is important for visibility when parking. It can also be incredibly helpful if you use your garage for storage, as you never want to have to navigate your garage in the darkness. Instead of having to physically turn on the lights every time you enter your garage, you can invest in automatic lights that trigger when the garage door opens.
For even greater control, choose lightbulbs that connect to your smart home system, allowing you to turn the lights off and on from your phone. Pairing your smart lighting system with a complete security system, which we discuss in the next section, can help you deter potential criminal activity even further — many criminals avoid brightly lit spaces for fear of getting caught in the act.
4. Garage Security Systems
Whether your garage is attached to your home or situated many yards away, you want to restrict access to only yourself and the rest of your household. From cars and off-road vehicles to kids’ toys and work tools, you store highly valuable items in your garage, meaning a comprehensive security system is key. There are now numerous ways to protect your garage with the help of smart tech.
Today, the most popular garage security systems feature cameras that send video footage to the cloud, allowing homeowners to monitor their belongings on their phones. When the system detects motion in the garage, it sends an alert to the homeowner, letting them see what’s going on and take action if necessary. This capability is especially crucial for detached garages — traditional security systems with alarms may not alert homeowners quickly enough, so being able to view video footage is key.
Several new styles of garage door opener systems come with security system options, so users can enjoy all the benefits of smart tech for their garages.
5. Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Did you know that about 918,000 electric cars were sold in 2022 alone? If you’re someone who owns an electric vehicle (EV), you should know about all the new tech for electric cars you can add to your garage, including improved electric charging stations.
Over the past few years, EV charging stations have evolved, providing different options as new EVs emerge. Now, you can have your choice of systems depending on your specific EV, and many EV chargers come with smart tech that allows you to monitor your charging from anywhere you have an internet connection.
Combining your EV charging station with other tech, such as your garage door opener, can make for a completely smart garage that’s part of your larger smart home ecosystem.
Explore Smart Garage Door Openers From Olympic Garage Doors
Choosing a modern, connected upgrade for your new garage door opener can provide you with greater access control and heightened garage security. At Olympic Garage Doors, we provide a range of smart garage door openers for homeowners, ensuring you can invest in a quality option that suits your needs. Genie is one of the industry’s most trusted and leading brands, and we’re proud to offer various Genie garage door opener models.
Genie Wi-Fi-connected garage door openers come with various tech features, such as:
- Garage light control.
- Scheduled opening and closing.
- Improved security.
- Battery backup.
It’s easy to operate your garage door through the app, ensuring you can close your garage door when you forget and open it in advance when you have to let someone inside — all while enjoying a more secure, well-lit space enhanced with convenient features. Want to learn more about our selection of openers and how they can make accessing your garage easier? Speak with one of our experts today.
Olympic Garage Doors is located in Port Angeles, providing the greater Olympic Peninsula with professional, timely garage door services. Whether you need a new garage door, want to invest in an upgraded garage door opener or require garage door repair, we’re here to help. Contact us today to request service or inquire about an estimate for your home.
How Garage Doors Help Increase Home Value
A garage door can last for decades, but replacing an old, worn-out door can drastically increase the value of your home. In addition to providing a higher return on investment (ROI) than other home renovations, a new garage door will also provide invaluable benefits, like energy efficiency and enhanced security.