The average garage door replacement costs about $1,200. If the garage door is making a noise, you might be looking at a replacement soon if you don’t address it. When a door doesn’t move well, the wear and tear can worsen over time.
A squeaky garage door can have more than one cause. Garage doors differ, too, so you need to approach each one differently. All this adds up to difficulty in finding the solution.
Want to learn how to fix a garage door with just some common sense and a few tools? You don’t always need to call garage door repair services. Keep reading for information on how to fix a garage door.
Assessing a Squeaky Garage Door
Not all garage door noises should have you searching for “garage door repair near me.” Some happen as part of the natural life of a garage door. Others suggest a mechanical failure.
Start by opening and closing the garage door a few times. You’ll want to use all your senses to pinpoint the source of the squeaking.
Try to listen for where the squeak comes from. Sometimes you’ll only figure out what side it’s on, but with good ears, you can even nail it down.
Keep an eye out for areas that wobble, creak, or strain as they move. Movement can also clue you into a garage door fault.
Fixing Things
Performing a garage door repair varies in difficulty. Some fixes you should be able to do with a few tools and a can of lubricant. Others should only be performed by garage door repair services like https://www.garagedoorrepairpros.net/.
Lubricant
When performing a garage door cable repair, hinge repair, or spring repair, you’ll need silicone lubricant. While you might be tempted to break out the can of WD-40, WD-40 doesn’t serve as a good lubricant in a garage door.
Hinges
Noises often come from the hinges of garage doors. To fix the hinges, you’ll need screwdrivers and wrenches as well as some lubricant spray.
Start by tightening any screws and bolts. You’ll need them to be loose enough to move as necessary, but now is a great time to make sure they’re secure.
Then spray the hinges themselves. You’ll need to pay attention to both the rod and the pivot points at either end.
Rollers
You want to lubricate the ball bearing at the center of the rollers rather than the wheel itself. When you do this, you should also take the time to wipe the track the wheels move through dry. Do not lubricate the track.
Springs
Garage door spring repair should be left to the experts. If your springs have been making noise, call a professional. The tension of a garage door spring can cause serious injuries.
Greasing the Skids
A squeaky garage door doesn’t always come with a forecast of disaster. Those high-pitched squeals and whines every time you open the garage door can do a number on your peace of mind, though. As long as you make sure to lubricate the right parts and perform regular maintenance, your garage door should stay quiet.
If you’re looking for more things to assess around the house, check out our home improvement section. Read a few articles and you’ll do a bang-up job with your home repairs.
