At Action Automatic Door & Gates, we get phone calls all the time from home owners complaining that that garage door is making a lot of noise.
While there are a lot parts on the door that could be making it sound noisy, the first place to start is the checking out the rollers. Especially if you do not do regular maintenance on your garage door, the rollers will wear out quickly.
To isolate where the noise is coming from, stand directly under the garage door opener while you open and close the door. If the noise is coming from the rollers, you can cycle it and figure out which rollers need attention or replacing. Check each roller for wear and tear. If there is clear damage, now is a good time to change out the rollers.
DIY Repairs
If you want to tackle the rollers yourself, be sure you have a lubricant designed for garage doors. Do NOT use WD-40. You want a lubricant that is tack-free, silicone base, so that it doesn’t collect dirt on the rollers which will cause more problems. The lubricant will help loosen up moving parts and prevent dirt and grime from building up.
Wipe down the rollers and spray both the right and left side of the roller at the spot where the pin meets the roller itself. Be sure to clean off any excess spray. Do NOT spray the wheel itself or the track as this may cause the door to slip and can cause serious damage.
Once you have lubricated the rollers, check all the roller hinges for loose bolts. Tight bolts will keep the rollers from vibrating.
Call a Professional
If the rollers are worn out or showing damage, consider calling Action to have a technician come out and do the roller replacements. Replacing the rollers requires bending the track. Without the right tools, that can become a dangerous operation.