Is Your Garage Door Noisy? 4 Easy Fixes and Reasons Why It Is So Loud

In this video I show you how to lubricate, maintain, and get rid of the noise and squeaking from your garage door! It won't take more than 10-15 minutes to do and you really only have to do it once a year.
Items I used and mentioned in the video:
Blaster Silicone Garage Door Lubricant: amzn.to/3eJ4SXg
Blaster White Lithium Grease: amzn.to/3mNssq0
Shop Towels: amzn.to/3zguGmQ
6 Foot Step Ladder: amzn.to/3Hs39BT
Dewalt Socket Set: amzn.to/3JASbMn
Thank you for watching and for subscribing. You can support the channel at no cost to you by using one of the above affiliate links. This helps support the channel for new content!
Blessings,
Adam
How To Home assumes no liability for damage or injury. How To Home highly recommends using proper safety procedures and professionals when needed. Our content is for entertainment purposes only. No information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not How To Home. How To Home will not be held liable for any negligent or accidental damage or injury resulting from equipment, tools, electrical, fire, electronics or any items contained in this video. Attempt projects and repairs at your own risk.

[@FIGBARFILMS]

I made the mistake of using WD-40 on our squeaky garage door. And told my wife that there was nothing more that could be done… It was just going to continue to squeak and that was all we could do. And then she took it upon herself to find your video on KZbin. I followed all your directions using silicone lubricant and it’s a miracle! Your video was very concise and well thought out. Very much appreciate this video. Thanks!

[@frozncman]

As a "garage door guy" with 20 years of experience this video is pretty informative. There are a couple of things I do differently: - use light motor oil to lubricate the hinges, rollers, and springs. It's extremely long-lasting and a single drop of oil will spread evenly along a surface without any "overspray" - on that opener, I wouldn't oil or grease the rail because the traveler is plastic and I've found that over time some lubricants can weaken the plastic. One thing people never think about is releasing the door from the opener traveler and running the door by hand. Over time the torsion springs can relax and make the door seem heavy causing the opener to work harder moving the door up and down or even triggering the force limits that will stop the opener from completing its cycle. I will never suggest a homeowner attempt to adjust the springs as they are under extreme tension and will cause serious injuries if mishandled. Overall good information from the video.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Appreciate the feedback!

[@hoke0818]

Thank you. Great info.

[@hypocritetrollbot7729]

My opener traveler is at its loudest (72db) when closing the garage door due to lots of metal clanging against each other. When opening the garage, it’s much quieter with 63db being the peak. When I press the button to close, it’s like the opener traveler is surprised and all it’s metal parts are visibly hitting each other, looks kind of like an ocean ripple/wave. It’s at that same point it reaches the 72db then it’s 63db all the way down. I’m thinking about adding rubber washers to the pull pin, but any other suggestions are most welcome. Hopefully I described all of the above well enough.

[@randomrazr]

i ahve a quesiton, is it normal for a 5 year old garage door / house to have water seeep in? seeps to happen when the wind pushes rain agianst the door

[@jakal104]

@@randomrazr typical rain, typical wind - no water should enter. Heavy rain / wind... well... every seal has limits. Check garage floor is level (side to side) at the seal area and you have a good slope (1/2" per foot) away from the door seal so water can drain away. If those concrete issues are good, the bottom door seal (or side seals) may need replaced. Replacing the seals are not too difficult or expensive.

[@spconrad9612]

This is a really good video reminder of something most of us take for granted. We love the door going up and down until that day it doesn't, so this should extend the life until replacement. Good tips that I plan on applying this weekend.

[@grriceman782]

I followed these simple, perfect instructions and my 3.5 year old door sounds brand new. Thank you!!!!

[@daleair2012]

I have watched a couple of videos on quieting garage doors, and this is by far the best one.

[@TysoniusRex]

installed a new opener a few months ago. Door was still very noisy afterward, so I applied Break Free CLP to all hings, rollers, etc. Works like a charm, door is now very quiet when in operation.

[@johnhayden2301]

Some good suggestions here. Especially like the use of the sound meter to measure results. Thanks for the video.

[@kdramaq2186]

my garage door makes lots of noisy in cold weather. This is best video I've found so far,(for grandma) I am going to try it step by step tomorrow. thanks you.

[@SanMateoClips]

Wow! Thank you! I had a garage door on a rental that wouldn’t close all the way and sounded like it was on its last leg BUT now it’s gliding to and fro. What a girl can do with a little help from you. Many thanks!!!

[@drewlancaster3281]

Silicone works great for me - I've used it since the 60s when my dad introduced me to it. Thank you for your exceptional videos with relevant and useful content.

[@markchuchra8399]

Thanks. I never thought it would be necessary to lubricate the torsion spring. I was experiencing a fairly loud squeak as the door was opening that I could not identify or isolate, but it turns out that lubricating the spring solved the problem. thanks again.

[@mikepalucci1381]

Followed your advice on my old rickety garage door yesterday and now it runs like new. Thanks for a great video! New subscriber.

[@emilywelsh1072]

Thank you, this was so helpful and concise! I especially loved you naming each part of the garage door while lubricating it - I feel educated.

[@acreguy3156]

Well done! A drop of almost 10dB translates to one half perceived volume. That's significant!!

[@champagnestacey]

Hey there. Thanks for this video and the step by step process. I am a new homeowner and really grateful for the information. Thanks a bunch.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!

[@andrew_gardner]

I have side mount openers that rely on the weight of the doors to help start the closing feature. I did these same lub steps a few months ago and solve the issue of the doors triggering the cable switch which forces the door to go back to full open. Great info and so simple to do!

[@noelgonzalez9549]

I really like a short, concise video with good information. Thanks

[@markroath98]

Your video was informative, and well done.

[@donneary7104]

I live in a house that is 50 years and it still has the original door. I've lived in my home for almost 30 years and had the springs replaced professionally about 20 years ago. I've always used WD40. for lube. It seemed to help the movement but did not lessen the noise. I will switch to the special garage door product in the future. Thanks for the tip.

[@johnlong384]

Thanks for you informative "have-to-do-clip"!

[@donlevy7978]

Lithium specialist WD-40, not regular WD-40, worked beautifully. Reduced noise considerably. What used to rattle and grind now has a great smooth and significantly quieter sound. This video is what led me to find the right kind of lubricant and where to apply it. Like getting a new garage door for under $10. Thank you.

[@Visca_Motion_Pictures]

Man I was at this issue alllll morning…. You just solved it in seconds. Thank you a lot

[@tomdfrog]

Wow what a difference! 20 years I have hated the garage door on this house. 15min of tightening and lubrication and it is so much better. some screws were just a 1/4 turn...some were full turns!

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Wow that is quite a bit. I bet it is quite a bit quieter. Glad to hear it was helpful. Thanks for the feedback Tom!

[@MindHunger]

After watching this video I went to work on my garage door. Just tightening all the bolts reduced the sound some, some bolts move 1/8th a turn which made a difference. Lubed everything and it sounds so much quieter.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Pretty amazing huh.

[@josemoreno3334]

Now I know how to do it right. I'm going to Lowes to pick up a can that stuff that you used . My bedroom is above the garage and that stuff should cut down that loud noise the garage door makes. Thanks a whole lot for that great tip. Take care brother. 😊👍

[@TBA_69]

Thank you for this video! My garage was so noisy it would make all sorts of creaking noise, I could hear it opening and closing from 50 feet away, it was very irritating. I followed your directions and now standing 10 feet away I can hardly hear it opening or closing. Great video!

[@Opie2]

Nice video! Going to apply this to my garage. Thanks!

[@davidb.7223]

Very through video, I missed some of these steps. Thank you for sharing!

[@endeavortrikes]

I owned a garage door company for 10 years and installed 10,000 doors personally. My #1 service call in winter was WD40 removal. never ever use WD40 it is the worst. squeal is usually a dry torsion spring center bearing which is in most cases plastic. most new openers have a plastic trolley which can be lubed with wax but should never be oiled. light oil on hinges is good but again never spray lube as they all cause more damage in the long run. Just another FYI in my 10 years I never found one garage door opener with a bad motor they never go bad. the ballast capacitor will go bad but that is a cheap fix and will mimic a bad motor.

[@kevinthistle6871]

Good to know thanks 10 year vet

[@TheJoshLange]

White lithium or silicone?

[@endeavortrikes]

Definitely low temp lithium grease

[@7gcbccitabria]

Funny you say that, I ask a “overhead door” tech what he was spraying since the can label was overhead door lube. He laughed and said it’s just wd 40 with our label

[@ericfranke1637]

How about PTFE dry lube? Teflon.

[@boatnic1950]

You are very correct about the WD40 as I have found that it is not only a degreaser, but tends to remove all the oils so a steel pin will rust up in a matter of days

[@laurafara6264]

Thank you for these tips! I am going to do them to my door. 😊

[@burntsider8457]

Well done video. Compressed with no silliness, but complete. Good job.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@tobycarroll9416]

Thank you for the video!! I am gonna try that out

[@frederickczajka573]

For about 10 years now my go to for garage doors is 400-HD National Door Lube. It just works my door hinges are quite and most importantly the tension spring seems to last much longer.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Thanks a lot for the info!

[@dyankee7214]

Very informative and very useful for anyone with a garage door. WD-40 stands for Water Displacer 40 this the 40th formula they tried. Never use it on a lock, I always use dry graphite powder.

[@MrWhatis]

it worked great on a wet distributor cap.

[@dyankee7214]

@@MrWhatis That is the kind of thing it's made for not as a lubricant

[@Alex-Zone]

But what if it's an underwater lock? Like the little one on the treasure chest for the fish. They can't get the graphite powder to quit dissolving. I told them lithium, they will get back to me.

[@jayk8594]

don’t use graphite on a lock, use ptfe spray. ask your locksmith if in doubt.

[@sanjaybhardwaj7669]

It really works great thanks 🙏 very helpful video

[@annieo.4779]

This worked perfectly to fix our screeching garage door. Thank you!! (It’s been driving me nuts!)

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Excellent! Really glad to have been a part of helping you regain your sanity! Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@edwardglassen]

I have been a door installer for 45 years. I like the super slippery slick stuff. Also should lubricant the springs and bearings

[@willo7979]

Omg! Tried your method, and I don’t need db measurement tool, the noise reduction it is THAT obvious! I did not get wd40, but certainly white lithium with the long spout though. THANK YOU

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Really glad to hear it was so helpful! The noise reduction is great! Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@coolinken]

Great video with excellent tips. Thanks!

[@mohammedsharif2651]

Very helpful video. Thank you 😀👏

[@DungNguyen-ru5kg]

One thing I found on my garage door is the aluminum panels originally has some glue glued to the vertical support metal beam, those glue get harden and got separated, I re-glue but before that, drill and add small scews/nuts thru the panel and the beams. I also replace metal screws at top and bottom brackets with bolts and lock nuts, be careful here because brackets are under spring pressure.

[@spokanetomcat1]

I have tried all three lubes mentioned. Started with WD-40, Silicone, then white lithium spray grease. Lithium works best and is recommended by my garage door repair guy. My doors are quieter and have run smoother during operation since they were applied.

[@pn3940]

well, love the back yard woods.

[@jillhull7358]

Very educational with words and picture very helpful great how to vedio

[@russwentz3957]

Thank you Sir. I really needed this info to motivate me for much needed and overdue garage door service! Also, thank you for the silicone spray tip. WD-40 is my favorite for many things, but I have come to realize that it will degrease/remove existing lubricants, as it displaces water too.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Russ!

[@davewmck]

WD40 is a rust remover but somewhere along the way it started being universally used as a lubricant. it will work but is not the best product for lubrication.

[@mayorb3366]

Just a bit of trivia, the "WD" in WD-40 stands for Water Displacement. It's origin is a fascinating story, developed by a self-trained chemist for the purpose of keeping ice from forming on rockets.

[@brucemattingly6476]

Thanks, excellent video..! Also remember to lubricate the cable wrapped around the torsion spring mount end drums, and the end drums themselves, if they are not sealed bearings..! 👍

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Appreciate the input Bruce!

[@billmcmeekin7909]

Wynn's Slick and shine is the bomb! It's clear and not as messy. Been using it in house hinges for ever.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

I will have to check it out. Thanks Bill!

[@76vetten]

Very helpful. One of my doors is incredibly loud. I use it 10 times per year max, so I haven’t bothered with it. Now I know how to do it all. Great video. Thanks.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback!

[@stephenbrasure4331]

Thanks! It's a job I need to do soon!

[@philCooks2000]

Nice video, thank you for sharing these tips!

[@gregfisher216]

Great video ! Our garage door is as old as the house . The house was built in mid 90's . We live on the Gulf coast about 2 miles from the beach . We have humidity and salt air which is corrosive . We recently had the opener replaced , kind of the new patch on old clothes kind of a thing. The door is a racket making outfit. I want to do this. I have fluid firm which is a great lubricant but smells awful. I like the silicone product you are using here.

[@whitegentile8260]

Heading to the garage now...thanks!

[@janetkensett1503]

Very helpful information. Thanks much.

[@LongHuynh-hc2fm]

Thanks for the video. One thing I note that helps us on the rail to the motor to use actual white garage grease. The sprayer works but won't last that long. You can use the thick grease and lay it along the rail and inside the belt. That lasts a lot longer and performs a lot better. For the hinges, I still use the silicon spray. Ideally, I would like to use thick grease on them too but it's not easily accessible.

[@benjaminsiu7973]

You are the man! I used the spray and it is only good for a week. I eventually switched to grease to make it last.

[@dennisthompson2836]

Learn something new everyday!!! Thank You!!!

[@bobewetoob]

Thanks! If it wasn't quite so late, I'd go get on this right away!

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are welcome! Hope you have gotten this taken care of by now. Thanks for the feedback Bob!

[@thebighock]

Lots of Lubricant is a must!!

[@AiricKnight]

Thanks for this!

[@jfmips]

Thank you, great video, very informative

[@fredbergeron7997]

Great tips. My garage door is way quieter. I would not have thought about lubricating the springs.

[@ericfranke1637]

​​@@simonjohn6156where can we buy them? And are they universal in fit?

[@gregj2647]

Very good information. While on the topic of garage doors, any recommendations for the outside weatherstripping? I need something better than the standard product. It gets very cold here in Minnesota and the bad seal let’s the cold into the heated garage.

[@manum4836]

THANKS FOR THE TIPS.

[@walejoe42]

By far, the noisiest items on my garage door, which you did not mention, are the spools that winds the lifting wire on each end of the door. The bearings on these spools need to be lubricated as well, every month or so. A squirt of silicone grease does the trick. Thanks for the video.

[@LongHuynh-hc2fm]

Spools as in the sprockets? Like the wheels that turn the belt?

[@walejoe42]

@@LongHuynh-hc2fm No. On each end of the door, at the top of the rail, there are two spools that wind the cables attached to the bottom of the door. They are driven by tension in the coil spring to make the door easier to lift.

[@AlexKubacki]

@@walejoe42 Also, the other (bottom) end of the cable where it attaches to the bottom of the door. That loop on the end where it attaches was making a LOT of noise on my door at the very top of the travel.

[@amarreder6241]

Thanks for the post

[@mkhalilh09]

Good advice

[@jerseyinthephilippines1283]

Thanks brozi

[@tedfisk1211]

Good video as my garage door is making some noise. And I have subscribed to this KZbin. Thanks

[@alankennedy820]

Thank you, very helpful

[@robalexander7348]

I have a B & D roller door installed at my house here in Australia, and my B & D instruction book's advise is to wipe clean the roller door tracks with " Mineral Turps Only " my Controller door and motor is now 42 years old and still works silently,and smoothly as the day it was installed in 1980, i clean the tracks 2/3 times a year 👍

[@artrelljones4602]

Thank you for this video it was exactly what I was looking for and needed👍

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it! Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@tomclark82]

Good content, great short length!

[@emmanuelrodriguez848]

Great vid. Thanks for making it. I will have to try this with my kids.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are very welcome. Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@KensGarage1]

Nicely done.Thanks.

[@imbackin08]

Simple yet effective

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Yup, 10-15 minutes a year to keep everything well oiled and clean. Thanks for the feedback.

[@ZacharyBetz]

Great info. Thank you

[@richardvolkmer7251]

This is by far the best video how-to on servicing garage doors that I have found on KZbin. The steps to be taken are very clearly demonstrated and explained, this gent is a very qualified presenter. No one else that I found and watched stressed the importance of tightening all the hinge attachment screws, and loose hinges can make a lot of noise.

[@myiagreeaccount8307]

Great video, very informative!

[@joepassofaro8196]

Great video, Straight and to the point.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Joe!

[@mjadams5829]

Thank you very helpful....

[@OutnBacker]

I clean the rails with alcohol as it leaves no residue to pick up arial dust and grime. Bicycle chain lube works as well as anything for the rollers, chain, and spindles. It has silicone in it and I happen to have a lot of it around.

[@ClubBergevin]

Your video was a great reminder. I would like to one more tip - if you have the old aluminum guide wheels, replace them with, nylon wheels. There are only a couple bucks each x 10 and you will have yourself a nice quiet door.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Great tip! Thanks a lot for the feedback!

[@AS-TIGTV]

Thanks for the tips

[@craftman5632]

Pneumatic oil works for me. Also works great on your squeaky house door hinges, just remove the pins one at a time and oil them.

[@thomasnappo6309]

Good job😊

[@BubbaPat]

Great video! Showed me a few spots that I simply forgot about. I do have a question for you because you door looks similar to mine.... Are your panels glued to the frame? I'm see where mine were glued and now coming apart some and I'm trying to figure out how to fix them.

[@colesnorris]

Thank you

[@danielkinney6325]

Great videos.

[@nicholasmarino1733]

Hi, thanks, a big help!!!!

[@user-qo5vu2lb8n]

This really did help a lot. At first I was like why do have to check all of the bolts, I was surprised how loose all of them were. Doing all of the steps helped with the sound. My wife said now we won't hear when my daughter comes home. Thank you for the help and keep help the clues like me

[@jamesterry4364]

Excellent presentation.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

Thank you kindly!

[@2wheelnutt]

I have used motorcycle chain lube. It goes on like your garage door lube and I suspect it’s a similar effective product.

[@sandbiker]

Yeah, nice video. Thanks.

[@TaiNguyen-kz9qg]

it is very helpful.

[@robfreeman5783]

Do you adjust the force/strength of the door closure/opening motor at all? Seems like after lubing it you could turn it down slightly and get it even quieter.

[@robnation2475]

Check new or old nylon rollers for any metal shavings imbedded in them. After drilling/cutting/making modifications to my track/hardware, 2 out of 10 of my rollers picked up some metal shavings and created a shrill squeak that I didn't have before. Oops! 😑... otherwise 3M silicone (paste) keeps everything else quiet.

[@bertblue9683]

Nice video, short and succinct

[@sharontuch3405]

Thank You Hubby uses that DW /40 ? On everything!! I’m going to do this myself!! I don’t like ladders so maybe a prob, at 72 I must be carefull

[@melmoland6686]

Thank you. Excellent video. Would have thought to lubricate the rails but see not advised. Know about the wd40 already because of my squeaky office chair lol. A degreaser it is. Use grease instead. Good tip on the silicone. Thanks again.

[@HowToHomeDIY]

You are very welcome! Glad have been able to help. Thanks for the feedback!

[@dtom1145]

I always use white lithium spray lube. Also, not all doors have a torsion spring. Mine has extension springs and a cable sheave so it is important to also lubricate the sheave bearing on both sides of the door.

[@hexise]

I was told from a garage door guy that do not use lithium spray, 3-IN-ONE is good to go.