The garage door got loud: grinding, rattling and squeaking

Who they are

Ben is a new homeowner with a toolbox and a habit of fixing things himself before he calls anyone.

Their home and door

A two-car garage whose bedroom sits right above it, so every noise the door makes comes through the floor.

What went wrong

The door started squeaking and grinding on every open and close. His first idea was a can of WD-40.

What they searched

• “can you use wd40 on garage door rollers”
• “can i use too much lubricant on my garage door?”
• “do you lubricate garage door springs”

What they learned

• A squeak is dry metal on dry metal and the easiest noise to fix. Grinding is most likely a worn roller bearing, and a rattle means something that was tight has come loose. Source: Why is my garage door so noisy?
• WD-40 is a solvent, not a lubricant, and it can cut a roller’s life roughly in half. Use a silicone-based or lithium spray on rollers, hinges and bearings. Source: Should you use WD-40 on a garage door?
• Never lubricate the tracks. Source: How often should you lubricate your garage door?
• A loud bang or pop from the spring area is different: stop using the door. Source: Why is my garage door so noisy?