The Importance of Lubricating Garage Door Chain

Garage doors open and close every time we push a button—until they don’t. While the doors are built to withstand bad weather and impacts over a long period, they still require maintenance to get them up and running again if something goes wrong.

One of the standard procedures to care for the garage doors is lubricating the door chain. The chain is responsible for pulling the doors open and closing them again. For that reason, it gets a lot of use and wears over time.

Lubricating the garage chain might not seem important now, but it’s better to do it regularly than put it off until it’s too late.

Benefits of lubricating the chain

The garage door chain needs lubrication to perform effectively. Here are the main benefits of periodic maintenance:

Smooth operation: A well-lubricated chain ensures no snags while the doors are opening or closing.
Prevent damage: Garage doors are bound to break down eventually. However, lubing up the chain will help prolong the door’s lifetime and minimize damage.
Save money: Regular maintenance of the garage doors can help prevent significant snags or damage. In severe cases, the doors and the entire mechanism would need to be replaced entirely, which can be costly for a homeowner who has more than enough on their mind already.
Lower noise: A rusty old chain will make unwelcome rattling noises when the garage doors open or close. A high-quality lubricant will help the process be as quiet and quick as possible.

What products to use

Most people would usually grab the trusty old WD-40, but it is not a viable replacement for a high-quality chain lubricant. While the water-repellant oil-based formula will remove some rust from the chain, it won’t provide the long-term lubrication it needs to work correctly.

Check the garage door specifications to see if they mention particular lubricants to use on the chain. Otherwise, contact a garage door service. They know the specific models of chains and doors and will provide accurate advice on the best product to use for your chain.

Cleaning the door chain

The first step in the cleaning process is to turn off the power to the garage doors. It prevents the doors from opening by accident while a new coat of lubricant is being applied.
Before applying the lubricant, the chain and surrounding parts need to be cleaned thoroughly for old grease, lubricants, dirt, and rust. Piling more lube on without properly removing the previous application will make the chain more likely to clog or deteriorate faster. Keep old rags at hand, as cleaning old chains can quickly become a messy ordeal. Also, we recommend using eye protection.

Once the chain is cleaned up, apply the lubricant of choice to the entire chain, making sure to cover both sides and ends.
Lastly, plug the power back in and test the garage doors a few times. If there’s still some noise or difficulties opening or closing the doors, use a bit more lube.

Sometimes, the doors might not work, even with adequately lubricated chains. If that’s the case, don’t hesitate to call us to inspect the doors and troubleshoot any problems.

Reasons Why Your Garage Door Is Not Opening with Remote

Operating the garage door from the comfort of the car with a remote is both comfortable and convenient. Being stuck with a garage door that doesn’t open or close even after pressing the garage door opener multiple times is a situation no homeowner would want to find themselves in. But issues do happen due to the type of use given a garage door. Any functional problem, big or small, will require the services of a professional garage door repair company that will find the root cause and work to fix it quickly and efficiently.

There can be several reasons why the garage door won’t open with a remote control. Here we look at the most common causes:

Dead Batteries

Sometimes people don’t pay attention to the most obvious reasons behind things not working. One of the common reasons behind a non-functional garage door can be dead transmitter batteries. If the door is operating normally with the wall transmitter, replace the remote control battery to see if it works. If this doesn’t solve the problem, call the professionals to replace or reprogram the transmitter.

Broken or disconnected power source

If the garage door is unplugged from the power source or the power source is damaged, it will refuse to open.

Blocked photo-eye sensor

Modern garage doors come with photo-eyes sensors set at the base on either side of the door that transmit an invisible beam to detect if anything is blocking the door’s path. When interrupted, the door stops in its tracks. Check for damaged cords or clean the photo-eyes as they might be clogged with dirt and dust.

Disrupted signals

When the garage door fails to open with remote control, the reason may be a disrupted signal between the transmitter and remote. An out of range remote or a damaged antenna may be behind it.

Misaligned tracks

An off the track garage door will not slide properly or makes unusual sounds. Look for bends, gaps between rollers, or bumps. Take professional help to realign the track.

Broken springs

Broken torsion springs can also disrupt the garage door function. It is most likely due to a spring break if you hear a loud sound resembling a gunshot or firecracker. It is an inevitable issue as they only last for a certain number of cycles.

Snapped cables

When the torsion spring breaks, the cables will snap too immediately. It is a serious issue that needs immediate professional attention.

Out of adjustment sensitivity

In the case of new garage doors, setting the sensitivity too high or low can give the garage door a hard time opening up. To fix it, reset the sensitivity.

Limit setting maladjustment

If the door rises again after it has been duly closed, a misadjusted limit setting on the garage door opener is the culprit. A garage door service professional can inspect and adjust the settings as required.

An enabled disconnect switch

Garage door openers are equipped with a disconnect switch, knob, or cord to help garage owners open or close the door manually in case of power outages. If the motor disconnects from the door due to an accidentally switched disconnect, the garage door will face issues.

Call a garage repair company if your garage door won’t open with the remote despite all efforts.

DIY Garage Door Repair – A Very Bad Idea

As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, there are lots of things you can do to maintain and extend the life of your garage door, but DIY garage door repair is certainly not one of them. Not only is DIY garage door repair complicated, it is also quite dangerous! That is why you shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking it is a job that anyone can do. To avoid the dangers associated with garage door repair, always contact a professional garage door company, no matter how small or large the problem may seem.

Falling Garage Door

Garage doors weigh hundreds of pounds. Some materials, like wood, weigh even more. In other words, this isn’t something you want to lose control over. A falling garage door has the potential to damage the door itself, the floor beneath the door, and/or anything within close proximity to the door. The latter may include you, your car, a pet, or just about anything or anyone else. Unfortunately, the risk of the door falling is a very real possibility in DIY repairs. Professionals can ensure the door is safely repaired.

Spring Rupture

Torsion springs are an integral part of the door. They’re wound very tightly to enable the door to open as effortlessly as possible. However, they will inevitably lose this tension over time, making it increasingly difficult to control the door’s movements. In order to repair the damage, the springs must be rewound or replaced. This will return the door to its optimal condition. Both of these tasks require the expertise that only a certified garage door repair technician can provide.

Improper Use of Tools

Chances are you don’t have the necessary tools required to safely complete many repairs. Garage door repair requires very specific tools. Using the wrong tools often results in unsafe work conditions and increases your chances of further damaging the door or the tools themselves. Think power tools are the answer? Think again! One wrong move with a power tool could lead to injury. Don’t risk it. Trade in your tools for a telephone and contact your local garage door repair company today.

You Can Make the Problem Worse

Without the proper tools and know-who, you may actually make the problem worse – a lot worse. Should you inadvertently mess something up – which is a very real possibility – you could cause the door to sustain additional damages. And additional damages equal more out of pocket costs. Damage to anything or injury to anyone are also possible. The best thing you can do is to leave the repair of your door in the very capable hands of a professional technician.