If you choose DIY maintenance:

• Often lower quality parts used by home builders can be unusually loud even when relatively new. Start by tightening all the door and track hardware. Use a deep socket and a ratchet on all the nuts to snug them up but don’t over tighten, that can pull the carriage bolt heads right through the door skin or strip the screw holes.

• Next, check for worn rollers and hinges. Many rollers have low quality inner bearings that self-destruct after only a couple of years without lube. The worn rollers actually wobble or don’t roll as the door operates. If your rollers are worn, it’s time to call 365 Overhead Door and get new Nylon EZ Glider rollers which are stronger and quieter.

Worn, cracked or broken garage door hinges are another common problem. Narrow, thin hinges make a lot of noise and can cause the door to bind and wear out the tongue-and-groove joints at the door sections. But if you see an oblong hole where the tubular hinge pin mates with the hinge bracket, consider having us replace the hinge. Gray dust and metal filings around the hinge pin are early signs of wear.

• Next, spray the hinges, roller bearings (unsealed style), and springs with an approved garage door lube like our 365 Super Glide Garage Door Lube. This lubricant makes your door amazingly quiet. Also spray the torsion bar bearings, and any other pivot points. The special garage door lube penetrates the parts as a liquid and dries to form a non-tacky barrier that won’t attract dirt and dust as do most other lubricants, which can gum things up. Lubricate all moving parts every six months to reduce wear and keep the door quiet. Avoid basic lubricants such as grease, oil, or spray lithium grease. They’re cheaper, but they don’t penetrate as well and tend to pick up dust and grit—just what you don’t want on moving parts.