Handy Garage Door Installation Tips
If you want to take on garage installation yourself, there are several steps you’ll need to take to ensure the door is installed correctly. You can take care of this if you have some home repair experience, but in most cases, the company you purchased the garage door from will provide you with full service, which included delivery of the door, removal of your old garage door and installation of the new door.
Garage doors are heavy and can be a little challenging, so you’ll probably want to take advantage of the installation services that the garage door company offers. Of course, installing the door yourself could save you a considerable amount of money, but you’ll need to be familiar with the type of garage door you have. For instance, if you have a sectional garage door, it will travel up and down on rollers that go along tracks on either side of the garage doorway. If your garage door has a torsion spring system, it will be safer for you to adjust than a door with a standard torsion-spring model.
Don’t try to adjust to take off a garage door that has a standard torsion spring because the springs are under lots of tension and this makes them dangerous. In these cases, it’s best to call a professional who is experienced in installing and removing garage doors.
It’s important that you attach weather-stripping to the bottom of the first panel in the garage door. Set the panel to make sure it’s in the doorway space and secure it in place by hammering nails halfway into the jambs at an angle so that the door can be wedged in place. You can attach the hinges at the top edges of the door if they’re not there already.
Next, you’ll need to make sure you have all the necessary pieces for curved, vertical, and horizontal tracks according to the instructions the manufacturer has provided. Install the brackets and rollers on the garage door and any brackets that should be mounted on the wall of jamb. Go to one side of the doorway and slip the vertical track at the first door section, then go to the other side of the doorway to do the same thing.
In the second section, you’ll need to install the rollers. Have someone help you lift this section and put it in place, then slip the roller on the tracks that are on both sides of the doorway. Connect the hinges of the first section to the second section. Most garage doors will require that you have a power drill and screwdriver tip or nut driver you’ll be able to complete this step much quicker. Using the same method described above, install the third section of the garage door. Inspect the door to make sure it’s level and check plumb in the vertical track before fastening the top plates from both vertical tracks to the wall. The lag screws should be especially secure and penetrate the framing members since the garage door will exert considerable force when it moves up and down.
Keeping these tips in mind can make the installation process easier for you, but you should also know your warranty options when you purchase your garage door so you’ll be able to call a professional if you have any issues.