If you are in the market for a new garage door, you may wish to consider installing the door yourself. If you decide to go this route, keep in mind that the garage door is the largest mechanical device in your home, and it has many parts. The door can weigh up to 400 pounds and has a lot of springs. Garage installation can be dangerous and can cause injury.
The type of garage door you are installing is an important consideration. A swing hung door opens to the side just a like a regular door. These types of doors are not very common. ‘Up and over’ doors open by swinging outward into the driveway and then up, resting parallel to the garage door ceiling. Roller or sectional doors are made up of several individual sections that are connected and held together by hinges. These types of doors open vertically on tracks.
Most people choose to have a professional install the door; however, if you do choose to do the installation yourself, a sectional door is the best type of garage door to have.
Unless you are installing a garage door on a new house, you will first have to remove the existing door. This can be dangerous if you do not know the inner workings of the door. The most important factor to consider is the type of spring system on the existing door. Spring mechanisms have a great amount of tension and are dangerous to install or adjust. Before beginning, make sure your existing garage door has a torsion spring system. Do not cut any cables, and do not try to take apart the springs, especially when the door is closed. Spring tension is the greatest on a closed door. Make sure to release the spring tension before removing the door.
After removing your existing garage door, look at the wood that surrounds the doorframe to ensure that there is no wood rot. If the wood is rotted, replace it before installing the new door.
When you install a new door, make sure that you follow the manufacturer instructions. Completing each step individually instead of trying to comprehend all the steps at once can avoid becoming overwhelmed with all the parts and tasks to complete. Make sure to use hardware that is supplied by the manufacturer of the door.
There are four key points to keep in mind when doing your own garage installation. First, make sure that the door and the bottom of the tracks are level ‘ especially on the first section of the door. The bottom brackets should be securely fasted to the door. The overhead track must be in perfect alignment and securely supported. Finally, ensure that the springs have the correct tension.
Learn more about garage door repair. Stop by Walter Wilhelm’s site where you can find out all about Washington DC Garage Door and what we can do for you.