Installing a new garage door can be a daunting task. It’s important to know what you’re doing before you start, or you could end up with a door that doesn’t work properly or that falls off its track in a year or two.
Here are some common mistakes that people make when installing their new garage door.
Misalignment
Without proper alignment, the door will be difficult to open and close, which is dangerous if you’re opening it manually with your hands. Alignment is not something you should leave up to guesswork either. If you don’t have experience working with garage doors, hire a professional installer who has experience in this area. There are standards for all kinds of alignments, so ask whether they follow them. Some installers use lasers or optical equipment for precision measurements during installation. Another mistake people commonly make is ignoring small misalignments instead of fixing them early on before small problems become large ones.
Inadequate bracing
This mistake is related to misalignment, but it’s a separate problem that needs its mention. If your garage door isn’t properly braced, you run the risk of a cable snapping and your door falling off the tracks entirely. If the cables break while you’re opening or closing your door, this can result in serious injuries for any people or pets in your path when it falls. The spring mechanism also poses a danger if not firmly mounted with proper bracing. Installing an overhead door without enough bracing is one of the biggest mistakes homeowners can make. Your garage floor will need to be strong enough to support the weight of your new door. Ask an installer how they brace and support your floor so you can avoid this mistake. Without proper reinforcement, a garage door could sink into the floor and become uneven, or it might fall off entirely and damage or destroy your car.
Improper springing
The springs on a garage door are critical, as we discussed about bracing. They must be strong enough to open and close your heavy garage door without snapping or wearing out quickly. When choosing new garage doors, pay attention to the type of springs installed as well as their size (voltage). This is something you want to be done by an expert because it’s very easy for garage doors not to work properly if this step isn’t taken care of.
Taking shortcuts
There are a lot of options to be considered, and you don’t want to overlook any important details that could affect your installation. For example, if you choose garage doors that come with windows already installed, then it will be difficult or impossible to change them later on without compromising the strength and integrity of the surrounding walls and framing structure. To avoid this mistake, ask an experienced pro about all possible options before making a final decision.
Ignoring safety measures
Make sure your door comes with all necessary safety sensors to prevent the door from closing on people or pets that are too close to it. If you have small children, consider getting a door opener with built-in safety barriers. Installing garage doors without taking extra precautions for safety is another mistake many people make, so don’t let this happen to you. When it comes down to it, professional installation is often worth the money because you get peace of mind knowing the job was done right. Don’t assume you can install your garage door and save some cash by avoiding the pro route though – that could end up being more expensive in the long run.
Wrong size
If you’re not careful, you could end up with garage doors that clash with your home exterior or have a weird color or material that doesn’t work aesthetically in your neighborhood. Doing some research before buying is always best so you don’t make this mistake and choose a door design in advance of knowing what options are available in your area. Make sure local building codes allow for garage doors to be installed in the first place, and then find out if there are reputable contractors in your area who can install and service your new door.
Buying used
While buying a door reportedly online or from a third-party seller might save you some money, we don’t recommend it unless you know what you’re doing. If the doors aren’t braced correctly and securely installed, they won’t work properly or last as long as they should. Then again, if the previous owner of the door has had it for many years with no problems, then you could be in luck – provided there is no visible wear and tear on the product itself (or evidence that it wasn’t built well in the first place). The point here is to weigh your options carefully before settling on anything less than what you know will work best.
No inspections
After your contractor has done all the hard work, make sure they leave everything in good condition by having an inspection before signing off. If you find problems or things that need to be fixed before the warranty period is up (which varies widely depending on where the garages are made), have them repaired immediately so they don’t turn into bigger issues down the road. Getting professional inspections for work being completed inside your home isn’t just a good idea – it’s the law.
Improper installation
Even if you don’t want to hire an installer and try to do it yourself instead, we strongly suggest at least having a contractor give you some pointers and offer their insight before proceeding. If you mess up during installation with tools that scratch or ruin the finish of your new doors (even without doing any real damage) the warranty won’t cover it as long as those marks were caused by your actions. There is also no guarantee that you will be able to fix any damage you might cause, so it’s best not to take unnecessary risks.
Neglecting upkeep
Even with the most expensive garage door on the market (and a warranty that covers any possible problems), you can’t expect your new purchase to last forever if you don’t maintain it properly. Nothing is ever 100% guaranteed but keeping an eye out for signs of wear and tear (such as noisy operation or even small dents in the panels) will give you a better chance for getting the most out of your garage door.
Not taking care of the opener
If you purchase a new garage door and decide not to get a remote unit with it, at least make an effort to maintain your old one so that it functions well when you need it most (i.e., when you’re in a hurry trying to get out of the house or when you’re carrying things into or out of the garage). Replacing broken parts and doing some light maintenance work (such as lubricating the rails and hinges) can help you get more out of your garage door opener long after the warranty expires.
Failing to ensure the opener is properly aligned
The motor on your opener does a lot of heavy lifting, so it’s very important that you make sure all its parts are properly connected and in alignment. A poorly connected or misaligned garage door opener can be a fire hazard and/or cause damage to other mechanical parts in your garage. This means you will need to call a professional if the spring-mounted cables aren’t tight enough around the drums, there is too much play between gears, bearings are worn out, belts aren’t tight enough around pulleys and blades don’t function properly at the top of the rails (after pulling down on them).