What are some common mistakes people make when installing a new garage door?

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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.

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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.

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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).

ALL Garage Doors and Gates is family owned in the heart of North Hollywood, CA with years of experience in the garage door and gate industry. Taking the experience and knowledge with each year that passes, our company has one goal: building our client long term relationships ethically and professionally. 

Trust in our professionals that we will go above and beyond to manufacture the perfect new garage door or gate for your home. All our repair services come with warranties and you can be sure you are in good hands. We will do all we can to make sure you are fully satisfied with our garage door and gate services.

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What Our Clients Say

Maya RozovMaya Rozov
19:22 25 Mar 22
We absolutely love our garage door! We’re slowly updating and remodeling our house and this is by far one of the best experiences we’ve had with a vendor! They provided not only the best price, but the team was so professional, nice, easy to work with, accommodating and also funny and enjoyable to work with! We will definitely be using them again for when we replace our gate and I will highly recommend them to anyone who needs a garage door or gate in the future!!
sharon kaufmansharon kaufman
23:52 24 Mar 22
I had the most amazing experience with All Garage Doors and Gates!!! I had an emergency with my garage door where it almost dropped down on my car. A part was loose and the emergency lever was loose. I called them right away and Aidan was at my home within the hour. I can't believe how quickly he was able to help and fix the broken part. He is kind, compassion and a pleasure to be around. I will be calling him right away when I have any other issues going forward. I highly recommend this Garage Door company. Amazing service and super caring people!!!!
Marian EmmaMarian Emma
01:46 01 Mar 22
Best company to call for help when the garage door is stuck. Eli came out within an hour in the evening time and changed out the broken springs. He also checked out the other parts of the door and the opener to make sure everything was working fine. Gave me tips on caring for the springs in the future. Very honest and great pricing.
Paige ParkerPaige Parker
15:54 25 Jan 22
The whole experience was great. They arrived came up with a plan to work with my low ceiling Garage door and provided the quote quickly. Once I gave the go ahead the door arrived sooner than expected and installation was great. I would definitely use them again. As a plus, more professional and less expensive than the other quote I got.I will use them agai.
Eran HEran H
22:21 11 Jan 22
Thank you ALL Garage Doors and Gates. I live out of state and Dana and her crew have always taken care of my garage door repair issues on my properties. Never had a worry and always a perfect job! Best garage door repair company in North Hollywood - highly recommend them on.. very reliable and professional 👍
MJ MadisonMJ Madison
19:27 03 Jan 22
My experience with ALL Garage has been fantastic. Dana was very responsive and easy to work with. She was very understanding with all my changes. I really had a hard time just getting a quote from other companies. I don't understand why some companies would take the trouble to send someone out and not just send a quote. I was super happy with this company. They were happy to clarify things with me about the project and made sure I understood the scope of work. Thank You ALL GARAGE DOORS and GATES!!
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