How To Install a Garage Door Yourself

​A new garage door can improve your home's curb appeal, update the exterior, raise your return on investment, increase the overall safety of your house, and improve daily convenience. Even though most garage door retailers offer full-service installation, which includes removing and disposing of your old door as well as delivering and installing your new door, doing it yourself can help you save money on garage door installation costs, particularly if you have the required knowledge and experience.

Installing a Garage Door​

You must acquire the necessary tools and adhere to the installation instructions provided by the manufacturer for a secure installation of your new garage door. You can install a garage door on your own by following these installation instructions. Get the following tools and supplies in advance of installing your garage door:

• Safety glasses at level
• Pliers that lock and adjust
• Drill 
• Drill Bits
• Insert bit
• Bit for Phillips driver
• Unclosed wrench
• Hammer
• 1-half-inch-diameter rods

Following 10 easy steps will allow you to quickly and easily install your new sectional garage door once you've gathered the necessary supplies. The most popular kind of residential garage door, a sectional garage door, has three to eight panels that slide up and down a track. To install one part at a time, start at the bottom and work your way up.

1. Release the tension on the garage door.

Due to the weight and tension placed on garage door springs in this initial step, you should proceed with the utmost caution. They can result in property damage and personal injury if handled improperly. You must first relieve the torsion spring's tension before working on the garage door. Follow these steps to accomplish this:

• Clamp the torsion spring shaft with your adjustable-locking pliers, then press the jaws of your pliers up against the header wall above the garage door. 
• The spring winding cone, which adjusts the spring's tension, has four holes. One of the holes should be filled with a steel rod. The screws holding the winding cone in place should be loosened while holding the rod tightly. 
• Alternating the two rods, loosen each spring 1/4 at a time. Use one rod to steadily hold the cone while using the other rod to turn it.​​

2. Cut the existing door's connection to the garage door opener.

You can now detach your garage door from the opener after releasing the garage door's tension. The red emergency release handle must be pulled in order to safely disconnect the door. This will set the trolley arm vertically so you may manually raise or lower the door.

You can now start taking out the sectional door panels:

• Remove the hinges that are attached to the garage door panel, starting with the top panel.
• By releasing the door frame bolts, you can detach the panel from the track.
• Continue taking off the hinges from each panel and releasing the sectional panels' hardware.​​

3. Install the sectional garage door panels.

Finally, you may start putting in your new garage door. Install a reinforcing bar along the top panel of a two-car garage door while replacing it to prevent bowing in the middle. Then, if the manufacturer hadn't already done so, drill pilot holes and use screws to fasten the bar to the panel. To ensure a smooth installation and assembly, start with:

• the top of each garage door panel with hinges
  
• Axle supports are attached to the bottom and top panels.
  
• Installing the bottom panel and ensuring that it is level
  
• Making sure the groove of the higher panel properly rests on the ridge of the lower panel as you assemble each new panel on top of the one that came before it. Continue doing this until every panel is securely in place.
  

4. Install the tracks and secure the hinges.

Install the top and bottom axle supports, insert the wheeled axles into the side hinges, and fasten the top half of each hinge to the panel on top of it. You may install the garage door track yourself with the help of this. The track should then be installed, and the wheels should be properly positioned in the track to ensure proper operation. The bottom bracket should then be fastened to the wall once the door cable has been connected to the hook on the panel axle support.

5. Connect the spring assembly to the track.

Put together all the components that hold the spring and connect to the track at this time. The curved portion of the track is then set on the vertical piece you previously created, using the ceiling supports from the previous door as support. Incorporate the opposite end into the ceiling bracket.

6. Fasten the rails together.

To attach to the door, align your horizontal and vertical tracks, then bolt them together.

7. Put springs in.

The two springs are firmly bolted to the header bracket after the spring anchors are connected to the springs and the spring locking cone is fastened.

8. Attach the torsion rod and the pulleys.

Pulleys should be attached to each end of the torsion rod before inserting it into the holes in the side header brackets.

9. Connect the cable.

​Attach the cable to the pulley wheel from below, then crank the wheel to tighten any slack over the pulley. After positioning the wheel on the header bracket, tighten all components firmly. Now stop the rod from spinning when you tighten the garage door springs by fastening a pair of locking pliers to the rod outside the bracket.

10. Adjust the springs.

​The manufacturer's instructions can be used to help calculate how many turns are likely needed to correctly tighten the springs. Tighten the springs using your steel rods. After the spring has been tensioned properly, tighten all of the nuts to secure it in place and take the pliers off of the torsion rod.

When to Call the Professionals

As you may have realized, installing a garage door may be challenging and even dangerous to do on your own, especially if you don't have the necessary training or expertise to do it correctly. Calling a professional garage door installation business can prevent many hassles, both big and small if you are at all unsure about installing or hanging your garage door safely and without error. A few justifications for hiring a pro to install your garage door include:

• Proper Installation: Garage doors are made up of numerous pieces, and if one is installed poorly, the entire door may malfunction, resulting in damage or the need to start again. A garage door may be installed appropriately with ease by garage door installation pros. 
• Weight and tension of garage doors: Garage doors are notoriously heavy and tightly hung, which poses a risk to your safety and the safety of anybody nearby. Professionals in the field of garage doors have the necessary training and equipment to properly handle the weight and strain of these doors as well as to ensure a flawless installation. 
• Safety inspections: Assume you have finished installing your garage door completely. You can see that everything is in order, and using the opener causes the garage door to open and close. However, it might be simple to overlook them as you install the door given the numerous safety features incorporated into garage doors. To avoid future damage or injuries from the garage door, an expert in garage doors will do a safety inspection to make sure all safety precautions are in place and functioning properly. 
• Warranty: Your garage door may not be covered for damage sustained during installation, depending on the manufacturer's warranty requirements. For the garage doors they install, the majority of garage door installation firms offer warranties. 

Furthermore, the installation company's services are not contingent on you buying a garage door from them. It makes sense for clients to buy their garage doors from big-box stores where they can acquire their garage doors promptly given the current status of the garage door industry with increased lead periods. 

You can rely on Fort Lee Garage Doors to install your garage door even if you buy it somewhere else. You can trust that your garage door is fitted properly when you work with our experienced experts.

You Can Count On Us!

For homeowners without prior knowledge, installing new garage doors can be dangerous. To ensure proper safety and garage door installation, you can always rely on a professional from Fort Lee Garage Doors. Serving communities in Fort Lee since 1972, we are the top-rated and most dependable garage door installation business.

Call us at (201) 800-6757 right away or contact us online to learn more about our garage door installation and maintenance services.