It's not easy to install if you don't have the right tools and skills to ensure excellent work. An error when installing a garage door can cause costly damage or security risks to the garage or garage door. Installing a garage door isn't as simple as installing a regular door. Not only can it be difficult, but it can also be dangerous. Installing a manual door is much easier than installing an automatic one because a manual door is much lighter and requires no motor or cables.
But if you find a solid wood or other heavy wooden door that you really love, it will have to be automatic. Installing a garage door is a big job. Divide the project into separate subprojects. Ask an assistant to help you with the heavy lifting.
This is more or less what you'll need to do, but follow the manufacturer's instructions for your new door carefully. Steel, aluminum, and fiberglass garage doors must be reinforced in the upper section of the door so that the automatic garage door opener can be securely attached to the door. The lock must be placed at such a level that the sliding latch slides towards the open receiving end of the garage door. Remove the existing garage door, if any, along with all components, including the metal hooks, guides, cables, pulleys, and spring.
If the garage door is heavy and cannot be lifted easily, place the back of the extension spring higher than the rear support. If you are installing an automatic garage door opener, most garage doors have a reinforcement support for the operator that attaches to the top section of the door. In the case of a garage door that is 8 feet wide by 7 feet high, the rough opening should also measure 8 feet by 7 feet, not including the frame stop molding. If the garage door to the house has no lock, install one for security when the garage door is open.
Wider doors, insulated doors, or doors made of other materials can weigh up to 200 pounds or even more. While installing a garage door can be a DIY project, it's only for experienced DIYers who can spend enough time safely removing the old garage door and installing the new one. Therefore, automatic garage door openers are considered complementary items that are purchased and installed separately. If the old garage door has a torsion spring, ask a garage door technician to remove it for you.
Attach the operator reinforcement bracket to the garage door with the supplied screws, lock nuts, washers and nuts. This type of solid entrance door, necessary in the event of a fire, also provides security when equipped with a lock, although the garage will not be secured. In addition to being easier to install, manual garage doors are easier to fix (because they don't have a lot of parts) and are often safer, too. While an automatic door stops closing and instead opens if something blocks your way, this means that someone can put something in the way of the door and prevent it from closing, making it easier for you to enter your house.
