Have you ever wondered which entry point burglars are most likely to use to your home? The garage door is most likely to be their first catch. Having an efficient garage door is one way of ensuring maximum protection to both you and your family.

Besides security, newer doors are considerably easy to use. Therefore, if your garage door has served you for over twenty years, it is probably time you changed it.

However, before embarking on your garage door installation project, there are certain things you should know about installing one. Check out our garage installation door guide here.

1. Gradually Release the Tension

You need to work with loose torsion spring for a successful installation. To start with, clamp a pair of pliers onto the shaft of the torsion spring. After clamping, wedge the pliers against the wall right above your door.

Use a steel rod to loosen the setscrews. However, ensure that the winding cone remains intact.

2. Disconnect the Existing Garage Door

Once you have released the tension, you can now disconnect the existing garage door opener from the door. To start with, work on the door panels. To be organized, start with the upper panel, then proceed to other panels.

To disconnect the track, you need to unscrew it from the doorframe carefully.

3. Installation is Ready

The above steps complete the preparation stage. Once the old door is no longer in place, you can start working on the new one already. If you want to install a two-car garage door, ensure that you place a reinforcing bar above the top panel. The bar will prevent the door from inclining towards the center.

To keep the bar in place, drill some holes, and use enough screws until it’s stable. Once the bar is firm, attach the hinges on each panel. In most cases, the garage doors come with pilot holes pre-drilled by the manufacturer, which makes your work easier.

At the extreme top and bottom panels, attach axle supports. Then align the bottom panel to the door opening. Use a nail to hold it in place and attach the next panel, but only when you are sure the previous one is level.

Be sure to align the groove of the upper panel so that it perfectly fits into the ridge of the lower one. Repeat this process until all the panels are in place, to your satisfaction.

4. Put the Hinges in Place

You need to secure the hinges from inside the garage. When all the flaps are correctly installed, you can now go-ahead to fix the track. Attach the brackets to the vertical track pieces. To be sure, keep referring to the manual from time to time. This prevents you from attaching the brackets to the wrong areas.

5. Attach the Spring Assembly

At this step, put together all pieces that support the spring track assembly. When done, join them to the track. To ensure you are doing the right thing, strictly follow the manual from the manufacturer.

Ensure that the curved section the track you previously installed is well placed. Then attach it to the ceiling bracket. You are at liberty to reuse the old ceiling support for your new door.

6. Merge the Tracks

At this point, you want to merge the vertical track and the horizontal track. Test to see that everything is fitting in its place perfectly before using bolts to seal the step.

Once you are satisfied with the smoothness of the tracks, drill a hole that runs from the horizontal track to the vertical track. While bolting the two tracks together, don’t leave anything to chance. Pick the bolt size carefully to avoid a misfit.

7. Time for the Springs

A garage door is never complete without springs. To start with, find the central point of the opening and put a mark on the door header. Attach your spring anchors and then attach it to the locking cone. The locking key has to be secure to keep the spring in a position.

8. Tension Rod and Pulleys

The rod goes to the holes on the side header brackets. Ensure that the rod is well installed before attaching the pulleys on both sides.

9. Cabling

Pull the cable from below, attaching it to both sides of the pulley wheel. Once the cable has gone over the pulley wheel, adjust it to ensure nothing falls off. Use a pair of pliers to prevent the rod from moving when you are improving your springs.

10. Adjust the Springs

For maximum accuracy, use chalk to make markings across the springs. The markings will help you keep track of how much you have tightened the spring, hence how much tension you have achieved.

To tighten the springs, use your steel rods. Move in the opposite direction from what you did in loosening. Different manufacturers specify different tension levels. To avoid missing anything, keenly follow the manufacturer’s manual all through.

Once you have achieved your desired tension, lock the anchor in place then finish up by removing the pair of pliers from the tension rod.

Advantages of a New Garage Door Installation

As less important as the garage door may seem, investing in a new garage door has a tone of benefits. Here are some of them.

Higher Home Value

Are you looking to sell your home? You want to get the highest return on investment. Your potential buyers will be keen on everything. Fixing your garage door among other areas will give you an edge.

Aesthetic Appeal

Even if your home is not on sale, having a beautiful home wouldn’t hurt. Modern garage doors spoil you for choice when it comes to color and styles. You can choose one that suits your personality. You can even go ahead and install a keyless entry.

Security

An older door could be more prone to security threats compared to a newer one. Since you don’t want to take chances with the things you store inside, invest in a new door for safety assurance and working with a reputable locksmith in case you lose your keys.

It Saves You Money

Modern garage doors come with insulation. The insulation goes a long way in cutting down both cooling and heating cost. Who wouldn’t like to save a penny or two? Home burglary repair could also end up costing you a lot.

Upgrade Your Garage Door Today!

A garage door installation should be on top of your list if it is not there already. Request professional installation services from a reputable company for results you will forever be proud of!