A new garage door installation falls among those projects you should never DIY. This is because garage doors are heavy, have many moving parts, and the risk of accidents is high. Property owners can save time, money, and stress by contacting Chicago’s finest garage door installers to do the job while they handle other productive tasks.
Some tips are essential to make the process smoother, whether you’ve chosen to hire a professional or DIY your way into having a new garage door.
Below are some expert tips to consider for a smooth garage Pocket door installation.
Clear Out Your Garage
Garages are sometimes converted for other use, including makeshift storage spaces, workshops, etc. A cluttered garage isn’t exactly the perfect work environment, especially if you’re planning to install a new garage door. You or the installation professional need space to work and move around freely while the installation is underway.
A smooth garage door installation is essential for ensuring the safety and functionality of your garage. However, it’s also important to consider the organization and storage aspects of your garage to maximize its usability. By investing in high-quality garage storage solutions, such as those offered by GarageSmart, you can create a well-organized space that accommodates all your tools, equipment, and belongings. Their innovative storage systems are designed to help you make the most of your garage, allowing you to enjoy a clutter-free and efficient environment that complements your newly installed garage door.
Take time to clean and clear the garage before installation starts. This is a perfect time to get rid of junk items while sorting through them for useful but abandoned things.
Whatever you do, ensure you leave as much space as possible around the installation work area.
Remove Old Doors
Old garage doors are a risk waiting to happen. Homeowners should remove old doors to eliminate this risk and to make the installation process faster.
Pro Tip: Wait for the garage door installation professional’s arrival if the torsion spring in your old door has become bad or damaged. You should also not attempt removing the old door if your garage door closes too fast or has other performance or functional problems.
Your garage door installation professional will ask a couple of questions and know what to do for the safe removal of the old door.
Inspect And Prepare The Garage Door Frame
DIY garage door installation isn’t always the best, especially as it could be time-consuming, risky, and costly when mistakes are made. However, if you’ve decided to tow this path, you should understand the condition of your garage door before proceeding with the project.
An excellent way to understand your garage door’s current health is to gauge its performance issues. You can combine that with an inspection of the garage door frame for problems like rotting, detachment, etc.
Proceed with the new door installation if the door frame is solid and okay. However, you may need to contact a professional to investigate rots and other problems. Ignoring frame problems can affect your new door’s functionality and can constitute safety problems.
Hardware And Fastening
As earlier noted, garage doors have many moving parts. You should take note of these moving parts and what has been removed at each stage. Make a video of the decoupling process if you don’t trust your memory enough to remember it. You can always go back to the video to retrace the process.
Pay attention to the hardware and ensure they are properly fastened once the new door has been fixed. Doing this can save you a lot of stress and safety issues.
Pro Tip: Be sure to double-check the installation process and assess the hardware remaining at the end of the installation process. There’s a chance you may have skipped some steps if there are any major components unused at the end of the installation.
Level The First Section
Garage door installations can be technical, however, you can save yourself a lot of stress and repeat jobs by leveling the first section you install from the get-go. Leveling the first section lets you know whether you’re on the right track.
An unleveled first section is a recipe for crooked installation.
Spring Adjustment
The garage door spring is essential to its functionality and safety. The springs hold the garage door in place, whether they are open or closed.
Once your door is installed, ensure that the spring is adjusted accordingly to ensure a smooth and swift operation. During the adjustment, be sure to read the instructions on the product to get the right adjustment. You should also pay attention to each side and ensure that each spring is adjusted accurately to match its pair.
Final Assembly And inspection
Once your garage door is installed and in place, you can then proceed to the sub-assemblies. It is important to follow the pictorial guide in the manual to break down the process.
During this stage, ensure that all parts fit snugly in the required area. If the parts don’t fix, chances are high that you’ve made a mistake. Check the instruction manual again and correct it.
