Garage Door Installation Instructions (And What You Should Know Before Installation)
Back in the day, the garage door installation instructions in the user manual for your garage door opener would have been directed primarily at qualified technicians, versed in the language of electronics and moving machinery. This is because having a remote-controlled garage door opener was considered a sign of luxury, limited to the use of the very rich. Thus, packaging a garage door opener in such a way that it would be easily installed by its new owner was not considered necessary – a wealthy person could easily afford the compound expense of a garage door, garage door opener, and the skilled professional needed to make it work.
These days, though, the trend is as it was with the microwave oven. A garage door opener is considered a necessity in any modern home. And since many people simply can’t afford the cost of professional installation, growing numbers of manufacturers are learning to trust their consumers, and providing garage door installation instructions that can be easily understood by the layperson – no training required.
In preparation for opening that manual, here are a few of the basic tips to keep in mind when installing a garage door. First off, ensure that, whether or not your garage door is actually capable of operation yet, that it’s been properly secure. A garage door that comes off its hinges can cause severe accidents. Think about the weight of that door – even if it’s only closing with its usual force and speed, if it closes on a child’s body, well, you might as well just drop a steel building on the kid, because it’s going to crush whatever it lands on. The damage that can cause, ranging from bruises and broken bones to coma and, indeed, death, would hardly be worth the money you’re saving.
Similar caution is required should you be removing your old garage door. If it utilizes high torsion spring tension, improper disassembly could lead to a pretty large discharge of force, enough to cause severe injury.
Second, peruse the garage door installation instructions in your user manual – reading from cover to cover wouldn’t be overdoing it. If the garage door comes with an instructional video clip, preview that as well – odds are, you might be able to find more detailed instructions for installing your particular model by searching for instructional videos on Youtube. Viewing such clips will allow you to gauge how much work you’re going to need to put in to install the garage door properly. If you have any doubts about your abilities when it comes to following the garage door installation instructions, then it’s probably best to call a professional. It’s the only way you’re really going to secure your children’s safety, as well as your own peace of mind – what’s the point of having a safe-way garage when all you do is worry that the door might drop on your kid’s head?
If you do plan on installing a newly-purchased garage door yourself, you should keep in mind that consumer experience has demonstrated that sectional garage doors, also known as overhead or carriage style garage doors, are the easiest and safest to install. This is because the sectional garage door travels through rollers vertically along the garage door. This means that these doors rely significantly less on torsion springs to bear their weight.
Once you have read and followed the garage door installation instructions to the letter, and properly installed your door, check up on it every couple of weeks for the next few months to ensure that the door is adjusted properly, and isn’t overcompensating to one side. The garage door’s adjustment and balance relies on the quality of the spring system’s calibration, and is critical to the safety of your garage door. If the door shows any evidence of listing or imbalance, you should call on the immediate assistance of a professional to avoid accident or injury.
