Many homes have access to a garage that’s either connected to the house or a stand-alone structure. For some, the front door is rarely used as entry into the house is through the garage door. It has proven to be an important component as it heightens the security of the cars parked inside and the overall house. A neat and modern garage door is appealing to the eye and adds great value to the house.
Different types of doors are available for you to choose from, depending on the style you want. Whether you are fitting a door to a new garage or replacing an old one, you can do it yourself or seek the services of a professional. With the right tools, one person can help to install, by lifting and positioning it well, which may take a day. Some garage door repair businesses offer both an installation and repair service.
Essential tools for garage door installation:
- Hammer
- Ladder
- Adjustable locking pliers and clamps
- Adjustable wrench
- Drill bits
- Drill
- Safety glasses
- Screwdrivers
- ½ inch rods
Steps to Follow When Fitting A Garage Door
Release Tension
Garage doors are quite heavy. Traditional doors are heavier than modern ones, but both apply a considerable amount of weight and tension to the torsion spring. Caution must be taken as damage can happen if it is not handled well.
Clamp the locking pliers onto the torsion shaft then sandwich the pliers against the wall above the garage door. Insert a steel rod on one of the four holes on the spring winding cone. While holding the rod, loosen the winding cone screws. Do this for all four by turning the rods one-quarter at a time.
Disconnect the Existing Door from the Garage Door Opener
A well-installed opener allows the door to operate and fit properly. Disconnecting means the garage door will not function as required and must be lowered manually. After releasing the tension, separate the opener and the door by pulling the emergency release handle. Remove the door panels by unscrewing the bolts from the door frame. Repeat the process till every panel is left loose.
Fit the Garage Door Panels
At this stage, the new door can now be installed. Installing a one-car garage door is different from a two-car garage door. The latter requires a reinforcing bar, place on the top panel and secured with screws. It ensures the door is levelled by preventing bowing in the middle.
On each door panel, attach the hinges. Proceed to attach the axle supports onto the base of the bottom panel and the top of the uppermost panel. On the door opening, place the bottom panel and drive a nail into the wall to hold it in place. Fix the next panel on top of the previous one making the groove of the upper one matches the ridge of the bottom panel. Do this to all panels and extend the final one past the top of the door opening.
Secure All Hinges and Install the Tracks
Screw each hinge to the panel on top. Position the wheeled axles in the side hinges and install both top and bottom axle supports. Start installing the track by connecting the brackets to the vertical tracks. Place them against the wall and ensure the wheels fit properly in the track. Then, hook the door cable on the panel axle support at the bottom then attach the bracket to the wall.
Connect the Spring Assembly to the Track.
Collect every piece that supports the spring assembly and attach them to the track. The previous door that was taken down had ceiling supports. Use them to lay the curved section of the track on the vertical piece installed earlier and join the other loose end to the ceiling bracket.
Attach Tracks Using Bolts
Attach the vertical and horizontal tracks to the door. Create a hole on the horizontal track that is in line with that on the vertical track. Choose the right-sized bolts then join the tracks together. It’s vital to use the right size of bolts because if they are too big, the track will be obstructed.
Installation of Springs
Identify the middle part of the opening and mark it on the door header. This is for attaching the spring support later on. Connect the spring anchors to door springs then attach the spring locking cone. Ensure the locking cone is secured properly to prevent the spring from loosening up under high tension. Using bolts, fasten both springs onto the main header bracket.
Install Torsion Rod and Pulleys
Push the torsion rod into the holes located in the side header brackets. Ensure the rod is firm then attach pulleys to each of its ends.
Attach the Cable
Pull the cable up and attach it to the pulley wheel. Turn the wheel to tighten any slack over the pulley. Move the wheel towards the header bracket and secure it tightly. Attach locking pliers on the rod to stop it from spinning when tightening the springs.
Tighten Springs
Use the door manual to determine the number of turns required to tighten the spring properly. Use spring rods to make them tight and once the ideal tension is achieved, tighten all bolts to lock the springs.
Final Thought
Garage door installation procedures must be followed keenly to achieve functionality and maintain safety.