Replacing or installing garage doors can be accomplished by a homeowner that has good tool handling skills and basic mechanical knowledge. In many cases you can save as much as 40 percent of the cost by installing the garage doors yourself. Many garage door manufactures will try to discourage you from installing your own doors. In some cases they will even use fear as a tool to keep garage doors pricing high. Garage door installation is a very lucrative business. In general installation or replacement of a garage door is a two person job that may require multiple days to complete.
You can find all the assistance you need using the Internet and by visiting one the large home improvement stores such as Home Depot or Lowes. It is very important that you correctly measure your door opening including the header clearance above the door. You will need about 12 inches to correctly install the torsion spring and garage door opener. If you have less room there are several low headroom kits available that will be necessary for installing garage doors.
The main point of risk from installing garage doors comes from the torsion spring that is used to assist in lift a heavy door. This spring is located on the header wall on the inside of the garage. This spring when correctly installed essentially makes the garage door weightless when opening and closing. When the garage door is in the down position these springs are tightly wound as the door opens they will unwind to help lift the door. These springs do break with a very loud noise that can be frightening. Due to the amount of stored energy in the spring not loading or unloading it correctly can cause serious injury or death. However if you follow the installation instructions correctly there is no more injury risk than that of working with any power tool. Many garage door manufactures like Clopay have very good online installation instructions.
If you are not handy with tools or are uncomfortable with the risk then by all means hire a professional to replace the spring or for installing your doors. The other type of garage door spring is sometimes called extension springs and they are very easy to replace with minimal risk. Again simply follow the instructions and you will not have any problems.
Installing garage doors for the first time will require a degree of patience to complete. Hanging the tracks correctly may require a making corrections several times. Do not cut corners as a garage door may often weigh as much as 500 lbs and will be supported by these hangers and tracks.
Some of the tools that you will need include:
Cordless reversible drill
Hammer
Ladder
Several feet of 1 ¼ inch punched angle iron
Pliers
Level
Saw Horses
You will also need a number of fasteners that will be prescribed by the installation instructions.
Installing garage doors is really not that hard to accomplish if you are good at fixing things around the house. However if you are unsure about the process then we suggest you hire a contractor to do the job. If at all possible you should spend the time to watch the installation taking notes and pictures. This education will come in handy the next time you will be replacing or installing garage doors. It is always easier to do something once you have all ready seen it done. Installing garage doors on your own will not only save you money but also help you in maintaining your new door and assist in making any necessary future repairs.
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