Common Mistakes to Avoid When Installing Garage Door
Installation of garage doors is frequently thought of as a DIY project. However, installing a garage door involves more than what first appears. You need to have enough knowledge about the probable issues if you want to ensure a flawless installation.
Here are some typical errors homeowners make while installing a garage door.
Choose the Right Door
You might not believe it, but people don’t only stare at your landscaping when they pass by your house. The garage door is something that brings together the overall look of the architecture of your home. So it should be chosen wisely. Curb appeal plays a role in selecting a new garage door. The neighbors will surely complement you if you buy a door that matches the design of your house.
Choosing the right garage door will not only please others but also spare you a lot of stress. You have a variety of options when buying a new door. While others move right to left or roll up, certain types swing outward. Several factors influence why most homeowners like overhead sectional garage doors, such as enough clearance space for cars and the versatility of styles.
The good thing is you don’t need to choose between convenience and appeal. You can easily find one that ticks both marks and fits your budget.
Improvising on Quality
Your new garage door should be considered an investment. New garage doors not only enhance exterior appeal and functionality, but they can raise the value of your house.
Focusing solely on cost when choosing a new door is a basic mistake. Although there is nothing wrong with sticking to a budget, doors are one area where you really get what you pay for. To be sure, quality isn’t always determined by price, but choosing the door with the lowest price could lower your value for investment and make your door a burden in the future.
Explore the features of high-quality doors. You might have to pay a little bit more upfront, but your door will last longer and require fewer repairs. The finest door you can afford should require less maintenance over time.
Poor Installation
People who install garage doors in a hurry frequently make costlier errors. Take a moment to study the instruction booklet if you’re doing the work yourself. You cannot rely simply on your gut feeling for this task!
The door motor being installed off-center is the biggest error made by homeowners. Many think putting it off-center leaves greater space for obstacles. If you install it this way, it will be faulty.
The center of the garage door should be aligned with the garage door motor. If it’s installed off-center, the door may twist when opening, which could cause harm. One of the most crucial procedures in getting the garage door motor installed is correctly aligning it with the center of the door.
This might sound a bit tough and technical. For this reason, most people get it installed by professionals. This is a good option if you are new to it or are not confident enough to do it. With professional help, you can easily get your garage doors installed in Reading, Windsor, and many other places.
Misplacing the Door Opener
The garage door opener being misplaced is another typical error. The door won’t operate properly if the opener is connected incorrectly. The door opener should not be attached to one side. If you do this, you’ll see that every time the door opens, it twists.
The center of the door opening should be connected to the lift motor. It is positioned in the middle to stop the door from binding and the door panels from bending.
You might be able to place the opener off-centre if your door is supported by torsion springs. Although certain models permit installation off-centre, ensure the position is confirmed in the door’s instructions.
Using Wrong Fasteners
When installing a garage door, make sure not to use the incorrect fasteners. Homeowners commonly select Nails for almost all projects. One factor is price; people believe screws are more expensive than nails. For static structures, nails are perfect, but with continued use, they tend to loosen or shatter.
The lag screws are the perfect fastener for this job. Because lag screws are strong and durable, they are preferable to nails as a fastener. They are the perfect way to join hefty materials that support loads. A 2-car garage door weighs between 15 and 25 pounds, so you want a holding system with exceptional tensile strength.
Faulty Track Assembly
Installing the track assembly properly is another approach to prevent future repair problems. The tracks on a garage door serve as a support and a guide. Making mistakes during the track assembly installation could lead to a misplaced door, which creates a number of issues, some of which are hazardous.
First, the garage door can jam, trapping your vehicle inside. It’s possible that the door won’t lock or close, leaving you open to intrusion. The worst-case situation is when a door is so unbalanced that it slides off the track, injuring someone.
It is crucial to check the track system multiple times while installing it. Make sure the tracks are level as one item to verify. Your straight level and screwdriver will come in here.
Conclusion
Installing your own garage door might sound like a hefty job but it’s not impossible. You just need to follow the instruction and keep a few things in mind so you do not make a mistake. The mistakes mentioned above are some of the most common ones. Avoid these mistakes, and you are most likely to have a flawless installation
In addition, this is not something you do every day so make sure to do it with patience. You can even ask a friend to give you a hand.
