Importance of Hiring a Professional for Your Garage Door Installation

Your garage isn’t only a convenient place to store valuable tools, toys, storage boxes, and your vehicles; it’s also an easy vantage point into your home. So, having a secure and operational garage door is crucial to protecting your valuables and your family.

Whether you’re working on a new build or need to replace your old garage door, you could choose to do it yourself, but there’s an elevated risk of harming yourself or damaging your new door or garage structure. Plus, it’ll take time and materials you probably don’t have.

Hiring a professional is the fastest and safest way to get a new garage door installed. And, at Door Dorks, not only will we help you get the job done, but in this article we’ll explain the importance of choosing a professional over a DIY installation.

Understanding Garage Door Installation

Garage door installation is the process of putting in a new garage door in a residential or commercial property, including the installation of tracks, rollers, springs, the opening motor and openers, and the panels of the door.

Choosing to add a garage door will not only add convenience and functionality to your property, but it will also enhance the aesthetic value. From vinyl to wood, you can customize the panels of your new garage door to fit whatever look suits you. And this doesn’t just stop at materials, you can also choose the color and style of opening.

Let’s dive into some more of the specifics of a garage door installation:

• Tracks: The vertical tracks run along the sides of the opening and guide the door while opening and closing. These are connected to the horizontal tracks that are mounted on the ceiling so the door lays flat when completely open. The door panels are connected to rollers that run inside the tracks.
• Panels: The panels make up the door and are connected via hinges.
• Springs: The main spring is the torsion spring which is located at the top of the door and provides the torque needed to open the door. It’s connected to cables that are also necessary to install. The torsion spring is extremely dangerous to install or remove, necessitating a professional.
• Openers: Your garage door opening controls the motorized opening and closing with a remote, switch, or device. The different types of openers are metal chains, rubber belts, and steel chains; they all have pros and cons, so you’ll need to decide what will work best for you. Opens also come with safety sensors that are essential to install.

With so many moving parts, an operational and safe garage door installation requires precision and expertise, which is best found by hiring a professional.

The Top 3 Benefits of Professional Garage Door Installation

Hiring a professional to install your new garage door may seem like a hassle. From scheduling dilemmas to finding a company you can trust, you’re probably inclined to install your new garage door on your own.

However, do-it-yourself jobs are often full of mistakes and safety risks, preventing you from reaping the advantages of a professional garage door install. Let’s dive into the top benefits of choosing a garage door professional.

● Enhanced Safety and Security

Garage doors are dangerous. Improper installation may cause the heavy doors to fall on you, your family, or your vehicles, causing serious harm. Torsion springs can break apart causing injuries or even death. Misalignment or insecure attachment leaves your home vulnerable to break-ins.

According to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), approximately 22,000 have experienced a garage door-related injury in the last ten years. Most of these are crushes or concussions due to falling doors.

A garage door that’s professionally installed will be tested to reduce the risk of falls, consequently reducing the risk of injuries.

● Optimal Functionality

A malfunctioning garage door isn’t just dangerous, it’s inconvenient.

A self-installed garage door is likely to be improperly put up, leading to malfunctions, such as:

• Misaligned tracks may result in a stuck garage door, preventing access to your items, vehicles, or home. This can be annoying and potentially life-threatening during emergencies.
• Spring malfunctions will cause your garage door to run erratically, potentially slamming shut unexpectedly or refusing to open. This will disrupt your day and may harm you and your vehicle.
• Improper wiring will lead to problems opening your garage door as your remote opener may not connect to the motor. This will lead to frustrating delays in your days.
• Unbalanced doors may strain tracks, opener, and mechanical parts of your door, causing frequent and premature malfunctions, which may lead to a premature replacement, costing you more money.

When a professional installs your garage door, they will perform a quality inspection before leaving to ensure smooth operation.

●   Longevity and Durability

Hiring a professional for a garage door installation may seem tedious, especially when you can buy a kit from your local hardware store and find instructional videos on YouTube. But, you lack the expert techniques and quality materials that will keep your garage door running smoothly.

The materials anyone can easily access won’t necessarily follow the garage door industry standards, leading to frequent repairs, replacements, and safety hazards.

A garage door installation done by professionals can last 15 to 30 years without needing major maintenance, whereas a DIY installation will deteriorate faster and cause problems immediately.

Professional Expertise in Action

Every garage door is different, so every garage door install needs to be personalized. Choosing a professional means choosing someone who has experience and can tailor their knowledge to meet your requirements and preferences to create the ideal result: a working garage door.

The installation process involves a complete assessment, specific techniques, and comprehensive testing and fine-tuning procedures.

You might like: Most Common Signs Your Garage Door Needs Repair

Assessment and Customization

A garage door installation will begin with an assessment of the property to determine the property’s specific requirements and preferences.

Some specific things that are evaluated include:

• Garage dimensions.
• Garage and structure stability.
• Any existing garage doors or hardware.
• The purpose of the garage door.
• Security features and their location.

Then, your installer will work with you to customize the door. You can pick the size, opening type, color, and insulation, ensuring your door fits your needs and aesthetic desires.

Precision Installation Techniques

Once the initial assessment is complete and the appropriate materials are gathered, a professional garage door installer will take precise measurements of the garage door openings to ensure the door will fit. This step also includes making sure there is enough space for the opener and the tracks, as well as checking if the door opening is level so any adjustments can be made.

Then, your installer will attach the vertical and horizontal tracks to your garage walls. This requires special brackets and fasteners. A level will also be used to ensure the tracks are straight and aligned.

The next step is to connect the door panels using hinges and attach the rollers, before placing the rollers into the tracks. These panels can be extremely heavy depending on the material you choose.

Next are the springs and cables. The torsion spring needs to be attached to a shaft and then wound with a winding bar until it reaches the correct tension. The cables attach to the panel brackets and are pulled through the spring system. They also need to be properly tensioned.

And the last step before adjustments and final checks is installing the garage door opener. The motor is mounted to your ceiling or wall and connected to the opener rail. This rail is connected to an arm that is connected to the top of your door. Then, the safety sensors will be set up on the sides of your door to prevent any injuries.

Testing and Fine-Tuning

The final step of a garage door installation is a rigorous testing process to confirm the door’s functionality, safety features, and integration with openers and controls.

These tests are:

• Functionality tests to be sure the door opens and closes manually without sticking to the tracks.
• Balance Tests check the springs, ensuring proper tension.
• Opener tests check if the motor opener works with your remotes.
• Safety tests will ensure the safety sensors are working properly to prevent injury.

All of these tests are done several times to catch any problems. The installer will make any adjustments before providing a maintenance guide and answering any questions.

Check out all of the services Door Dorks offers!

Cost Considerations and Return on Investment

A DIY installation may seem like the most cost-effective option, but the upfront costs of a professional installation will save you from spending money to acquire the correct materials and perform the repairs that are bound to come with a self-installed garage door.

You also need to consider the insurance and warranty benefits of a professional installation. DIY installations may leave you and your home vulnerable to losing money in the future if injuries, break-ins, or malfunctions occur.

Upfront Investment versus Long-Term Savings

If you choose to install your garage door, you’re probably only considering the cost of materials that you can pick up from a local hardware store. But, with low-quality materials and inadequate knowledge, you also have to add in the future costs of fixes and door replacements. In fact, you may even end up paying for professional installation to fix your DIY job, doubling the costs.

Initially paying for a professional will allow you to avoid costly repairs and replacements, and give you long-term peace of mind.

Insurance and Warranty Benefits

A professional garage installation will, usually, come with a warranty, protecting you from any repairs or replacements in the future. Fixes due to your DIY installation will come out of your own pockets. So, with a professional installation, you’ll have peace of mind and financial protection.

DIY installations are less likely to be covered under insurance premiums, so if injury or damage occurs from your handiwork, it comes at a greater cost to you. Most professional companies will have their own insurance and your insurance will be more likely to provide coverage. For more information, contact your insurance company.

At Door Dorks we don’t just handle garage door installations. Find more of our services here.

Choose A Professional Peace of Mind

From upfront costs to scheduling, many different factors are probably scaring you from hiring a professional for your new garage door installation. However, by choosing an expert you’re signing up for a safe, functional, and long-lasting installation job.

Prioritize a quality garage door to safeguard your investment and keep your home safe. Plus, a working garage door will keep your life running smoothly.

Ready to make the right hire? Contact Door Dorks today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install a garage door?

To install a garage door you need to install tracks, tollers, panels, springs, an opener motor, and safety features. With so many moving parts, it’s recommended that you hire a professional. They’ll ensure a safe and quality installation.

Why should I hire a professional garage door installer?

Hiring a professional garage door installer will give you the peace of mind that your garage door was installed safely with quality materials. Experts have the knowledge and access to quality materials that will reduce the need for costly repairs and replacements.

What are the potential downsides of DIY garage door installations?

A DIY garage door installation will most likely result in improper setup, resulting in repairs and replacements. The materials you can access are of lower quality, and you probably lack to knowledge to complete a safe installation.