What Happens on Garage Door Installation Day

What happens on garage door installation day?

On installation day, the tech releases the spring tension on the old door, takes the old door and tracks down, checks the jambs and framing, then builds the new door in the opening section by section. New springs are sized and set to balance it. The opener is connected and adjusted, the safety features are tested, and you get a walkthrough before the tech leaves.

That is the short version. The rest of this guide goes through each step so you know what to expect, what you need to do beforehand, and what you should see working before the job is called done. If you have not measured or chosen a door yet, the measuring guide and the garage door installation page are better places to start.

How is the old garage door removed safely?

The springs are dealt with first. Torsion springs are unwound with proper winding bars, or extension springs are relaxed with the door secured, before any bolt holding the door is loosened. Only then are the cables, opener, and tracks disconnected and the sections taken down one at a time. Removing a door while the springs are still loaded is how people get badly hurt.

This step is the main reason a door replacement is not a do-it-yourself weekend project. Garage door springs store enough energy to lift a door that can weigh as much as a person or more. A spring that releases suddenly can break bones, and a cable or bracket loosened in the wrong order can drop a section.

Once the tension is off, the opener is disconnected from the door, the sections come down from the top, and the old tracks, brackets, and springs are removed. If your package includes haul-away, the old door leaves with the tech at the end of the day.

What gets checked before the new door goes in?

With the old door out, the tech can see the jambs, header, and floor clearly. Soft or rotted wood, a header that will not hold the spring hardware, or a badly sloped slab all need attention before the new door goes in. If any of that turns up, the work stops, you are shown the problem, and you approve a price before it is fixed.

This is the point where hidden problems usually show up, because the old weatherstrip and track brackets often cover them. Rot along the bottom of the jambs is common where snowmelt and salt have sat for years. The new door needs solid wood to mount its tracks and seal against, so skipping this repair just causes problems the first winter.

Most of the time the framing is fine and the install moves straight on.

How does a new garage door go together?

The bottom section goes in first, with the bottom seal, the bottom brackets, and the lift cables attached. The vertical and horizontal tracks are set plumb and level, and each section is stacked on top with hinges and rollers. Then the springs go on, the cables are wound onto the drums, and the spring tension is set so the door balances.

A few details make the difference between a door that works and a door that works well for years:

• Track alignment. Tracks that are not plumb and parallel make a door bind, wear rollers, and get loud. A tech checks this with a level, not by eye.
• Spring sizing. Springs are matched to the exact weight and height of the new door. A door that is not balanced will be hard on the opener and the hardware.
• Cable tension. Both cables need even tension, or the door will lift crooked.
• Seals. The bottom seal and perimeter weatherstrip should meet the door evenly all the way around, with no daylight showing when it is closed.

The finished door should stay put when lifted halfway by hand with the opener disconnected. That simple test tells you the springs are set correctly.

How is the garage door opener connected and tested?

Whether the opener is new or the existing one is being kept, it is connected to the new door and adjusted. The force and travel limits are set so the door closes fully and opens to the right height. The photo-eye sensors are aligned. Then the door is tested to make sure it reverses when the beam is broken and when it meets an obstruction on the floor.

The obstruction test is worth knowing yourself. With the door open, lay a flat piece of wood, such as a two-by-four laid on its side, on the floor under the middle of the door, and close the door with the opener. The door should touch the wood and reverse. If it does not, stop using the opener and call for service. The opener types guide has more on what a proper opener setup includes.

How should you get ready for installation day?

Move cars out of the garage, clear a working area inside the door and along both walls, and make sure nothing is stored where the tracks and opener will be. Keep children and pets away from the work area. If you need a car out early, say so when the job is scheduled. Someone should be home at the end for the walkthrough.

A few other things that help:

• Take down anything hanging from the ceiling near the door, such as storage hooks or bikes.
• Clear shelves or tools away from the wall on both sides of the opening.
• Make sure there is a working outlet near the opener location.
• Have your remotes and keypad codes ready if you are keeping the opener.
• If you have a car with built-in opener buttons, park it nearby so it can be programmed.

What should you have when the job is done?

When the tech leaves, you should have a balanced, quiet door that seals all the way around, an opener that reverses on an obstruction, working remotes and keypad, and a clear explanation of how to use the manual release. You should also have the warranty information and know what maintenance the door needs.

During the walkthrough, ask the tech to show you:

• How to use the manual release, and how to reconnect it.
• How to lock the door if it has a manual lock.
• How to program a new remote.
• Where the springs and cables are, so you know what a problem looks like.
• What to watch for over the first winter, such as a seal that needs adjusting.

Every Mars door package includes a labor warranty, and the parts carry the manufacturer’s warranty. The package details are on the garage door installation page.

How long does a garage door installation take?

A straightforward replacement is usually finished in a single visit, though it takes a good part of the day. Wider and heavier doors, a new opener, an extension-to-torsion spring conversion, or framing repairs add time. Mars tells you what to expect for the day when the job is scheduled, based on the door and the garage.

If you are still deciding on a door, the questions to ask before you sign guide is a good next read. When you are ready, start with the request form and a few photos of the door, the springs, and the ceiling above the opener.