Installing a garage door isn't as simple as installing a regular door. Not only can it be challenging but it can also be dangerous. Installing an automatic garage door is even harder than installing a manual one because it's much heavier -- up to 1,000 pounds or 450 kilograms [source: Hazelton]. Lifting an automatic garage door (for example, when your power goes out) doesn't seem too difficult because it's connected to springs and has rollers on a track. But if you want to install one from the ground up, you're going to have to lift the entire thing yourself (or preferably with at least one partner).
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There are two main reasons you might choose an automatic garage door over a manual one. The first is convenience. You can open and close the door with the press of a button rather than getting in and out of your car to lift or lower the door. Secondly, if you choose a beautiful solid wood door, it's going to be too heavy to lift manually so you'll have no choice but to make it automatic.
Before you install your automatic garage door, make sure you've read the manufacturer's instructions carefully. These are the basic steps you'll have to take:
- Attach track to drive unit, which contains the motor.
- Connect the rest of the track sections together.
- Attach mounting bracket to the end of the track.
- Attach the mounting bracket to the beam above the door opening.
- Attach the motor to the beam.
- Feed the motor to the wall switch.
- Install infrared sensors. (These detect when something is in the way of the closing door.)
- Connect the door to the opener
[source: Hazelton].
This might seem pretty straightforward, but there are a lot of smaller steps involved, as well. If you're not experienced with do-it-yourself projects or comfortable with the steps listed above, the installation of an automatic garage door is probably best left to a professional.
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