Having all the different areas of your home working together to deliver a comfortable and optimal living experience is what being a homeowner is all about. Having a family to protect and a property to run is no easy task. As the head of your family it is your number one job to keep things in check and to do all that you can to deliver your loved ones all that they need. The most important aspects of your home include those that offer security, safety, and comfort. Now, there are many parts of a property that fill out these roles. From the walls and the roof to the doors and windows, there is a lot to maintain or fix if the situation calls for it. But what about the often overlooked areas of homes, those that we tend to take for granted because they seem less important when compared to the more mainstream ones?
The Importance of Garage Doors
Have you ever thought about how important garage doors are? Sure, they allow easy access from and into a garage. And you use your garage for the obvious purpose of keeping a vehicle in there to protect it from the elements and theft. All of this goes without saying. But there are other roles that garages fulfill, which further means that garage doors are much more important that they might seem. First of all, they are another way into the house. Most garages offer access into the home itself, and even if they do not there are things that you must protect inside. This means they have to not only be operational but strong and sturdy enough to deter potential thieves and burglars. Another thing they should be strong against is winds and rain, as well as snow in winter time. You do not want harsh weather conditions to compromise the safety of the things inside. Last but not least, the door itself has to be easy to open and close, and the best way to do that is to have an automatic door that runs across the ceiling as it opens and closes.
Now, having a garage goes without saying, but having the right kind of door needs a bit of discussion. Most modern homes are equipped with a spacious garage, but some of them still make use of old types of doors that open and close in a traditional way. This is not so great for various reasons and it would benefit you much more if you install a new garage door and opener. In this article we talk about this very process and bring you all the information about it that you need. Most importantly, we talk how long it takes to install the door and the opener. Read on to learn more about this. Additionally, if you are further interested in this topic and want to look for professionals who will come and do it for you, click here.
It is not a Lengthy Process
Although it depends on multiple factors that can bump the numbers up or lower them down, the overall process of having a new garage door with a brand new opener installed lasts anywhere between 4 to 6 hours on average. This is the average time that the contractors give the clients as well as the industry standard. However, there are many things that can potentially make it last much longer than this. It can last for as long as half a day, or even longer than a day meaning those doing it have to come twice. All in all, if it is a fresh job with a brand new door and opener, you are look at six hours of work at least, maybe longer. Make enough room before the installation and clear the way in the garage and in front of it for easier maneuvering and installation.
Also, this is the typical timeframe that the contractors give to customers who only need a new opener installed. This means that they already have a garage door that can be paired up with a new opener. Since the two typically come as a set or are at least installed at the same time, the fact that you lack them both means that in your case the process will last longer. None of the stages are difficult nor challenging, but they take a while to finish. That is simply how things are. The installation consists of different steps which we talk more about below.
The Step-by-Step Guide
First of all, the rail is assembled. They come in a few pieces that easily connect to each other. The instruction manual comes with so there is no guesswork involved. The most important part is the trolley that connects to the garage door and moves along the rails. Next step is fastening the rail to the motor, after which comes the chain installation. This is also when the idler pulley is added on the door end. The chain should be slightly longer than the rail and not continuous, similar to what you see with a bicycle chain. There is a cable that completes the loop, one that passes over the pulley when it goes back to the motor.
For extra support and safety, there is a header bracket support, a piece of lumber that is at least 2 x 4. It anchors to the framing above the door and serves as support for it. Once this support is added, it is time to mount the motor unit. It goes onto the ceiling of the garage, attached with pieces of angle iron. When everything is set and done, the rail is mounted to the header bracket support thanks to the header bracket.
After all of this has been done, which should take a few hours at least, it is time to install the door bracket and the L-shaped arm. The arm is a metal bar and it goes onto the door and the trolley. The electronics come next to round up the installation process. They include the door button and the safety sensor eyes. Usually, those installing the doors and openers staple the wiring onto the walls and the ceiling, since it is low voltage and not really dangerous. Once everything is connected and attached, the opener is programed for the proper travel of the door. This includes checking the sped and the angles. Finally, the safety systems are tested and the job is done.
