Residential Garage Door Installation
Garage door installation usually involves removing an old system and installing a new one in its place. Tracks, springs, pulleys, panels, hundreds of pounds of weight, and extreme tension are involved in this process, making it more complex than many initially think.
This guide will help you decide when it’s the right time to replace your garage door and walk you through the main benefits a new door has to offer, why a pro should do the job for you, and how to prepare for your garage door consultation to get an accurate quote from a trustworthy company.
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Should I Replace My Garage Door?
Homeowners often come to us asking us to make repair after repair on their old, glitchy garage door system when it would truly be more cost effective to install a new one instead. Here are several signs that it may be smarter to replace your garage door or operator than repair it.
Noticeable Dents & Dings
Dents can sometimes (but not always) be removed. If the damage in your door is permanent and visible, it could degrade the aesthetics and value of your entire home.
Broken Parts
In some cases, a professional can repair or replace parts for you without having to install an entire new garage door system.
Springs, cables, your garage door opener, rollers, hinges, and other hardware can often be replaced as long as the failing parts haven’t damaged the main structure of your system or the door itself. If they have, it’s likely you will need to replace the whole thing.
Another major component to watch is the wiring in your garage. If it’s malfunctioning, it could result in your door falling to the ground unexpectedly and smashing anything in its path.
Old Age
An old garage door system can pose multiple problems for you. As parts wear down, your garage door could start malfunctioning and break down more frequently. Also, older doors won’t be equipped with the latest technology or insulation. Garage doors today are much more energy efficient, durable, and dependable than they were 15 or 20 years ago.
Slow Response Time
If your garage door doesn’t start moving promptly after pushing the button on your opener, consider it a red flag. The problem could be as simple as dying batteries or as serious as broken springs or pulleys. Regardless of the reason behind your slow-moving door, it needs to be diagnosed immediately. Get a professional’s opinion so you know how to proceed.
Door Won’t Open or Close
If your door is stuck open, check its path for obstructions. Also make sure nothing is blocking the safety sensor beam across the bottom of your door. If your door won’t open, a spring may be broken or the opener might be malfunctioning, so you should contact a professional for help.
Long-Term Noise or Vibration
Does your garage door screech, shake, or rattle? This type of problem could be due to misalignment, rust, an obstruction in the door’s track, or a worn out part that’s no longer functioning properly. If you call a pro to fix the problem as soon as you notice it, you may be able to save your door. If it’s been going on for a while, however, your door could be seriously damaged, and it might be smarter to replace rather than repair it.
Sagging
If your door is starting to sag, it’s time to start shopping for a new one. Wood doors sag over time, especially if they haven’t been maintained properly. Sagging is a sign or rot and deterioration.
Outdated System
If your garage door system (including the door, tracks, opener, etc.) is getting older, you may want to update it simply to modernize your home and bring it into the current decade—both technologically and aesthetically. Older systems (built before the early 1990s) weren’t designed with the same safety features that new systems are today, such as motion sensors and an auto-reverse function. Modern materials are also much more advanced and customizable.
If you want, you could install a fiberglass door that looks like mahogany, is more durable than steel, has two arched, satin-etched windows, and decorative hinges with a hand-hammered look. Your options are unlimited!
Frequent Repairs Needed
If you find you’ve been paying increasing garage door repair bills over time, consider whether repeated repairs are a sound investment. It may be more cost effective to replace your old door with a new one that will run smoothly and require less maintenance.
What Are the Benefits of Updating My Garage Door?
You’ll find that installing a new garage door has many perks. You will increase your home’s value and energy efficiency, make the garage a safer place for you, your family, and your belongings, increase home security to prevent break-ins, and add curb appeal.
Increased Home Value & ROI
Updating your door can add value to your home. According to Remodeling magazine’s 2018 Cost vs. Value Report for Des Moines, IA, an upscale garage door replacement will recoup an average of 59.2% of the total cost.
If your current door is old and on its last legs, a prospective homebuyer could be more hesitant to sign a contract knowing they’ll have to pay to replace the garage door soon. On the other hand, if you have a new, modern door that operates smoothly and looks beautiful, your property will be more attractive. Don’t underestimate the value of first impressions!
Curb Appeal
A garage door can take up a large part of your home’s façade—often 30–50% of it! An old, outdated, or ugly garage door can make a beautiful home look mediocre or even tacky. Homeowners can get so used to the way their home looks that they overlook its imperfections. A new door can give your entire home a fresh face and increase its overall appearance, adding character, beauty, and charm.
Energy Efficiency
When you replace your garage door, you can choose an insulated door with a high R-value. An energy-efficient garage door can keep not only the garage but also your living space more comfortable throughout the year. It can help prevent drafts and keep heat inside during the winter and cool air inside during the summer, lowering your monthly energy bills.
Safety
If your garage door is 10–15 years old, it could snap at any time. Garage door springs wear out and eventually break if they aren’t replaced soon enough.
If a spring breaks while your door is up or in motion, the door could crash to the ground with great force, harming anything or anyone in its path.
Other parts will also wear out over time and could threaten your safety. Installing a new, safe system can give you peace of mind.
Security
With a new system, you can choose automatic lighting, advanced motion sensors, keyless entry, an automatic lock, and other security-enhancing features. You can also install a garage door opener that incorporates MyQ smartphone technology, enabling you to monitor and operate your door when you’re away from home.
Find more ways updating your door can benefit you!
Why Does a Professional Need to Install My New Garage Door?
If you’re handy and like to save money, you’re not alone; in fact, you’re a pretty typical homeowner. Installing a new garage door, however, is not a typical DIY project that anyone can undertake. Here are several great reasons you should leave this project to the pros.
Experience & Expertise
If you’re not a garage door technician—trained, experienced, and certified—you don’t have the extensive training and knowledge that a professional does. You’re not going to be able to catch the same problems as a trained tech would. Your lack of experience could leave you having to call a repair company to come out to fix something you broke or made worse.
Personal Safety
Installing your own garage door can be dangerous for you and your family. Your door is under extreme tension, and if the job is done incorrectly, your door—which weighs hundreds of pounds—could crash to the ground and crush anything beneath it. Even if your door doesn’t drop to the ground, you could still be severely pinched, cut, or seriously injured by panels, cables, springs, or other parts as you attempt to install the system.
Cost
If each piece of your garage door system isn’t installed precisely, it won’t operate correctly, and parts can quickly begin to break down. You could also cause damage to your new door during installation. In these cases, repairs can end up costing you more than paying a professional to install it from the beginning.
Warranty
If you install your own door, you may void any warranty and be left with no coverage for damage if something goes wrong. Professional installers offer warranties to back up parts and installation, so you’re covered if you encounter a problem.
What Do I Need to Know Before My Consultation?
If you know you want a new garage door or would like to learn more about a garage door company, their process, and how much your door will likely cost, it’s time to set up an initial consultation. During this meeting, the installer will ask you a number of questions to allow them to provide you with a reliable quote. Here’s what you should have prepared for that meeting so it can go as smoothly as possible (and you can get exactly what you want in the end).
Measurements
Make sure you know the size of your current door and the measurements of your garage. This will tell your garage door partner what type of hardware, springs, and opener to install for you. Standard residential garage doors can be anywhere from 8–18 feet wide. Measure your garage door opening and the sideroom, headroom, and backroom of your garage. Learn more about these terms and measurements in our article: Garage Door Installation Technician FAQ: The Basics.
Color
What color would you like your new door to be? You have dozens of options; choose from various stains, paint colors, and finishes. Find the color that best complements your home!
Material
Do you like the charming, authentic look of wood? How about the modernity of contemporary aluminum? Classic steel is sturdy and strong, and fiberglass can imitate the look of other materials. You have several beautiful options. Read our Quick Residential Garage Door Guide to get the lowdown on each one.
Panel Style
Be sure to review your options in this category as well. Depending on the paneling style you choose, your door could look modern, rustic, minimalist, or traditional.
Insulation
Garage doors are available with a range of R-values. A classic steel door can be highly insulated and keep cold, heat, and wind out of your garage and home. An aluminum door, on the other hand, won’t provide as much insulation.
Consider your location and climate as well as how you use your garage when making this decision.
If you live in a region that experiences extreme high or low temperatures, seriously consider purchasing an insulated garage door.
Windows
Do you want your garage door to have windows? Windows can add beauty to your home and allow natural light into your garage. Choose from numerous colors, coatings, shapes, sizes, and tints.
Get Your Garage Door Installation Quote!
If you’ve made it through this guide and you’re convinced that it’s time to install a new garage door, set up a free consultation with us and get a quote! We work with homeowners across the state of Iowa, and we’d love to work with you!
Schedule your consultation today.