How to Install a Garage Door, Continued

4. Electrical wiring:

• To conceal the wire running to the wall switch, they used a screwdriver to poke a small hole in the ceiling. Dave then headed up into the crawl space while Gina fed the switch wire to him through the hole.

• Over near the wall, they made a second hole. Gina inserted a coat hanger to help pinpoint the spot. Dave attached the wire to the end of the coat hanger and Gina pulled it back through. Finally, they attached the end of the wire to the switch and snapped it onto the base plate.

5. Safety beam installation:

• Garage door openers, especially older ones, are potentially hazardous or even fatal to small children and pets that might get trapped underneath. Because of this, new garage door openers come with infra red-beams. If anything breaks this beam while the door on its way down, it will stop and immediately reverse direction before any contact is made.

• These sensors are typically installed on either side of the door about six inches from the floor. A wire is run from the sensors back to motor.

6. Final connection:

• The final step in this installation was to connect the garage door to the door opener. Ron recommended first installing a heavy duty reinforcing bracket, especially if you have a metal door. This bracket was purchased separately since it is not often included with the basic installation kit.

• They attached one of the l-shaped arms to the reinforcing bracket and a second to the door opener, overlapping the two. Pins were inserted in the pre-drilled holes and the garage door was ready to roll on up.

RESULTS:

Gina and Dave had done without a garage door opener for a long time. With remote control in hand, Gina couldn't wait until the final moment when she was able to push that button for the first time and watch the door quietly glide its way open! They were very excited to have this tremendous improvement in their daily lives, but what made it even more rewarding was that they did it themselves! Thanks to Ron, of course.