At Arapahoe Garage Door we have been providing garage door repairs, maintenance and new garage door installations in the Littleton area for nearly 25 years. In that time, we have been called in to perform repairs on countless garage doors. Some were just old. But in other cases problems arose due to substandard installations. We’re not here to discuss who’s to blame for these imperfect installations. Instead, our goal is to shine a light on one of the primary causes: the failure to perform comprehensive measurements prior to the overhead door installation.
Why Measurements Matter for a New Garage Door Installation
When our garage door installation technicians show up at your home to prepare it to receive a new garage door one of the first things they will do is take a number of precise measurements. These will be used to ensure that the space provided will accommodate the door chosen in a harmonious manner. In addition, the technicians will take a series of photos intended to back up the measurements and to help them envision how the new door will fit into the space. Here are just some of the measurements our team members take:
The Width of the Garage Door Opening
One of the easiest ways to determine if the existing door was custom-designed for the house is to measure the opening width. If the measurement reveals a non-standard width the homeowner will need a custom-sized door. The only alternative would be to alter the size of the garage opening. But in many cases that is prohibitively expensive.
The Height of Each Side of the Opening
If one side is taller than the other it indicates the ground is not level at the door opening. This may require adding an extension on the door bottom shaped to accommodate the uneven surface or, less often, leveling the ground at the point of the garage entrance. Like changing the width of the opening, leveling the ground can be expensive.
The Amount of Headroom in the Garage
The garage door doesn't open itself. It requires tracks, pulleys, springs, an opener and more. All of these components will need to fit in the space above the door when it is fully open. For that reason, it is essential to get accurate measurements of the headspace in the garage to make sure the components of a given door will fit in the allotted space while also operating at maximum efficiency.
The Interior Space on Each Side of the Door Opening
Just as many of the door's mechanical functions take place in the space above the opened door, so a lot of door components need to be installed inside the garage on both sides of the door opening. We take measurements of this area to ensure that A) there is plenty of room for the necessary components and B) that the operation of these components will not be compromised by other things in the garage.
The Size of the Current Door
Finally, we measure the size of the door that is being replaced. We do this to find out if the dimensions of the current door are optimal for the opening. If they are then the replacement door will have the same dimensions. If the existing door does not match up perfectly with the opening then we know we will have to use the other measurements we took to make sure we install a door that is properly fitted.
Are All These Measurements Really Necessary?
Yes. And we’ll tell you why.
To begin with, if a standard door size is selected when a custom size is needed you may wind up having to chuck the new door and start over again, especially if it's not wide or tall enough. And that would be a huge waste of money. If the door is too big then you might have to live with some part of the garage door panels being hidden behind the edges and/or the top of the garage door opening.
While people driving by your house in a car likely wouldn’t notice such an error, any guests parking in the driveway or walking up to the front of the house will be able to see the problem. But an oversized door is not just an aesthetic problem, it can also promote air infiltration that would undermine any insulation in the door.
Precise measurements also enable a faster garage door installation. Why is that important? Because if it is discovered during the installation that the door and the opening are not compatible steps will need to be taken to rectify the situation and that will lead to delays. Remember, while the old door is being removed and the new one installed your home is wide open. If the garage needs to spend a night or two with no door it becomes a serious security issue, and if Littleton were to experience harsh weather while the garage was open to the elements it could be disastrous.
Call Us for Expert Overhead Door Installation in Littleton
We go the extra mile when it comes to installing new garage doors for our customers. The result is a perfect installation that stands the test of time. If someone tells you measurements aren’t necessary thank them for their time and give Arapahoe Garage Door a call. For close to 25 years we have been providing expert, affordable garage door services. When you want the job done right don’t waste time searching for “garage door installers near me” just call Arapahoe at (303) 730-0232.