A garage door repair and installation technician will get the right garage door installed every time. If you have decided not to hire a repair and installation technician for your new garage door, and you want to try DIY garage door installation, you will need to avoid a few common mistakes.

Do Not Measure the Distance Between Frame Posts to Buy a New Door

This is a very common mistake with DIY garage doors. Homeowners measure the distance between the frame posts and shop for a garage door based on that dimension. The problem with this is that garage doors often extend an extra inch or two past the frame posts on each side because the door closes behind the frame of the garage door.

You know that you have made this mistake when you cannot find a garage door small enough to fit between the frame posts and/or you order a custom-made door only to discover that it has open gaps on both sides of the door when the door is closed!

Do Not Forget to Ask for a Pre-Drilled Door  

A "pre-drilled" door makes DIY garage installation a lot easier. The pre-drilling is for the locking door handle on your new garage. Without that handle, your door is going to be very difficult to lock, and even harder to open if you buy a heavy door with no handle. Even if you intend to rely on a garage door opener, you should always have a backup plan to manually open the door when the garage door opener refuses to work.

Do Not Forget Gaskets

Gaskets are sealing strips around the edges of the garage door. The gaskets prevent rodents, bats, and insects from squeezing past the cracks above, below, and to the sides of the garage door. (Little-known fact: mice and bats are able to compress their bodies to get through tight spaces!)

The bottom gasket also prevents snow and ice from building up under the bottom of the door and freezing the door fast to the concrete. If your new garage door did not come with the gaskets, ask your home improvement store associate where you can get these gaskets (or garage door sealing strips).

If Something Goes Wrong, You Can Still Call a Pro

If something goes wrong with your DIY garage door installation, you can still call a pro. It is never too late in the process to have a professional install your garage door. If nothing else, he/she can at least tell you how close you came to finishing the job yourself.

For more information, contact a company like Affina Door Company.