How to Install a Garage Door Opener Quickly

Tips on Saving Time Installing a Garage Door Opener

By Mark J. Donovan

In this video I, Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com, provide some tips on how to install a garage door opener quickly. 

Or more specifically I show how to replace a garage door opener in a manner that saves a significant amount of time.

The garage door opener I had in my detached garage had been operating flawlessly for the past decade.

However, during the height of the cold weather this winter, temperatures around 10  degrees Fahrenheit, it died on me.

After about a week I had enough of having to get in and out of my car a couple of times each time I needed to go some where, to hand open/close the garage door. The situation was also exacerbated by the fact that there was no handle to grab onto to pull open/close the garage door.

So, I went down to my local home improvement center and bought a Chamberlain chain-driven 1/2HP garage door opener.

Due to the fact that the temperature inside and outside the garage was about ten degrees out, I decided to find every shortcut I could take to install the new garage door opener, without compromising safety or functionality with the garage door opener and garage door.

So, what I basically did to install my new garage door opener quickly was to leverage what I could from the existing old garage door opener installation, such that I could reduce the number of steps in the new garage door opener installation.

The specific time saving garage door installation steps I took included:
  1. Used the existing mounting brackets for the garage door opener motor.
  2. Used the existing optical protector sensors and associated wiring, thus not having to mount sensor brackets and run new wire.
  3. Likewise, I took advantage of the existing wiring for the garage door opener controller and simply swapped out the old garage door opener controller with the new one.
  4. Utilized the existing brackets for where the garage door opener metal bar assembly attaches above the garage door and onto the garage door itself.

By utilizing these old parts of the original garage door opener, I estimate that I saved about 2 to 3 hours of effort installing my new garage door opener. I based that estimate on the fact that I have personally installed at least 10 garage door openers in the past 15 years. The pleasure that comes with owing multiple homes each with 2 to 3 garages.

See my video on how to install a garage door opener. This video provides detailed instructions on installing a garage door opener.

For more information on building a garage addition see the Garage Addition Bid Sheet from HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Garage Addition Bid Sheet includes an extensive questionnaire (Request for Quote) that a homeowner can provide to prospective general contractors and subcontractors for bidding the garage addition. In addition, the Garage Addition Bid Sheet also includes estimated costs and time intervals for constructing a garage addition as well as a list of key home material manufacturers. Finally, the Garage Addition Bid sheet includes an extensive set of helpful tips and advice on making sure the garage addition is built properly and on time and budget.

Garage Addition Bid Sheet

Related Information on Garage Door Installation and Other Garage Projects

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