If you've moved into a house that doesn’t have a garage door opener, or your garage door won't close and continues to act up time and time again, then it may be time to invest in a new garage door opener. But before you give a garage door repair company a call, these steps just might save the day. This guide will help show you the ropes on how you can replace a garage door opener yourself for a smooth, hassle-free cruise out of your garage.
Prepping to Replace a Garage Door Opener
Replacing a garage door opener requires some preparation. You'll want to confirm that the garage door opener is the problem, choose the right horsepower, and choose the best garage door opener for your home.
Check the Rest of the Garage Door System
Before you invest in a new garage door opener and take the time to replace the old garage door opener and install the new one, it's a good idea to check your entire garage door system to ensure that the garage door opener is the problem.
For all you know, it could be a faulty door panel, chain, spring, roller, or some other part of your garage door system that's on the fritz. An imbalanced garage door can struggle to operate correctly, and replacing the garage door opener wouldn’t solve the problem in this case. You’d need to know how to replace a garage door, instead.
It could save you time and money to rule out other more straightforward fixes instead of jumping to replacing the garage door opener first thing.
Select the Right Garage Door Opener Horsepower
Garage door openers come in several different horsepower, including 1/3 horsepower, 1/2 horsepower, and 3/4 horsepower. 1/3 horsepower is the most affordable, but it also has the least amount of power. For doors with an average weight, 1/2 horsepower tends to do the job. Meanwhile, large doors and doors made from heavy-duty materials may require 3/4 horsepower.
Pick the Right Garage Door Opener Type
Every garage door opener is different. Some door openers require you to install switches and wire the system after mounting the carriage tube, and other openers require this step later on, after mounting the opener.
When shopping for a garage door opener, you'll find five types of garage door openers on the market. Chain-drive garage door openers are the most common, followed by belt-driven openers.
Choose an Installation Site
If your garage door has never had a garage door opener installed, then you’ll need to assess if you can install one and decide on where you should install the garage door opener. Some garage doors are incompatible with garage door openers, such as solid-piece garage doors. In this case, you’ll need to replace the garage door first.
Meanwhile, some installation sites might be in an ideal location for the garage door but are out of reach of electrical outlets. For this, you’ll need to install a new outlet or choose a location where the wiring can reach your garage’s outlets.
Remove the Old Garage Door Opener and Track
If you have an existing garage door opener, you’ll need to remove the entire garage door opener system, including the track. Use your socket wrench to remove the old garage door opener and its track, then add some lithium-based grease to the new tracks with a rag.
Confirm You Have All the Parts
Photo: Maskot / Maskot / Getty Images
Check to make sure your garage door opener has all of the necessary parts before piecing together any sections of your garage door opener. This will save you the trouble of having to search for missing pieces or rush to the hardware store while you’re working on more challenging parts of the installation process.
Build the Carriage Tube
The carriage tube creates the pathway for your carriage to lift and lower your door. Follow the instruction manual to assemble the carriage tube correctly. You may need to use a socket wrench for this step. You'll also need to use your measuring tape to measure the carriage tube and ensure it’s at the correct length. Loosen the nuts or bolts just enough to adjust the tube length as needed.
Mount the Carriage onto the Tube
Next, it's time to mount the carriage onto the newly built carriage tube. To do this, you'll need to slide the carriage or trolley over the carriage tube following the specific instructions in your garage door opener manual.
Attach the Header Bracket
This step requires a helping hand. To connect the header bracket, one person needs to manually lift the garage door until it reaches the highest point it can move. Use a level to mark the highest point, then use your measuring tape to mark two inches above this line. This is where you’ll want to bolt the bracket to the wall with the fasteners in your assembly kit and secure it with a drill or screwdriver.
Ensure the location of the header bracket lines up with where you plan on installing the power unit.
Secure the Carriage Tube to the Header Bracket
Lift the carriage tube up until the end that doesn’t have the carriage tube on it lines up with the header bracket. Then, attach that end of the carriage tube to the bracket with the tools indicated in your instructions.
To keep the carriage tube from bending after attaching it to the header bracket, rest the unattached end of the assembled carriage tube onto a ladder.
Mount the Power Unit to the Ceiling
Photo: Michael O'Keene / Adobe Stock
Now it's time to mount the power unit to the ceiling of your garage. The power unit needs to be at least seven feet away from the floor. Most garage door openers come with angle irons and pre-drilled straps for securing the system to the wall.
Use lag screws to bolt the angle irons to the rafters in your garage, then attach the angle irons with the assembly materials. Follow up by connecting the strips to the power unit using the hardware materials that came with your garage door opener. Plug the power unit into a receptacle.
Connect the Bracket that Attaches to the Carriage Arm
To pull the door up and lower it, you’ll need to connect the carriage’s metal, elbow-shaped arm to a door-mounted bracket. Without this step, your door won’t move. Install the bracket to your garage door, being sure to align it to the position of your carriage tube.
Then, use the hardware that came with your garage door opener to secure the carriage arm as per the instruction manual. You’ll need to secure the arm to both the door bracket and the primary carriage arm.
Install the Safety Devices
Garage doors are legally required to come with a safety device to stop the motor in case of an obstruction. Most safety devices contain light sensors that can detect if something interferes with the sensor. When this happens, the door stops lowering and reverses upward.
You’ll need to align the sensor mounts using a laser level. These sensors should be installed six or fewer inches away from the ground of your garage—with one sensor on each side of your garage door. Wire the sensors along the wall of your garage and connect them to the power unit according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Wire the Keypad to a Wall
Before you can power your new garage door opener, you'll need to wire the keypad to the wall of your garage. Mount the keypad to the wall in a location that is easily accessible and out of reach of small children. Follow the instruction manual closely for a safe installation. If you don’t have wiring where you plan on installing your keypad, then you may need to hire an electrician near you for this step.
Test the Garage Door Opener
Photo: penyushkin / Adobe Stock
To make sure the garage door opens properly, press the power button to test it out. If you notice the garage door isn’t opening fully or is opening too far, adjust the alignment with the controls on the power unit.
DIY Garage Door Opener Replacement vs. Hiring a Pro
Installing a garage door opener yourself is a moderately challenging project. You must install the equipment correctly to avoid accidents, so if you have any concerns about safely installing a garage door opener, then you might be better off working with a local garage door opener repair service.
Hiring a pro costs between $65 and $85 per hour, depending on the cost of living and local going rates. Expect the installation to take anywhere from two to four hours, for a total cost of $130 to $350 on top of the material costs. If you decide to DIY it, the cost to install a garage door opener ranges from $150 to $500 for the opener alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Though you may be tempted to install a new garage door opener using the tracks of your old garage door opener, don’t use old garage parts. Every garage door opener has its own measurements, offsets, and requirements that could be incompatible with your old garage door opener. Using an old track could result in a collision or injury.
If push comes to shove, and you need to manually open your garage door, then you should be able to do so. To manually open your garage door, first, make sure that the door is in the down position. You’ll need to unlock your garage door opener’s emergency release mechanism, which is typically a red robe that you can find on the carriage. Once you’ve pulled the cord, you can manually lower the door.
If your garage door is stuck in an open position, consider contacting a professional to safely release the opener.
