Blog Details

Whether your old garage door has finally given out, you’re remodeling your home, or you simply want a smarter, more energy-efficient upgrade, a new garage door installation is one of the highest-ROI home improvements available — especially in the Phoenix Valley, where curb appeal and energy efficiency carry significant value. Here’s a complete, step-by-step guide to what the installation process looks like when you work with Garage Door Solved in Mesa.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Garage Door for Arizona

Material Options

• •Steel — the most popular choice. Durable, low-maintenance, and available in dozens of styles and colors. Holds up well to UV exposure with quality paint or powder coat.
• •Aluminum — lightweight and rust-resistant, an excellent choice for wider double doors where weight matters.
• •Wood and wood composite — beautiful and unique, but requires more maintenance in Arizona’s heat and low humidity. Wood composite provides a similar look with better stability.
• •Fiberglass — lightweight and moisture-resistant, and can mimic wood grain convincingly.

Insulation: Critical in Mesa’s Climate

Mesa summer temperatures regularly exceed 110°F. If your garage is attached to your home, an uninsulated garage door allows enormous heat transfer into your living space — forcing your air conditioning to work harder and raising energy bills significantly. We strongly recommend insulated doors for all attached garages in the Phoenix Valley.

• •R-value of 10 to 18 for most residential applications.
• •Two-layer (steel + polystyrene) or three-layer construction (steel + polyurethane + steel).
• •Polyurethane foam provides higher R-values in thinner panels than polystyrene.

Step 2: Measurements and Ordering

Precise measurement is non-negotiable. Our installer measures your rough opening in multiple places — width and height can vary even in a square opening due to settling. Standard widths are 8, 9, 10, and 16 feet. We order doors directly from manufacturers to guarantee a precise fit and maintain warranty coverage. Lead time for standard doors is typically 1 to 2 weeks.

Step 3: Old Door Removal

• •Safely disconnect and remove the opener.
• •Release spring tension before disassembling anything.
• •Disassemble door panels from bottom to top.
• •Remove old tracks, springs, cables, and all hardware.
• •Clean the opening and inspect the framing for any damage.
• •Dispose of all old materials — no pile of metal left in your driveway.

Step 4: Track and Hardware Installation

With the old system completely out, we install new vertical tracks on both sides of the opening. Track angle matters significantly — the angle at which the vertical track transitions to horizontal affects how the door rides and how smoothly it operates. We set this precisely for your garage’s specific ceiling height.

Step 5: Door Panel Assembly

Panels are assembled section by section from the bottom up, with rollers attached to each panel as we go. Each section is carefully aligned before the next is added. This bottom-up approach ensures the door sits properly in the opening and tracks correctly through its entire range of motion.

Step 6: Spring System and Opener Connection

New torsion springs are installed and wound to the precise tension calculated for your door’s exact weight. This is the most technically critical step. After the spring system is set, we connect your existing opener (if it’s in good condition) or install the new opener you’ve selected.

Step 7: Final Testing and Calibration

• •Balance test — the door, released at mid-travel, should stay in place with no opener attached.
• •Auto-reverse force test — a 2×4 laid flat on the floor triggers the door to reverse within 2 inches of contact.
• •Safety sensor function test — breaking the beam during closing causes immediate reversal.
• •Manual operation test — the door operates smoothly by hand with no excessive resistance.
• •Remote and keypad programming — all devices programmed and tested.

Visit Us

6315 N 16th St UNIT 150, Phoenix, AZ 85016

6424 E Greenway Pkwy Suite 100-393, Scottsdale, AZ 85254