Many people choose do-it-yourself garage door installation because they think it's an excellent way to save money. According to Tim King, president of Garage Door Service of Indiana Inc., an Indianapolis garage door company, this assumption is far from true. In fact, installing a garage door without professional help can lead to costly repairs, and even worse, serious injury.

"When a novice installs a door, they could use the wrong track system," King says. "They could also buy cheap lumber of lower quality which ends up deteriorating over time. Installation hardware is never included either, such as track hangers, a lock, doorstop, color matching nails and a top section operator strut brace."

Knowledge of special parts

A garage door system includes many different parts that all must work in conjunction with each other. Even a small part, such as a hinge, can cause an entire door to malfunction when out of place, resulting in additional repair expenses.

Ryan says he often gets calls to fix doors that weren't installed properly. "I've also seen improper spring tensions, improper operator force settings and people not installing the door correctly on its track level," he says. "A professional installation will end these problems, and we offer a one-year warranty on all parts, labor and door operation."

Extra tools needed

In order to install a garage doors, you'll need special tools and equipment that most people don't have laying around the house. For example, most people don't have a counterbalance spring system on hand to lift the door.

Risk of injury

Installing a garage door without the proper training is extremely dangerous. Besides the fact that a garage door can weigh several hundred pounds, handling parts like the torsion spring can lead to serious injury.