I just had a new garage door installed. Beautiful door. The only think that is bothering me is that the top panel is not completely vertical. It is slanted, very slightly, back at the top. Do you think the installer installed this incorrectly?
Yes. You should immediately call the installer, and say the same thing to him / her.
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Perhaps you're opening height limited to prevent the vertical tracks being tall enough for the full opening? If not, then "yes", that sounds subpar if it doesn't seal the opening fully. (Well, actually it's still subpar in that case, but it may be difficult to deal with if there is an actual clearance issue.)
Depends on your opening, is it square? The installer lays down the first section and moves up, if there is any 'tilt' in the foundation or the framing is not square, you'll notice it. Check for level when the door is open, place a 2x6x8' on edge and slap a level on top.
Next check the 'square' of the opening. Finally, see if the door itself is level when closed.
You may need to add extra trim, if the installer made the door level in the opening (as he should).
I don't think there is an actual gap (meaning space between the door and the frame). But it's weird. The lower 3 panels are pefectly vertical. Then the top panel tilts ever so slightly. But I noticed it right after the installer left (of course). Then my wife came home an hour later and said the same thing, so it is noticeable.
I emailed the company and they asked when I would be home because they would send the guy by again. I am really curious as to what he will say. Hopefully, not something like, a slight tilt is normal until things settle.
I don't understand how the door could be not vertical and there be no gap. The gap would be just behind the doorway frame at the top, horizontal part of the opening. At any rate, when the guy is there, concentrate on what is wrong and not that there is no gap. Saying that makes it sound like there is no problem. You and I (and he) proably have a different conception of what a gap is.
It sounds adjustable to me, maybe by putting on different top brackets to the top section of the door, or a spacer between each top bracket and the door, to push the top of the door section forward, to make it vertical.
The door is the wrong size for the opening. This happened because a sloppy builder/framer didn't follow the plans for a standard door. I doubt if anything short of doing it over and doing right this time will mitigate the problem. You may find a custom door maker who can supply something made for your precise opening. Compare the price of that (complete) to the estimate to bring your door opening to th required standard size and then decide on the best choice. Be brave...it won't be cheap either way.
Joe
Rather than doing that, wouldn't it be possible to shim the top roller brackets until the top section is aligned with the rest? Seems that that would be cheaper/easier than raising the track (if it is possible) or getting a custom door.
nate
You did not read or understand the OP's post
My bet is it can be corrected in less than 20 minutes either by adjusting or by adding a couple of washers.
Hi, I won't worry too much unless there is a gap letting light in when you look at it. It can be adjusted but some times it is not easy to make it perfect due to the way the sectional panels roll up/down around the curved track. If you insist, better let the door break in for a while B4 making an adjustment.
I suspect it is fixable, but I bet the problem ends up being a new door in the original track and there is some minor variation in roller brackets or section heights between the two. The new door would/should have come with new track, but if the original is in good shape there would be no particular reason to change it, but the installer should have made whatever adjustments necessary while there.
The installer said he put in a new track.
There is the trim around the door so there is no exposed gap. Like I said, the slant is VERY slight, almost unnoticeable unless you look directly at it. But hey, if you pay $1500 you expect it to look right!
It probably has an automatic door opener? If so, could be as simple as the down limit needs to be increased slightly. Doors have a fairly large seal across the bottom. So the door could be touching all along the bottom, but still need to be pressed down another 1/4" or so to get it all the way down properly.
Or it could be a totally hosed installation that's much harder to correct.
The slant does not sound like a big deal. But it's possible that the garage is too low for the curvature that the new track requires and so the back arc had to be started lower than it would otherwise have been. I would also think that if it starts its trip up already slightly slanted to the back, it will be a little easier on the motor since its main pulling force is perpendicular to the closed door.
Anyhow, unless it looks too slanted and visually strange, I would not even bother.
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The top panel is often adjustable to accomidate this problem.
Do you mean slanted inwardly at the top, or slanted left to right as viewed from the outside? Your choice of words does not make this clear. If it is inwardly slanted, there must be a gap at the top across the entire width of the door, but you do not say that there is a visible gap.
Slanted inward slightly at the top. There is not a gap.
If it is slanted in now and was not before there HAS to be a gap. Just not necessarily one you can see through. The panel can not be against the trim if it is tipped in at the top.
Well, maybe the technician/installer adjusted the trim to match when he was done.
Never say never... :)
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