Lifting and shutting a heavy garage door can get more difficult as your parents enter their elderly years. A great Christmas present you can give them that they will be able to use all year-round is a garage door opener. You can even add to the value of the present by installing the opener for them. Here a brief overview of what you'll have to do to install a garage door opener for your elderly parents.

Attach Header to Garage Wall

1. The header is the bracket that is used to attach the track to the garage wall. The header should be placed a couple of inches above the highest point the garage door reaches as it is opening.
2. You can determine this point by opening the door until the first set of wheels on the door in the rails rise up around the bend at the top of the rail. Measure the distance between the top of the door and the floor.
3. Shut the door and mark the spot on the wall based on the measurements you took – plus a couple of inches. The mark should be centered in the middle of the door as much as possible.
4. Screw the bracket to a stud in the wall.

Assemble the Track

1. The track will come in several pieces inside the garage door opener box.  Take the pieces out and connect them together along the garage floor. Attach the track to the garage door opener motor.
2. Put the motor onto a step ladder and move the ladder until the front edge of the track slips into the header on the wall. You may have to place small boards on top of the ladder to make sure the motor and track is level with the bracket.
3. Attach the track to the bracket.

Hang Motor

1. The garage door opener will also come with a bracket or straps you will use to hang the motor from the ceiling in the garage.
2. Build the bracket according to the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure the straps of the bracket are attached to the joists to keep it securely in place.
3. Bolt the motor to the bracket.

Connect Safety Rope

Tie the safety rope to the latch that detaches the garage door opener from the track so you can open the door manually. Make sure your parents can reach the rope in case the opener breaks and they need to open the door without using the door opener.

Plug in Door Opener

Plug in the door opener. Test the opener by opening and closing the door several times to make sure everything works well.

If you need help installing a garage door, contact a company like A AAA Allstate Door Company.