Ready to get a new garage door, but then you notice that your garage has low headroom? If you’re in an urban area, space always has to be considered. You don’t usually have the luxury of wide, open spaces. And this is true for garage areas as well. You typically have to be more intentional about your garage door headroom and how it figures to the type of garage door installation you need.
What is Low Headroom Garage?
So what is considered low headroom or low ceiling anyway? You may have come across terms like standard headroom, zero clearance, high clearance, and such, but what do these actually mean?
Headroom is the available space on top of the doorway.
Depending on the style of garage door, a standard installation generally needs between 12 to 18 inches. So, for example, you have a 7-foot high garage door, you’ll need a headroom that is at least 8 feet to leave a couple of inches of headroom. The tricky part is, the headroom must be clear all the way – no lighting, ductwork chase, or beams that can obstruct a portion of the doorway.
Low headroom garages will have that tighter space of only leaving a few inches (e.g., only 6 inches) before interacting with your vehicles and other equipment. A more careful approach can help you find the right overhead garage door for your home.
Garage Door Installation Hacks for Low Headroom
There are many options out there when you want overhead garage doors on your home but don’t have enough space above the front door (or any other entrance you’re putting garage doors). Here are some useful hacks to consider:
- Position the torsion springs at the rear end of the room
If you want to stick to an overhead garage door system, you have to note that the torsion tube is among the bulkiest parts of the entire garage door system. And if you have a low clearance point in your ceiling, chances are the spring will be too bulky to be placed right in front of the doorway.
One practical solution is to put the torsion spring at the rear of the garage room. The track assembly will extend a bit longer, but then you won’t have to worry about the torsion tube creating a blocked area as you enter the vehicle onto the driveway.
Do remember that this setup may not be the best for high-usage cycles – that means if you operate the overhead garage door more than twice a day, this could cause faster wear and tear on your tracks and spring. If you have two or more members of the household opening and closing the garage doors multiple times a day, the cables would likely spin off the tracks. Expect more frequent garage door service for this setup. The extended cable system might look unattractive, too, especially for some homeowners who want a clean look.
- Opt for heavy-duty rolling garage doors
Homeowners and business owners that own low clearance garages can also install the garage door at the front part of the doorway. But, it would have to be high-performance roll-up garage doors that can fold up neatly without occupying the space overhead. Aside from the compact door, the motor is quicker, allowing up to 60 inches per second. That’s much faster than the typical overhead garage door style.
Rolling or roll-up garage doors are more suited for high-traffic situations because they operate faster and are made of solid but lightweight materials like galvanized steel or aluminum. If you need garage doors for commercial properties, parking spaces, and warehouses with characteristically low clearance, this is the way to go.
Of course, the downside is that you are limited to the industrial aesthetic – no intricate wooden garage doors in this type of mechanism. But again, this has a lot of advantages for low headroom garages.
- Utilize the side space with side-swing garage doors
The slide-to-the-side garage door operates just as it’s described – by bending and sliding out of the way to open up enough room in your garage space. Instead of an overhead or a roll-up mechanism, the garage door here will slide laterally. You don’t have to contend with low headroom issues – but you will have to think about the available space on the side of your garage room.
This garage door style runs along with lower trolleys that are flexible enough to adjust according to floor incline. So if you have enough room on the doorway’s side to allow for this setup, this will be much more apt for garages that have little headroom to spare.
Find Your Garage Door Services and Solutions Here
Having trouble deciding on which garage door suits your low headroom? It’s best to consult with garage door service experts before finalizing any decision. Here at Alpine Garage Door Repair, we are always available to provide garage door installation, garage door repair, and garage door maintenance for both residential and commercial properties. We give helpful advice and a wide range of garage door products and accessories for your project.
Talk to us today to learn more about how to solve your low headroom garage concerns!