28 Apr Solutions for a Low Headroom Garage Door
When buying new overhead garage doors, there are many considerations to keep in mind. One of the less understood dimensions is headroom in a low headroom garage door. What is this measurement and what does it matter? As you research garage doors, you might come across terminology like standard headroom, low headroom, zero clearance, or high lift clearance. If you have a low headroom garage door, you might be looking for specific solutions to address how to install a new door for this situation. Frontier Pacific answers questions regarding headroom daily, so read to learn more!
Solutions for a Low Headroom Garage Door
What is Headroom?
Headroom is an amount of space over the door height. Depending on the product you select, a standard installation will usually require 12 to 18 inches of headroom. If your doorway is ten feet high, you would typically need eleven-foot ceilings with twelve inches left for headspace (ductwork chases and other obstructions can compromise the rest).
Measuring Garage Door Headroom
The first step is to take accurate measurements and decide how much headroom you have. Taking measurements is for those who have a lot of headroom or not. The amount of headroom will determine if you have a low ceiling height, in which case you need a particular garage door. In addition, the amount of headroom needs to be known to install any garage door.
By measuring headroom, we mean the space that begins above the garage door opening and extends to the ceiling or the bottom of the beams or rafters at the top. The space required depends on the type of garage door you buy, so this step is essential. There must be enough space for the door to rotate when opening and closing. Obstructions to an accurate ceiling height measurement due to pipelines, a support beam, lighting, etc., would be an issue.
What if my Headroom is less than 12 inches?
If you have low headroom, or your garage door is less than 6 inches from the ceiling, there are solutions available, such as:
Low headroom track systems: Low headroom track garage door systems are designed specifically for when you have a low-headroom situation. With the right system, you may only need 9 inches of overhead space and can install your garage door and opener with this much space available.
Jack-shaft garage door openers: These openers are as effective as a standard garage door opener, but they are installed on the side of your garage rather than the top. This eliminates your need for that extra headroom and helps create a more spacious garage.
Frame down opening: These are available in 3-inch increments. You can lower or raise your garage door opening to meet the desired height with frame down opening doors.
We Can Help
Need a garage door for a low ceiling installed? We can help! Whether you’re ready to start or have more questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. We know you have a lot of options when it comes to finding the right doors for your facility, and that’s why we offer a wide selection of high-quality products from top manufacturers! Give us a call at Frontier Pacific by dialing (510) 279-0232 if you need help deciding which option is best suited for your needs.