It might not be the first thing you think of when purchasing a garage door but making sure that your door has enough room to move is very important. Without proper spacing, your door just won’t work. The team at Two Step Garage Doors can answer any questions you have about headroom for your garage door system.
What Is Headroom?
If you have seen a low clearance sign that has obviously been hit by something then you have already observed what can happen if you don’t consider headroom. Simply put, headroom is the space between your ceiling and the top of your garage door. When the tracks are mounted there needs to be enough room for the door to make the turn as it open and closes.
If you attempt to install a standard mount in a garage with low headroom, you will end up disappointed. The opener will be unable to pull the door over the curve and out of the way. There are solutions for garages that do not have standing headroom.
How To Measure For Your Garage Door Setup
The first step in selecting the right track for your space is to make an accurate measurement. You will want to measure from the top of your garage door to the ceiling or until you meet your first obstruction. Remember, you are measuring for the path your door will travel.
Another measurement you will need is for the side room. Sideroom is the amount of space between the garage door and wall it is next to. Sideroom will be important if you have low headroom.
Determining How Much Space You Need
Now that you have your measurement you can determine if you can use a standard mount. If you have a system using torsion springs you will need at least 12 inches of headroom. Torsion springs are mounted with a bar above the door and have brackets for the ends of the torsion bar.
An extension spring system needs about 10 inches. They require less space because the springs stretch down on the top of the track. If you have these measurements you will be able to use a standard setup.
Solutions for Garages With Low Headroom
If you have measured your garage and discovered that your ceiling is not quite high enough for a standard mount there is a solution. You will need to install double low-headroom tracks. These work by having the top roller run down the upper horizontal track and the rest of the rollers go down the lower track.
In the case of low-headroom tracks, you need at least 9 ½ inches for a torsion spring system. An extension spring system will need at least 4 ½ inches. Low-headroom systems do require an increase in side room to a minimum of 6 inches.
Installing the Right System For Your Space
With a little bit of measuring, you can make sure that you are getting the right setup for your space. The team at Two Step Garage Doors can assist you if you have any concerns about your garages’ headroom. Please contact us anytime.
