If you are installing a new garage door, you are going to come across the term headroom. Headroom is the distance between the top of your new garage door and the shortest, or lowest, part of your ceiling. This includes anything that is obstructing your ceiling, including ductwork and pipe in your garage, as well as the garage door opener rail.
Why Headroom Matters
The amount of headroom that you will have between your garage door and the top of your garage matters because it will dictate the type of spring system that you can use on your garage door. You need a certain amount of headroom for the different type of systems that you can install to help you open and close your garage door. Without headroom, you will not be able to install the springs that alleviate the weight of your garage door. A company, like Durbin Garage Doors LLC, can help you figure out the right door installation for your garage's current headroom.
Type of Springs You Can Use
Headroom dictates the type of spring system that you can use for your garage door. If you have less than a foot of headroom, the most common type of spring system to use is extension springs. They don't need as much room to operate as other spring systems.
If you have around a foot of headroom, you can use torsion springs system. They need a little bit more headroom to operate.
Account for The Garage Door Opener
If you want to install an automatic garage door opener, you are going to need additional headroom. Garage door openers take up valuable space where your springs could go. If you have very little headroom, you may have to settle for a garage door that you operate manually, as you need springs in order to handle the weight of opening and closing your garage door. It is best to have more headroom, not less, so that you can install an automatic system so you don't have to get in and out of your vehicle every time you want to open or close your garage door.
Low Headroom Kits
If you don't have a lot of space in your garage and are lacking the necessary headroom, there are low headroom kits that you can install. These kits reduce the headroom needed for installing spring kits. These kits may cost a little more, but will allow you to install a garage door even in a space where you don't have a significant amount of headroom to work with.
Do you remember the last time you really evaluated the structural integrity and security of your home? Although many people assume that their home is plenty safe, the fact of the matter is that creating a safe environment is about more than security systems and guard dogs. Since your garage door is a main entrance point into your home, it is important to think carefully about what you can do to make things right. On my blog, I discuss all of the different aspects of garage door maintenance and replacement, so that you can explore different ways to make your home even more beautiful.