Thread: Garage door opener was installed too low

this garage ceiling has the huge beam across. that makes garage door opening only 6 ft.
many big SUVs are not possible park this garage
Any regulation exist about it?
anyway, some guy taller than 5'10" will be hit his head to the metal bracket as you see
isn't it safety issue?

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The clear height in vehicle and pedestrian traffic areas shall not be less than 7 ft. In addition, the tracks cannot slope back like that as the door will roll right off if the release is pulled when the door is up.

So I guess this brings up an interesting question? How could you remedy such a problem? You can't put a hole in the beam, so that would mean removing the garage door opener and possibly sealing the garage door so it couldn't open? I can't see any possible way to fix this to "code".

Originally Posted by Bill Chinook

So I guess this brings up an interesting question? How could you remedy such a problem? You can't put a hole in the beam, so that would mean removing the garage door opener and possibly sealing the garage door so it couldn't open? I can't see any possible way to fix this to "code".

This may sound strange. As I pondered it too when I saw it. Certainly there is a load and space above.

If the beam cannot be recessed, and this is not a monolithic poured slab, it might actually be cheapest to remove the garage floor and drop it if your have the elevation to do so.

Strange, but maybe possible.

Originally Posted by Bill Chinook

So I guess this brings up an interesting question? How could you remedy such a problem? You can't put a hole in the beam, so that would mean removing the garage door opener and possibly sealing the garage door so it couldn't open? I can't see any possible way to fix this to "code".

The door itself appears to only come to the beam, so the rails and motor are the only issue. Replace the drive with the type that have the motor above the door opening and shorten the overhead rails.

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Originally Posted by Bill Chinook

So I guess this brings up an interesting question? How could you remedy such a problem? You can't put a hole in the beam, so that would mean removing the garage door opener and possibly sealing the garage door so it couldn't open? I can't see any possible way to fix this to "code".

The door itself appears to only come to the beam, so the rails and motor are the only issue. Replace the drive with the type that have the motor above the door opening and shorten the overhead rails.

Garage door operators are available which mount on the wall above the door and pull the door up from there - then the tracks would only need to be long enough for the door.

One can also get roll up doors with operators mounted above the door where the doors roll straight up and down and do not have any horizontal track (think of smaller, lighter-weight, roll-up doors like you see on commercial buildings).

I'm sure there may be other options too.

It's not a garage. It's a large storage locker with an exterior entrance.
Mini Cooper would fit in nicely or maybe a Clown Car.
Maybe a Ferrari F60 America since gull wing doors would be out like a Ferrari La Ferrari.

thanks guys, every reply is helpful.
I saw an opener that the motor and chains are mounted on the side wall near garage door,
will it be solve the problem?

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thanks guys, every reply is helpful.
I saw an opener that the motor and chains are mounted on the side wall near garage door,
will it be solve the problem?

Originally Posted by Ben Im

thanks guys, every reply is helpful.
I saw an opener that the motor and chains are mounted on the side wall near garage door,
will it solve the problem?

Yes there are doors and openers that will work for that. It is not a new problem.

This bring up an interesting question: Is there anything in building standards that says how high a ceiling has to be for the space to be considered a garage? The living-space minimum certainly wouldn't apply. If the ceiling gets low enough, you can tell your wife that you have to drive a Lotus!

Originally Posted by Matt Bezanson

This bring up an interesting question: Is there anything in building standards that says how high a ceiling has to be for the space to be considered a garage? The living-space minimum certainly wouldn't apply. If the ceiling gets low enough, you can tell your wife that you have to drive a Lotus!

I posted it from the code above.

"The clear height in vehicle and pedestrian traffic areas shall not be less than 7 ft."

Originally Posted by JeffGHooper

I posted it from the code above.

"The clear height in vehicle and pedestrian traffic areas shall not be less than 7 ft."

You can add a side winder (we call them) the mount on side to roll up door works well with most doors, ask garage opener contractor.

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Originally Posted by JeffGHooper

I posted it from the code above.

"The clear height in vehicle and pedestrian traffic areas shall not be less than 7 ft."

You can add a side winder (we call them) the mount on side to roll up door works well with most doors, ask garage opener contractor.

Originally Posted by Ben Im

this garage ceiling has the huge beam across. that makes garage door opening only 6 ft.
many big SUVs are not possible park this garage
Any regulation exist about it?
anyway, some guy taller than 5'10" will be hit his head to the metal bracket as you see
isn't it safety issue?

This looks like double track - low head room hardware. Note the top roller of the door is in its own track. There probably isn't enought room above the door to do much. Lift Master makes a wall mount, residential, jack shaft opener that mounts along side the vertical portion of the door track. It connects directly to the spring shaft and is laged to the wall.
https://www.liftmaster.com/For-Homes...ies/model-8500