Demystifying The Pass Door : 1) The Limits Of Installing, and 2) Costs • Garex

How to

9 August 2022

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It’s no wonder that houses with a garage have been in strong demand on the real estate market for several years now. Garages are multipurpose spaces that can be adapted to the diverse needs of a family. Need proof? Check out our article on 4 makeover ideas to transform your garage and make it awesome.

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Because garages are so highly sought, architects must come up with novel modern home designs to include them even on tightly aligned townhouses, for instance. In some cases, accessibility to the garage becomes problematic even if they generally have two doors: a garage door and an adjacent door. In search of space, sometimes architects eliminate the adjacent pedestrian door from the plan, resulting in residents having only one exit. This is especially problematic in some cities where municipal bylaws require a second emergency exit door.

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It turns out that door manufacturers have already come up with a solution: the pass door. This is a walk-through door that is built-in within the broader garage door, and acts like a secondary entrance door. It can also be used as an emergency exit in the event of a power failure. Thanks to this door, homeowners can use their garage door as easily as a front door without activating the entire door every time!

But what do you really need to know before planning to install a pass door? Read on to find out!

THE LIMITS OF INSTALLING A PASS DOOR

A pass door can be installed on an existing garage door or on a brand new garage door. However, incorporating this type of door to your existing one will require a minimum garage door width of 8 feet. The dimensions and positioning of a pass door will be limited by the type of pattern on the exterior facade of your garage door and its embossing.

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A special thanks to our partner Les Portes Ararat for sharing this photo with us

Also, keep in mind that pass doors expand over the 4 panels of the existing garage door. In order to preserve the structural integrity of the garage door, a few inches of the bottom panel must remain in place. The resulting threshold will have to be stepped over, which will obstruct the passage of strollers or walkers, and could be a tripping hazard for distracted passers-by. 

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A special thanks to our partner Les Portes Ararat for sharing these photos with us

Furthermore, although insulating tape can be used to seal the contour of a pedestrian door, the overall airtightness of your garage door will never be as effective as that of a full door. Your garage door will simply lose some energy efficiency because it will have more openings.

Another feature that may also take some getting used to is that walk-through door open outward, contrarily to standard doors. The jamb and frame are flush within the garage door which limits the possible locations of the hinges. However, this feature makes the walk-through door much more difficult to break-in from the outside in addition to reducing the risk of it opening when the garage door is open. And of course, the pass door can be locked from the inside when it’s not used. 

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A special thanks to our partner Portes de garage JFL inc. for sharing this photo with us

At last, multiple accessories are available for the pass doors such as double-pane windows, panic bars and hydraulic door closers, to name a few examples.

COSTS ASSOCIATED TO INSTALLING A PASS DOOR

If you are purchasing a new garage door, including a walk-through door will significantly increase the basic cost of the door. We invite you to contact a Garex specialist to find out more pertaining to costs and to get a quote.

A safety system known as a current-cutter must imperatively be installed in order to stop the garage door in its tracks when the pedestrian door is not fully closed. Otherwise, your door and your home could suffer major damage. That means you will need to include the purchase of a safety system in your budget.

IF IN DOUBT, TRUST A GAREX SPECIALIST

You are convinced that a pass door is right for your home. What is the next step? We recommend that you to contact a Garex specialist to get a quote and learn more about prerequisites before moving forward with this project.

When replacing your old garage door, make sure you have the right door opening dimensions. Learn how to get them in our article that covers the 5 simple steps to take the measurements of your garage door. With your measurements in hand, you will be ready to proceed and even request a free online quote!

We hope you found this article useful and we are available to answer your questions and to guide you to reputable installers near you.

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