Most people have become accustomed to the garage door that opens upwards. The garage door is lifted upwards by some mechanism. However, these doors can be quite noisy and not easy to work with when you need quick access. The weight of the door on the mechanism may also make regular maintenance a necessity. However, these disadvantages haven't prevented people from using these particular doors. In many cases, it's simply because people are unaware that there is an alternative.
What are Side-Hinged Doors?
As the name suggests, side-hinged doors are hinged at the sides. This means that they open by swinging to one side rather than being lifted over your head. The doors swing outwards when opening. In terms of operation, this is the main difference between side-hinged doors and regular doors.
These doors will be just as secure as any other and will ensure that anything that's stored inside is safe when the door is closed.
What Are the Advantages of Side-Hinged Doors?
A garage door that's hinged to the side offers several key advantages over the regular door:
- Maximizing space: Standard doors open by going into the garage. This means that they take up some space. Side-hinged doors open outwards, thus taking up no space inside.
- Privacy: Whether you're working inside your garage or just taking something from within, you'll likely have to open the door entirely. A side-hinged door can easily be opened partly so you can work inside without revealing the contents of your garage to the neighbors.
- Pedestrian Door: If you wish to be able to access your garage without always having to open the main door, a side-hinged door can be split either at the center or off-center. Therefore, you can have a well-defined door for people for simple access.
Can Side-Hinged Doors Open Automatically?
One of the main advantages of residential garage doors is that they are almost always automatic. This removes the hassle of having to alight from your car to open the door. However, this is mainly a problem for standard doors due to the weight of the door and the effort it would take to open it.
Side-hinged doors can be easily opened with little need for automation. However, if you still wish to have the door automated, all you need to do is go to the right experts, and they'll have an automatically opening side-hinged garage door ready for you.