The pros and cons of a garage door with walk-through door

If you’re wondering whether investing in a garage door with an attached pedestrian door is worth it, you’ve come to the right place. Indeed, having a pedestrian door is definitely worthwhile for some layouts, for example when garages are located in the basement of a house, rendering regular steel access doors (36” x 78”) next to the garage door or on the side of the garage impossible.

Pedestrian doors are also available for commercial and industrial garage doors. Of course, opening a small access door is more energy efficient than opening a large industrial garage door. Pedestrian door sizes vary, but they are generally about 32 x 78 inches. We suggest investing in a garage door injected with polyurethane insulation to ensure a solid door system structure. The garage door should be between 1.375 and 2‑inches‑thick.

Pedestrian door pros

• If your garage is located in the basement of your house, having a pedestrian door installed can be practical, especially if you have a double garage door.
• In built up urban areas there may not be enough side space for a normal access door and so pedestrian doors should be installed. You should however, ensure you keep your belongings out of view.
• If you use your garage for storage, rather than as somewhere to park your car, a pedestrian door can come in handy in the event of a prolonged power outage.

Pedestrian door cons

• The primary drawback to investing in a pedestrian door is the installation cost. You must have the door and safety system installed to avoid any major damage to the garage door. Installing a single walk‑through door can cost as much as a full garage door system, without the walk‑through door.
• If your garage door is equipped with an electric garage door opener, your door system must have a device to prevent the remote from activating the door opener when the pedestrian door is open.
• Walk‑through doors cannot be installed on any sized door. The minimum width is 8 feet. And if you have a door with a rectangular embossed design, the placement of the rectangles is restricted.
• Finally, the more openings created in a garage door, the lower the energy efficiency. You may wish to look for another solution if insulation and weatherproofing are important to you.

If you have an idea of what you’re looking for…

Contact us at 616-453-0164. As garage door experts, we know doors like the backs of our hands. We’ll work with you to see if this type of door is right for you. We can email you a detailed quote, if necessary.

You can also visit our showroom where we’ll show you our entire range and help you make the right choice for your home. If you prefer, you can send us a request for a quote online.