Should The Garage Door Swing Into The House

Since garage doors are an exit we would install the doors to open in the path of least resistance.

Should the garage door swing into the house. It cannot swing out over stairs though. We recommend that the door between garage and residence should be equipped with a self closing device although no longer required by the irc and fbc. If it s on your left side the door is left handed. To determine the door swing while replacing an existing door step into the doorway with your back to the hinges standing sideways in the opening facing the jamb where the door latches.

As for the door going into the house from the garage you will want it to be at least 32 inches 81 centimeters wide. You would need to build a landing. There is no reason you can t swing the door out into the garage. But in commercial they swing out for fire code.

For many people the entryway between house and garage is the most used door in the home. If there s a fire or explosion in the garage the outward swinging door blocks damage to the interior of the home more effectively than an inward swinging door. Some builders have them swing inward to the garage instead of the home for safety reasons. If this is done it is best to create an alcove as has been done here or add more depth or width to the 20 foot minimum to accommodate that equipment.

High winds can catch an outward opening door and literally rip the door off it s hinges. An inward opening door doesn t have the same problem. A remodeler doing a flip house changes out all the doors in the home to update the interior and replaces the old door to the garage with a hollow core interior door. If it s one step down to the garage floor it will be ok.

Typically in residential construction doors swing into the home. The door between your house and an attached garage is considered an exit door from the home and should swing into the house and not the garage. You are required to have a closer on the door. Hot water heaters and mechanical systems are often placed in the garage.

If the open doorknob is on your right side it s a right hand door. The door should be a steel insulated door and the frame should be sealed as well to prevent carbon monoxide fumes from getting into your home. Safety is the critical issue when deciding the swing direction. Installing a door to swing in not only keeps the hinges safely protected inside so no one can remove the door by popping out the hinge pins it also keeps the top edge of the door protected from rain and snow so it won t swell or rust over time.

Whether your garage leads into your kitchen mudroom or hallway you want that door to be durable enough to handle daily traffic and reflect your personal style.