Garage Door Window

Garage has Phenix doors, smooth on both sides, foam filled. I'd like to put a small window in one of the panels, maybe 12 x 6 inches.

I'm thinking a metal one that slides in from the outside then another piece on the inside holds it in place. I know I've seen something like that but can't place where it was, maybe a freezer door?

Any ideas, wouldn't have to be anything fancy?

Yesterday an older lady goes past my garage, I could see her out my north window, she stops at the dead end then backs up a little and starts turning... damn, turning around in my yard and make more holes. Nope, turns too soon and bang into the new power pole they'd just put in, she actually had the wires swaying.

Loved to have a small window to see the back bumper on her new car. Don't people know how to back up anymore?

Thanks

 

I wouldn't think it would be a big deal to install a small pane of glass in a garage door panel providing it doesn't interfere with it's operation.
For whatever reason there seems to be a lot of folks that can't back up. Probably why back up cameras have become so popular. I have a stepson who has difficulty turning his neck and claims that's why he can't back up .... but I have issues with my neck also but then that's what mirrors are for.

 

Most door companies offer windows. I bought windows for my warehouse roll up door. I just cut the proper sized hole and the widow frame slips in and snap on the trim ring on the inside to hold it in place. I picked windows 6" x 24". You can see out but they are too narrow for someone to squeeze through.

 

Some funny things are hard to contain, so this might be out of place here; but I can't resist.

As a Real Estate Broker, I had to bite my tongue many times . . . . and in one instance, I did not, and lost a listing because of it.

I went to show a home I had listed and one of the garage doors on a 2 Car Garage was all busted up. I asked what happened, and was told that "On his way to work in the dark, Shawn grabbed the wrong Opener, and didn't look before backing up". The Wife, who was pregnant at the time, was still in bed and said "The whole house shook because of this crash".

So what my Seller did, was open up the door on the Wife's side of the garage; but upon hearing a door open, he went ahead and backed upright through the door on his own side, doing thousands of dollars worth of damage to his PickUp and to the Dwelling. I don't know if that was a HomeOwners Claim or an Auto Insurance One Car Accident.

I laughed when the Wife explained the situation to me; but the Husband couldn't take it, so when my Listing on their house expired a few months later, it wasn't renewed . . . . I guess because I couldn't help but smile every time I looked at the new door.

I guess it's safe to share the story here.

 

A 6x24" would be nice but finding one for a 1-3/8" door isn't so easy. Called the nearest company yesterday and for my door smallest is 12x24", way too big, but they do have a smaller one for a 2" door.

Found a company in Ontario that makes many sizes for any size door but I can't find a place that sells them one at a time. Their web site doesn't give a price and it looks like I'd have to order 10 of them. I'm gonna call them today and ask if anyone down here sells them.

Talked to my brother-in-law and he tells me do not put it in the middle of the door, under the center hinge, there is a vertical 2x there. That is where I'd put it, could have made a hell of a mess.

One bad thing is my eye level is right where the 3rd and 4th panel meet, it'll either be up high or down a bit so it has to be less than 12" high.


Sure, good laugh there,,, I can imagine the mess and noise he had.

Only one I have is my elderly friend with his new truck and topper backed out with the topper door open, he wasn't happy either.

Thanks guys, I'll keep looking.

 

I'd call a few local door companies...the smaller the better. Why not just use the window out of a door that is being replaced? They're just going to haul it to a landfill or recycler. In fact...that might be an option. Around here, recyclers are happy to sell you stuff they can't process, so it would be going to a landfilll anyway.

You might even be able to modify the plastic frame of one designed for a 2" door to fit your 1 3/8' unit. In fact...are you sure they wouldn't fit? I'd lay odds they may use the same frame....since that would be more cost effective. Could be wrong.

 

I ordered my windows from my local garage door installer who got them from the manufacturer. Ordering from him and having them delivered with one of their regular shipments saved me from having to pay shipping cost. The windows were the same ones the manufacturer installs in new doors at the factory so the fit was perfect.

 

Only installers I've dealt with up here is Overhead Door and she is the one who told me the smaller ones they have are for a 2" door, I'll have to get out the phone book and find more.

I was looking at the Elton 0824, they only sell to businesses. When I look at the distributor they use in the US, they sell 10 of these or 50 of those...

I can't believe how something so simple can be so frustrating. Internet sucks.

 

A retrofit window for a garage door is a pretty rare item and I've never seen the windows I bought online. It was all down to talking to my local garage door person and having them contact the manufacturer to throw in the windows on the next shipment. That way it was the factory selling the stuff to their distributor/installer and there were no crazy quantities and the price was very reasonable.

 

Alright, now that makes sense and explains why I can't find anything. Thanks very much.

I'll have to call around and see what I can come up with. Or...... I could cut a hole and tape some saran wrap over it.

Thanks

 

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Actually you could cut a hole and insert your own pane. You'd have to build a frame and stops to hold it in place.

 

Mark, you got me thinking.

On really old mobile homes they had the long skinny windows, a bunch per window. If I could find one of those with the aluminum frame it might just work. I doubt people living in the cemetery would mind.

 

Travel trailer/camper windows would be another option to look at.