How to Properly Maintain Your Automatic Gate

There are plenty of benefits associated with installing an automatic gate on your property. For starters, it adds privacy and security to your home, so that you don’t have to worry about unwanted visitors making their way up your driveway. Additionally, these gates look great and can increase the value of your property as a whole, making them well worth the investment.

Automatic gates can work with a variety of different property types. Just because you don’t have a long driveway or a massive house doesn’t mean that you couldn’t benefit from having an electric gate, as this product merely acts as an extra layer of security for your home.

Once you have an automatic driveway gate installed on your property, however, you will have to worry about maintenance of your gate. Much like any other part of your home, the better you take care of your gate, the longer it will function as it should. Keep the following tips in mind when caring for your automatic gate to save on repair costs and ensure that it works at its full capacity well into the future.

Keep the Gate Clean

While it seems quite simple, cleaning your gate on a regular basis can help it to last longer. Much like a car, your iron gate will benefit from being washed because this can prevent rust from forming and doing severe damage to the metal. You wouldn’t leave a coating of dirt on your car for months at a time, so you shouldn’t allow your gate to sit dirty either. Just rinsing the gate with a hose every few months can work wonders in this regard.

You might also consider waxing the gate from time to time. Not only does this wax keep the gate looking great, which is one of the reasons why you have installed it in the first place, but it can also prevent the finish from flaking off. Neglecting to clean and wax your gate could lead to more serious maintenance becoming necessary down the line, so it is best to take care of the electric gate from the beginning.

Care for the Electrical Components

In addition to cleaning the outer physical portions of the gate, maintaining the electrical components is also important. One thing to remember is that the circuit board that controls the gate sits outside and, therefore, is exposed to the elements, in addition to bugs and other pests. While the contractor should complete your gate installation in a way that minimizes the danger of any electrical components incurring damage, there is always a risk when dealing with the outdoors.

Start by keeping an eye out for any insects that could do damage to the circuit board. The wings and legs of flying insects often get stuck in these components, and the moisture that is left behind by things like spider webs or slugs can also harm this equipment. Wasp nests and ant hills should also be kept away from the circuit board to prevent long-term damage from occurring.

The majority of electronic gate manufacturers take the necessary steps to protect the circuit board when making the product since they know that it will be outside and that all kinds of things can happen under those circumstances. No brand of automatic gate that is 100% resistant to this issue, however, hence the need for regularly scheduled service.

You’ll want to check the automatic gate openers that come with your gate and test them on a regular basis. The gate opener is what allows you in and out of your driveway, and if it stops working, repairs will be needed immediately. When doing your regular maintenance, make sure that this opener is working to avoid repair or replacement in the future.

Keep Everything Lubricated

Depending on the automatic gate system that you have chosen, you might have to lubricate the parts to keep them functional. High-end automatic gates tend to have all of their moving parts sealed, so this won’t be an issue. If your components aren’t sealed, however, you’ll have to grease the wheels or hinges to ensure that the gate can open and close properly. A swing gate usually has an internal chain that you must keep lubricated, while a slide gate will have a chain on the outside that requires lubrication, as well.

Automatic gate maintenance comes down to knowing what type of equipment you have and following the manufacturer’s recommendations when caring for it. Automatic gates can be expensive, so it is in your best interests to maintain them before major problems arise.

The Bottom Line

No matter what type of gate you end up with, there will be some maintenance that is necessary. High-quality gates might require less work, but they should still be checked annually so that you don’t end up with significant problems at an inopportune time. The easiest way to go about this is to hire a professional to perform regularly scheduled maintenance checks on your automatic gate, as this ensures that your gate is always in great shape and functioning to its full potential.

Quality Gate Company can handle all of your automatic gate repair and service in the Fallbrook, California area. Give us a call at 760-723-2901, and we’ll send one of our licensed, bonded, and insured contractors to your home to keep your gate working as good as new.

Yearly maintenance ensures that your gate is free from dirt, pests, and other debris that could do damage to some of its components if not dealt with immediately. We will also look at all of the moving parts and keep them lubricated so that you don’t run into problems with them down the line.

At Quality Gate Company, we are truly the automatic gate specialist, as we deal with all makes and models of automatic, remote, and electric gates, keeping them in great shape, so that you don’t have to worry about the security of your property ever again. Whether you are in need of gate repairs, maintenance, or new gate installations, call us at 760-723-2901, and we’ll get on the job as soon as possible.

Safety Features You Should Have On Your Automatic Gate

Once you have your beautiful new electric gate installed, the safety and functionality of your new device become paramount. For starters, you will have to keep the gate properly maintained, as this can prevent it from breaking down in the future. Another thing to consider is the safety devices that you have installed on your security gate, which not only protect your gate from damage but can also keep your guests safe and you out of legal trouble.

There are some safety requirements are compulsory on your automatic gate from a legal standpoint, while others are just recommended. As a result, it is a good idea speak to the experts at Quality Gate Company to ensure that you have all of the safety standards met on your new investment. And if you notice that one of your automatic gate safety devices isn’t responding, we can send a licensed and insured technician to get it up and running before it becomes a major issue.

A Back-Up Power Supply

Because your gate is wired into your home’s electrical system, your gate operator won’t work when the power goes out. When this happens, you must still have access control of your electronic gates, or else you run the risk of being trapped on or off your property.

If your gate has been installed correctly, one of three safety measures should have been implemented under the national fire code:

1) The gate might have a single use battery, which will open the gate once and leave it open until power is restored. This battery ensures that people can exit the property during the blackout without having to worry about the gate.

2) Your automated gate could have a multi-use battery installed. With this battery, the gate operators will continue to function as they always have throughout the blackout, so your property remains secure. Since most power outages are relatively short, you shouldn’t have to worry about the battery running out during this time.

3) An automatic gate can be set-up to unlock on its own once the power goes out so that you can open and close it manually until the power comes back. The mechanical lock will unlatch if there isn’t any power running to it.

If you are unsure if your electric gate has any of these safety measures installed, call us at 760-723-2901 to have a look. It is also wise to have your system inspected after a blackout to ensure that your battery is still functional.

The Proper Gate Design

Checking that your gate’s design keeps pedestrians safe is vital because the last thing you want is for an injury to occur on your property. The gate should be developed and installed with provisions in place that make it impossible for a person to become trapped between a moving and stationary part of the gate. These gates are hefty, and if a person is pinned between the gate and a pillar, there is a good chance that the injuries will be severe or even fatal.

The chance of a serious injury is one of the main reasons why it is a good idea to have the gate installed by a certified technician, as these experts know how to set the gate up in a manner that minimizes the risk. Unless you have this kind of experience, you might not think of all the places where a pedestrian could be trapped by the gate, putting visitors to your home in potential danger. Even optimally designed gate systems create risk when not installed as they should be.

Vehicle and Pedestrian Detection Devices

Another item that your automatic gate should have is a detection device. This tool lets the gate know when a vehicle or person is in the way while the gate is opening or closing. When the detection device is triggered, the gate will automatically stop, and in some cases reverse, before it has the chance to do any damage.

The majority of these gates have vehicle detection loops installed. As the name implies, these devices can tell if a vehicle is in the way of the gate and will ensure that the gate stops before making contact with the car. You can adjust the settings on the detection loops according to your preferences. For example, if you frequently have guests at your home or are having a party one night, you can change the settings to allow people in and out more easily.

Reversing Edges

Any automatic gates on your property should have reversing edges. The basic idea behind these safety devices is that they force the gate to shift direction whenever something makes contact with it. This feature prevents the gate from staying in a potentially dangerous location, instead either opening or closing until the obstruction is gone.

For example, if your gate closes too quickly and makes contact with a vehicle that is trying to exit your property, this device reverses the gate, so that it doesn’t continue closing onto the car. The hope is that by changing directions quickly after contact, it can minimize the damage. If your other safety devices fail or if an undetected person or vehicle manages to hit your gate, you will be happy that your gate was equipped with the ability to get out of the way quickly.

Keeping Your Gate Safe

Automatic gates are meant to keep your property safe and secure, but whenever a 500-plus pound piece of iron is swinging around, there is the potential for damage to occur. That is why having an automatic gate expert inspect the safety devices on your gate is a good idea. Even one small mishap could hurt someone severely or do lots of property damage, so contact Quality Gate Company at 760-723-2901 to have one of our experts perform the necessary gate repair and maintenance on these safety devices or install additional tools that you don’t already have.

While these gates are set up with convenience in mind, keeping friends, family and neighbors safe is vital, so make sure that your gates are working as they should.

Category Archives: Gate Maintenance