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.