Gate Repairs & Maintenance

After having a new gate designed and installed, it’s surprising that one of the most commonly overlooked maintenance items is keeping the gate clean and well-maintained.

Keeping your Gate Clean

Same as your car, your gate will look its best if it is regularly washed.

Washing your gate at least once a year can keep it looking beautiful for years to come.

It can be quite expensive to have a gate removed, sandblasted, powder coated, and reinstalled once its finish has faded. It doesn’t take long for your gate’s appearance to become tarnished due to neglect.

Dealing with Insects / Vermin

In addition to the look of your gate, a real concern for all electrical equipment that is installed outdoors is insect / vermin damage.

Ants & Gecko’s can destroy a circuit board in short time. The mess they leave behind can become highly conductive with even the most minuscule amount of moisture. A good tip is place some form of pesticide in and around the control enclosure like mothballs or similar.

Quality Matters

High quality automatic gate equipment is more resistant to intrusions by vermin and the circuitry is more resistant to damage. This is because circuit boards on high end automatic gate operators are enclosed in more secure enclosures, and the circuit boards are dipped in a protective coating.

That being said, there is no brand of automatic gate equipment that will last indefinitely if it is left to the legs and wings of pests. We recommend that owners of automatic gate systems keep a vigilant eye and set up a yearly maintenance program, to help make sure pests don’t destroy your automatic gate system and to keep your gate looking like new.

A lower cost system will require more maintenance than a higher end system.

Higher end systems will also have higher quality automated gate equipment that does not need to be adjusted as often as lower end systems.

Keeping Your Gate Automation Equipment in good working order.

Mechanically, the maintenance needs of an automatic gate system will vary greatly depending on the type of system you have installed.

If your system does not have sealed bearing hinges or wheels, you should make sure that the bearings stay lubricated by using a heavy oil like chain oil. This comes in a pressure tin with a nozzle.

All automatic gate systems will need to be checked periodically to ensure that the gates are opening and closing with the correct amount of force, and that the reversing devices are functioning properly.

It is also important to tighten all fasteners, as they can loosen over time due to vibration and expansion/contraction caused by weather. In addition, the driveway gate system should be checked periodically to ensure there has been no mechanical damage that is causing the gate operator to work harder than it should be, thereby shortening its life.

Summing it Up

Our recommendation is that your gates & gate automation system should be inspected and serviced every 12 months. Your ability and willingness to maintain your system should be factored into your decision on whether you wish to contact us for competent automated gate system service or preform this yourself. Our installers/service technicians will be able to do the maintenance for you and be able to advise maintenance contract options. You can contact us by phone on 0408949409 or by emailing us at sales@gatesdoorsandmore.com.au