Maintain your Automatic Security Gate
With any major purchase, it’s always wise to perform regular care and maintenance in order to safeguard your investment. This advice definitely applies to your residential or commercial automatic security gates and gate operators.
Some higher-quality gates and operators are advertised as “maintenance-free,” which just means they should need less maintenance or adjustment than the more economical systems. This is because they typically feature sealed or closed parts, secure encasements, and coated circuitry that add an extra level of protection against wear and tear.
Regular Gate Maintenance
Whether you are willing and able to tackle it yourself, or prefer to have a professional handle it for you, all systems should be checked on a periodic basis. We recommend semiannual preventive maintenance (PM) for residential gates, quarterly PM for commercial gates, and monthly PM for industrial gates.
Inspect your gate and gate operator for any obstructions or debris. Gates should operate without hesitation and with proper force, and operators should remain in top running order.
Mechanical and electrical connections should be inspected for any loosening caused by vibration or damage due to exposure to the elements. Pests can wreak havoc on your system — insect trails, like snail or slug slime, or spider webs (which can carry moisture) can conduct electricity or corrode the circuitry and cause an electrical short. Ants, bees, and small animals can also spell trouble, so be on the lookout for anything that doesn’t belong.
Lubricate! Use a grease gun to apply white lithium grease or other marine-grade grease to unsealed hinges or wheel bearings on the gate. On slide and swing gates, check the operators — they have internal drive chains that may also need some attention.
Do not use WD-40 or any heavy grease that is not a lubricant. It will degrade the operation of your gate!
Annual Gate Maintenance
Wash and wax your gate at least once a year to avoid a faded, tarnished, or rusty finish. If your gate is too far gone, it may need to be removed, sandblasted, powder-coated, and reinstalled.
Remember that West Florida Fence offers PM services and packages that include mechanical and electrical parts inspection, lubrication, and safety tests. Contact us any time — we are always here to help when you need it!