An automatic gate is a fantastic addition to any property. Providing controlled access to your home, a high-quality automatic increases privacy, security, and even the value of the property, making it a worthwhile investment for most people.
However, not all automatic gates are made equal. Just like any product, some gates don’t use the best materials, systems, or are just poorly constructed, often making them more of a hassle than they are worth.
Here are 4 things to look out for to ensure you get the best automatic gate:
Weatherproof Systems
You would think that every component of an automatic gate is weatherproof, yet this isn’t guaranteed, despite how important it is.
For example, the wiring that connects the various components together, such as the opening mechanism and control panels, should always be weatherproof as exposure to rain could lead to early failure.
The best gates used only 100% waterproof components to avoid this, so always keep an eye out for this when looking at the electronics, including wires and the control panel.
Control Range
Given the entire purpose of an automatic gate is to provide quick and easy access to your property, the last thing you want is for it to have too short of a control distance, otherwise it defeats the point of having an opener in the first place!
If the gate has a control range of under 3ft, chances are you’re just going to get annoyed by it. The more range you have the further distance you can control the gate from, giving you all the convenience, you were looking for.
The best remote controls come with ranges of up to 100ft and will make accessing the gate much easier, especially if it takes a while to open!
A Backup Battery
Most gates connect to AC power (although there are some exceptions such as solar powered gates), which means there could be an issue in the event of a power outage or any similar problems that could occur, rendering the opener useless until power is restored or repairs are made.
This can be incredibly frustration, which is why it’s recommended that you look for a system that includes some type of backup battery. Sadly, this isn’t standard with all automatic gates, so keep an eye out for a backup battery and ensure that is comes with a good size capacity.
Custom Settings
The best automatic gates allow you to customize the settings from the control box to suit your preferences. Lower quality models only have pre-set functions so are far more limited in their functionality, which is why it’s always better to look for a customizable control box.
For instance, the opening speed is often frustratingly slow, so with custom settings you could increase the speed, so it opens much faster and saves you waiting around too long. Other functions that can be customized include the waiting time, sensitivity, and the remote control, so it’s well worth looking for this if you want the highest quality gate.
For top-notch automatic gates for your home or business, Superior Gate Services is the trusted local choice. To get ideas and to see some recent examples of our work, take a look at our gallery page. When you are looking for a new gate or any related equipment, we welcome you to either contact us through our website or call us at (855) 747-4283 and one of our friendly representatives will be glad to answer any questions you have.
An automatic gate is a fine addition to any property. Offering a range of advantages, from increasing property value to enhancing your home security, there are plenty of reasons to invest in a new automatic gate system.
However, choosing the right system can sometimes be challenging! There are many things to consider when buying a new automatic gate, with one of the most important being the type of gate being installed.
There are two very popular choices in this regard – swing gates and sliding gates. The opening mechanisms are different on each one, so both have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Therefore, you need to consider these 3 things to help you decide which option is best for you:
Cost
Given the overall cost of having a new automatic gate installed, it’s natural to consider the price of each type of gate to help decide what one you choose. For those on a tighter budget, a swing gate is usually the cheaper option of the two, making it the better option for anyone looking to keep costs low.
Even though both gate types can be the same shape and size, sliding gates require a more complex opening mechanism and extra parts installed. For example, a swing gate consists of the motor and a couple of hinges mounted to a post or wall, while a sliding gate needs a motor, slide track, and rollers.
Space
Many people getting a new gate installed are working with limited space in their driveway, in which case a sliding gate may be a more suitable option. This is because sliding gates need less space to operate.
For instance, swing gates require a lot of space between the gate and the car to ensure the gate doesn’t hit any vehicle as it opens, so there must be enough room for the gate to completely open, along with space for the vehicle to wait while this happens.
This means you need to think about the width of the driveway and the available space in front and behind where it’s being installed. If space is tight, go for a sliding option, while wide driveways can benefit from double swing gates because these don’t need as much clearing to open as a single swing gate.
Maintenance
If you don’t want to worry about gate maintenance, then a swing gate is probably the best option. It has very low maintenance compared to a sliding gate, which needs tracks to be constantly cleared, with even the smallest debris causing jamming issues along the track.
Long term maintenance is generally easier on a swing gate too. There are fewer parts in the opening mechanism as it is more basic than those used on sliding gates, meaning less chance of parts breaking down and needed repaired or replaced.
For top-notch automatic gates for your home or business, Superior Gate Services is the trusted local choice. To get ideas and to see some recent examples of our work, take a look at our gallery page. When you are looking for a new gate or any related equipment, we welcome you to either contact us through our website or call us at (855) 747-4283 and one of our friendly representatives will be glad to answer any questions you have.
Automatic gates offer a variety of benefits to homeowners, from increased security to improve the outdoor appearance of the property. Yet an often-overlooked benefit of using an automatic gate is the speed in which they open your gate, making entering and exiting a gated property quick and easy – provided you have access of course!
The last thing anyone with an automatic gate wants is to be left waiting several minutes just for the motor to open the gate, as this negates the convenience of having an automatic gate in the first place.
Therefore, it’s important to choose an automatic gate opener with good power and speed!
These 3 types of automatic gat openers offer the faster gate opening:
1. Ram Motor
One of the most popular motors for automatic swing gates, a ram motor also offers plenty of opening speed. Suitable for single and double gates, a ram motor is typically installed above ground to keep costs down, although the space available for motor does influence its positioning, with some installed underground instead.
While there are a few methods this type of motor can use to open the gate, all involve extending and retracting the arm connected to the motor to close and open the gate. The more powerful the motor the faster the gate opens, and you can upgrade the motor to accommodate heavier gates and acquire a faster opening speed.
2. Articulated Arm
Articulated arm motors featured hinged arms that are used to open and close the gate. Although not the fastest opener for large gates, these motors are suitable for smaller gates lack the pillar space for a ram motor.
As a result, an articulated arm motor is one of the fastest automatic gate openers for smaller sized gates. Again, more power in the motor results in quicker speeds, while it’s even possible to use the hinged arm without a motor on manual gates, highlighting the versatility of this particular opener.
3. Sliding Motor
Found on all sliding gate openers, these motors are installed beneath the ground and connect to a cog that meets the base of the gate. When powered, the cog engages the teeth at the base of the gate to move it in the required direction, moving across a track or roller along the base of the gate.
Given the design of the gate, these motors do need to be much larger to ensure faster opening. This has resulted in many sliding gate motors being quite slow to open and close, so combining with a robust motor is essential for faster operation.
For top-notch automatic gates for your home or business, Superior Gate Services is the trusted local choice. To get ideas and to see some recent examples of our work, take a look at our gallery page. When you are looking for a new gate or any related equipment, we welcome you to either contact us through our website or call us at (855) 747-4283 and one of our friendly representatives will be glad to answer any questions you have.
