Tips to keep your gate working in the winter months

During the autumn/winter months, Great Britain can have below freezing temperatures and harsh weather conditions causing many issues to your automatic gate.

See below for some of our top tips you can do to keep them in good working order and prevent any unnecessary wear and tear.

• We would recommend you get your gate serviced at least once a year
• Run the operating system a couple of times when the temperature drops. By doing this it will warm up the motor, and alert you to any fault or any frozen mechanisms/parts. If all is working ok it means the inner mechanisms and gears are moving freely with no debris or blockages.
• Ensure the photocells are kept free of frost, snow and ice. Any restrictions to the photocells will stop the gate from closing so it’s important to maintain them. The easy way to do this is by using a warm damp cloth (NOT WET). Only use water on the cloth, any other sprays and oils could cause potential issues.
• Keep the gate hinges well greased in DRY weather only. This will prevent any freezing and avoid any friction.
• Check the gates drive gear and link levers for any alignment issues or wear and tear. Any issues give us a call to repair
• The gate torque levels must be set correctly but only checked by one of our qualified engineers. A routine check will be carried out and tested.
• It is worth checking that suitable drainage is near the gate. This means the gate will run clear of rain, snow and ice. Check the drainage box to ensure clear of debris. Any blockage or sitting water will freeze and cause motor or lever issues.
• If you have snow, make sure you remove snow from the area and under the gate. This will make sure movement isn’t restricted. Another option if you know snow is forecast is to keep the gate locked in the open position and clear the area in the morning before closing the gate.
• If your gate is in an area prone to bad weather, it may be worth considering a gate heater. When temperatures drop below freezing, it causes the oil to thicken and restrict the movement to the gate. By operating hydraulic operator several times to the gate it will warm it up the hydraulic oil inside. If this is of interest give us a call for a quote to install. 

We hope this helps but if you come across any issues or problems please do not hesitate to call us today on 07954171184