Winter is on its way, and, in most of Western Canada, that means a lot of snow and freezing cold temperatures. These adverse conditions can have negative effects on your automatic gate if you don’t take proper precautions, especially if your gate sees a lot of traffic. Fall is a good time to perform inspections and maintenance on your automatic gate. It lets you address any issues that may have arisen during the torrential spring rains or the blistering summer heat.

In this blog, we’ll provide you with a checklist of automatic gate maintenance tasks that you should complete to ensure your gate can remain functional throughout the winter months.

Conduct a Visual Inspection

Conducting comprehensive visual inspections of your gate and its hardware is an important part of keeping your automatic gate operational throughout the fall and winter months.

Your inspection should include the following checklist:

• Motor and electrical connections
• Manual release and its operation
• Mechanical parts
• Control and safety functions
• Manual override
• Backup power
• Obstacle detection and auto-reverse sensors

Inspecting for wear and tear can catch potential problems before they turn into massive headaches. Pay close attention to components such as hinges, rollers, or any exposed wiring. You should also check for loose screws, bolts, and hinges that may need tightening or replacing.

You should also check any safety devices, ensuring that they show no signs of damage and that they all work properly.

Clear Any Debris Out of the Way

Given that autumn is the season of falling leaves, you’ll likely have a lot of debris accumulating in the tracks of your automatic gate. Even if you live in an area with a lot of evergreens, those kinds of trees can still drop a lot of needles, leaves, or even cones.

This debris can interfere with the opening and closing of your gate, clogging it and leading to damage. The leaves and organic matter will also start breaking down and getting caught up in the rollers, hinges, and control boxes.

The dampness from piles of leaves can also contribute to rust, leading to extensive damage to your automatic gate and a compromised electrical system. If left over the winter, the damp can freeze, leading to warping in your automatic gate.

The piles can also provide a home for pests that can deteriorate your gate even further.

What you can do to keep debris-free:

• Remove fallen leaves
• Prune branches from nearby trees
• Ensure paths are not slippery
• Make sure nearby drainage holes are kept clear and unblocked

Lubricate All the Moving Parts

Moving parts require lubrication to move properly and avoid damage from excessive friction. Without enough lubricant, your gate, which should be moving smoothly and easily, will instead move unevenly and with difficulty. Lubricants can break down or dry up during the hotter and drier months of summer, so you should look at applying more in the autumn so that your gate opens and closes easily when you need it in the winter.

Applying a good lubricant to your automatic gate will ensure the moving parts remain in good condition. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for what lubricant to use and how to apply it.

Steps to lubricating your gate parts:

• Check all moving parts for wear and tear and alignment issues
• Remove any dirt and debris from components using a wire brush or steel wool
• Apply a layer of lubricant to each moving part according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• Clean off excess lubricant with a cloth to prevent future build-up on the hardware
• Conduct a final inspection and tighten any bolts if needed

Clean It Thoroughly

You never really notice just how much grime can build up on your gate. Dirt and debris are your gate’s greatest enemies. There may be dents and scratches on it that you don’t notice until you give it a thorough cleaning. Those scratches can lead to rust, which weakens your gate, leading to costly repairs and replacements.

Use a mild detergent and warm water to clear away the accumulated grime. Wipe or scrub every surface by hand. This lets you identify problems such as flakey paint, rust, vandalism, or any other issues that need to be addressed.

Do not aim pressurized water directly at any electrical or mechanical components. The water can get into the components and prevent your gate from functioning.

Planned Maintenance and Servicing Are Your Friends

None of the above maintenance tasks can replace scheduled preventative maintenance. Planned maintenance helps identify emerging problems before they become too serious, saving you a lot of money on repair or replacement costs. Creative Door Services™ offers a planned maintenance program for automatic gates, ensuring yours remains fully operational no matter what time of year it is.

When it comes to automatic gate maintenance, our technicians will conduct a variety of tasks to ensure everything is safe and secure:

• Inspecting all moving parts and hardware for damage
• Checking all the electrical connections
• Lubricating any moving parts
• Inspecting the manual release, obstacle detection sensors, and auto-reverse functions
• Testing and adjusting the gate’s torque
• Ensuring that your access control systems are functional

Nothing beats professional service. An experienced technician has the knowledge and experience necessary to repair and replace the parts that need it. Planned maintenance should take place at least once a year in the fall, and ideally more often than that if your gate is used a lot.

Creative Door Services™ Provides Seasonal Automatic Gate Maintenance

To ensure your automatic gate is ready for the winter, your best solution is to call Creative Door Services™ for a maintenance service call. Your automatic gate is used often—perhaps many times per day. When you have moving parts that are used that frequently, you need a reliable service technician who can provide comprehensive automatic gate maintenance and repair services.

To learn more about our automatic gate products or request a quote, contact us today. We’re happy to serve you from one of our eight locations. You can find us in Kelowna, British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.