Different seasons require different maintenance plans for your automatic gate. Ignoring your gate at any time of the year could lead to mechanical failure and a breakdown requiring a costly repair. In summer, there are specific things you should do to ensure the automatic gate works well through the season. Here are some tips from the team at Creative Door Services™!

Give Your Gate a Thorough Inspection

Take a walk around your gate and thoroughly inspect all the pieces and parts, including latches, hinges, springs, and gate wheels. Check for rusted or corroded metal, cracks, and warps. If you have a sliding gate, ensure the tracks are in good shape and straight and that the rollers are intact. If it’s a swinging gate, cut back any foliage or other obstructions that can interfere with its swing trajectory.

If your gate is made of wood, inspect it for signs of wet or dry rot. Wet rot appears as soft, dark spots and cracks in the wood. Dry rot appears fluffy and white and may produce mushroom-like blooms. Painting or staining your wood gate every two to three years is recommended.

If you notice any parts needing repair or replacement, call a gate technician who can make all the necessary adjustments. Look for these warning signs that your gate needs professional repair.

Wash Your Gate

Give your driveway gate a thorough cleaning so it looks its best for the summer. Remove leaves and debris from cracks and crevices and clean the gate operator inside and out. If you have a metal or vinyl gate, you can easily wash it with water, a soft sponge, and mild detergent.

Keep Things Clean

During the summer, keep dirt, rocks, and leaves well away from the gate. This debris can get caught in the gate tracks and cause problems. Use a leaf blower or broom to keep the gate area debris-free. Additionally, keep hedges, shrubs, and trees trimmed well away from your gate, and remove piles of wood or standing water, as these attract insects and rodents that can damage your gate.

Lubricate Moving Parts

An automatic gate has many moving parts and metal-on-metal mechanics. Without lubrication, the gate will work slowly and with resistance. The internal components will grind against each other, causing pieces to wear down or break. Parts that need lubrication include screws, rollers, hinges, chains, and pulleys. Avoid petroleum-based lubricants because they attract dust. Instead, apply white lithium grease or a silicone-based lubricant.

Keep Pests at Bay

Summer is the time when insects and rodents come alive and look for places to build their homes, and an automatic gate is an attractive place to set up camp. These critters can get into tiny openings, chew through cables, and build nests that interfere with the electronics. For example, slugs and snails can leave moisture trails that short the circuit board.

To keep insects and rodents at bay, spray an outdoor pesticide around the gate operator every few months. Additionally, call a professional exterminator to check the area around your gate for signs of infestation.

Test Your Gate

Throughout the summer, open and close your gate while keeping a close eye on how things work. A gate that makes grinding noises, moves with difficulty, or won’t open or shut completely needs attention.

Don’t Wait to Call for Help

If you notice anything not quite right with your automatic gate, don’t hesitate to schedule a professional service call. The longer you wait, the more extensive — and more costly — a repair you’ll need.

Preventative Maintenance

Getting your gate inspected and maintained by a professional is your best shot at preventing inconvenient and expensive breakdowns. Creative Door Services™ offers a planned maintenance program that can help you catch minor problems before they become major issues.

We keep track of when your gate is due for an inspection and will arrange a visit to your property according to your schedule. A technician will check the electrical connections, examine all the mechanical parts and hardware for signs of damage, test and adjust the gate’s torque, and ensure the manual release, obstacle detection, and auto-reverse functions are operating correctly.

Automatic Gate Installation, Maintenance, And Repair Across Western Canada

Creative Door Services™ provides high-quality mechanical gate products from top industry manufacturers to ensure you get a durable, reliable product for your home or business. Our safety-certified technicians can provide comprehensive installation and repairs, plus 24/7 on-call emergency service. We also have a massive parts inventory at our disposal.

Contact us today to talk to a gate installation expert. 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.