So you’ve installed a gate entry system. How do you maintain it? No matter what gate entry system you’ve purchased, and regardless of the software you’re using to tell the gate to open, there are controls you need to keep in place to ensure the system is maintained. Like anything with moving parts, an electric gate access system can wear down and also fail if it isn’t given some TLC from time to time. Here are our top tips for keeping things working. Whether at business, a private residence, or in a gated community.

Clear Seasonal Blockages

As you can imagine, certain seasons can be harder on your gate than others. Summer and Spring aren’t so bad. However in Winter and Autumn, problems can arise. 

Winter 

If it snows where you are then problems can arise. Of course, some states hardly have snow come winter. Whereas in others, like Vermont or Maine snow falls predictably every winter. If snow heavily blankets your gate it can interfere and clog up the gate mechanism. Snow around the gate can also stop it from opening, potentially causing it to overheat. Make sure you clear the snow away before trying to use the gate mechanism to stop potential overheating problems. If you’re worried about getting out of the house consider using the scheduled hold open feature before the snow falls. At least this way the gate will be in the right position, although security will be compromised. 

Fall

The blanket of leaves might look pretty but they can quite easily clog up moving parts. This doesn’t affect all gates. Some don’t really have the option for leaves to ingress. However others do. Also, it’s good practice in fall to clear leaves away from your electric gate. If leaves can get into the mechanism somehow, make sure you clean it out a couple of times over Fall depending on how many trees you have in the area. 

Again, it depends on where it is that you live regarding seasonal changes.Just bear it in mind and don’t let the gate mechanism overheat or become damaged because you forgot to clear some leaves.

Fix Damage

Electric gates are used for all kinds of access control, but primarily they control vehicle access. Vehicles are heavy and if they make contact with the gate or gate posts damage can be sustained. This is especially the case if the electric gate is being used to grant access to larger vehicles like articulated transports or couriers. 

If the gate does sustain damage, of any kind, it’s important to assess it and get it fixed as soon as possible. Remember, if someone behind a vehicle damages the electric gate access system their car insurance should cover the cost of fixing the gate. The longer you leave it unfixed the more time there is for the problem to get worse. 

If you’ve just purchased the gate for yourself make sure you test out the turning circle to make sure you’re comfortable with gate post limits. Most damage to gates is done by the owner, or friends/family of the owner. If you take some time to enter and leave once its first installed you’ll feel a lot more comfortable.

Use Gate Posts/Bumpers

These aren’t the gate posts that the gate itself is attached to. Instead, they’re small defensive posts or bumpers near the gate itself. They’re used to block cars from damaging the gate. Instead, they hit the bumper and no damage is done to your expensive electric gate or cellular access technology you’ve installed. These bumpers need to be pretty sturdy. They can be made of wood, metal or plastic. However, they need to be properly secured to the ground so the car doesn’t just bulldoze it into the gate itself. Ideally, you want to set them in concrete or dig them deep into the ground. The placement is important too. Think about where you think they should go before digging up your yard.

Keep It Rust Free

Even if your gate is made out of wood, and not metal, rust can still be a problem. It can affect the brackets and screws as well as the internal workings of the gate mechanism itself. To get around this you need to make sure that rust can’t take hold. There is anti rust paint you can use, but you also need to ensure you oil the gate’s moving mechanisms too. This also stops them wearing down when grinding against each other. If you’re yet to purchase the gate and have settled on metal, always go for an alloy. Alloys are less susceptible to rusting.

The climate you live in will dictate the gate material you go for but think about longevity as well as security and you’ll make a more rounded and informed decision.

Keep The Software Up To Date

Depending on the mechanism you use to open and close your gate, you might need to update the software. For example with Nimbio, there may be updates to the app so you’ll need to make sure you turn on auto-update or manually check the app to keep things up to date. Ensuring the software is up to date ensures the system works properly and isn’t susceptible to breaches in security.

No matter what kind of gate security system you use, whether its cellular entry, call box, or pin code, if you can, you should endeavor to always keep the software up to date. If this isn’t working, or you’re not sure how to do it, speak to the customer support team of the company from which you bought the gate entry software. They can talk you through exactly what you need to do to ensure the software is current.

If you need information regarding maintaining your Nimbio software, please get in touch we’d be happy to help. If you’re looking for more information on electric gate systems and their maintenance you can read through our blog. If Nimbio sounds like something that would interest you, check out the testimonial page where you can read up on how others have gotten on with the Nimbio system. 

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