Our Approach to Gate Jobs

Much of what matters on a gate job happens where nobody is looking: in the footing under a post, the line of a track, the settings inside an operator and the safety devices that stop a gate before it closes on someone. This page explains how a job generally goes with us, and the safety and code rules that apply to gates and openers.

How a Gate Job Goes

Assessment

Many jobs now begin with photos and measurements sent from a phone. They show the gate, the opener and the problem well enough to bring the right parts, so the site visit is kept for what photos cannot show: the ground, the posts and how the gate moves under its own weight.

The Options

Most problems have more than one fix: a part replaced or the whole operator, a post braced or reset, a frame straightened or a new gate. The table below sets out the usual choices and what to weigh.

The Work

The mechanical side comes first, so the gate hangs level and moves freely by hand; then the opener, its settings and the access devices. A gate that drags will wear out even a new operator.

Testing

Before we call work finished, we check that the posts are plumb and that the gate travels level through its full swing or roll. We test the auto-reverse with an obstruction in the path, confirm that photo eyes and safety edges stop the gate, and cut the power to make sure the battery backup still opens it. Alfie Evans wants the last step to be cycling the gate repeatedly and listening for any drag or hesitation. Repairs are written up afterward, so you know what was done and what to watch.

Repair Options

More columns to the right: swipe.

Situation	Option	Things to consider
Swing gate sagging	New hinges, post bracing or reset, frame straightened	Whether the post moves; the frame’s condition; the gate’s weight
Sliding gate rough or jumping	Rollers, guides and track rebuilt	Track damage, anchors, and whether the opener was strained
Opener failed	Part replaced, or a new operator	Age of the operator, parts availability, whether it suits the gate’s size
Access device failed	Reprogram, repair the wiring, or replace the device	How many users and codes; a new keypad or call box may need power
Gate damaged by a vehicle or storm	Straighten and repair, or replace the leaf	The frame’s condition; matching the remaining gate

Safety and Code Rules

Automatic gates are heavy machines that move on their own. The standards below are the reason they come with sensors, guards and a release.

More columns to the right: swipe.

Rule or device	What it covers	Why it matters
UL 325	Safety standard for gate operators, including entrapment protection, by usage class	Requires the operator to sense an obstruction and stop or reverse
ASTM F2200	Construction of automated vehicular gates: openings, rollers, guards, protrusions	Keeps hands, feet and heads out of places a moving gate can trap them
Photo eyes and edge sensors	Non-contact beams across the path and contact edges on the gate	Stop and reverse the gate before or as it touches someone
Manual release	A way to free the gate from the operator by hand	Lets people out during an outage or a failure
Pinch-point and gap guarding	Covers and screens at rollers, hinges and openings near the post	Prevents fingers and limbs from being caught
Disconnect and low-voltage wiring	A local power disconnect and properly run control wiring	Safe service work and fewer faults from damaged wire
Fire department emergency access	A key switch, siren or strobe sensor, or a code for responders	Emergency vehicles must get through a closed gate
City or county permit checks	Fence and gate height, placement and electrical work	Rules differ between Loveland, other towns and Larimer County

What a Proper Final Test Covers

• Reversal on an obstruction placed in the gate’s path
• Photo eyes stopping and reversing the gate when the beam is broken
• Limit settings: the gate stops fully open and fully closed, where it should
• The manual release frees the gate and re-engages cleanly
• Every remote and keypad code in use
• Emergency access, where the gate has a device for it

Sensors and Doing It Yourself