Home/ Gate care guide
How to maintain your gate
Test your gate's safety reversal monthly, clean and lubricate it every few months, rinse off salt and check for pests and plant growth, and schedule a professional safety inspection once a year. Follow your operator manufacturer's schedule where it differs.
Maintenance schedule
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Monthly | Run the gate through a full open and close. Test the safety reversal and photo eyes. Check the manual release. Test the remotes and keypad. |
| Every 3 months | Clean sensor lenses. Lubricate hinges and rollers. Clear debris from the track. Inspect posts, welds and fasteners. Trim plants back. Rinse the gate with fresh water. |
| Every year | Professional inspection of the operator, safety devices, limit and force settings, wiring, batteries and surge protection. |
| Before hurricane season | Test battery backup. Confirm everyone knows where the manual release is. Fix rust, loose hardware and worn hinges. |
| After a storm | Clear debris, check alignment, look for water in the controls and test the gate before relying on it. |
How to test your gate's safety system
Run this test monthly. Keep people and pets clear of the gate while you test.
- Clear the area Remove anything near the gate path and make sure no one is standing near it.
- Run a full cycle Open and close the gate. Watch for jerking, scraping, slowing or unusual noise.
- Test the photo eyes While the gate is closing, break the beam with a light object. The gate should stop or reverse.
- Test the obstruction reversal Place a light, soft object in the closing path. The gate should reverse when it touches it. Never use a person or pet.
- Test the edge sensors Press on any edge sensors while the gate moves. The gate should react.
- Call for service if anything fails Stop using the gate in automatic mode if the safety devices do not respond.
How to open a gate by hand
- Find the release It is on the operator: a keyed lever, pull pin or release bolt on the arm or drive.
- Disconnect the motor Turn the key or pull the release so the gate moves freely.
- Move the gate Push or pull it open or closed. Move it slowly.
- Re-engage the release When power is back, re-engage the release, or the operator may run without moving the gate.
Cleaning and lubrication
Wash the gate with mild soap and fresh water, and rinse off salt, especially within a few miles of the bay or canals. Do not spray electronics, keypads or the operator housing with a pressure washer. Touch up chips with matching paint before rust spreads. Lubricate hinges and rollers with the lubricant the manufacturer recommends. Too much grease on a track collects grit.
What is different in South Florida
Salt and humidity
Corrosion attacks hinges, fasteners and boards. Aluminum and coated steel resist it best. Rinse and inspect more often near the water.
Insects and rodents
They chew wiring and nest in operator housings. Damaged wiring is the most common reason sensors stop working. Seal gaps and check wiring for chew marks.
Plants
Trim trees, vines and shrubs so they cannot block sensors or the gate path.
Lightning
A nearby strike can send a surge through wiring and metal fencing to the operator. Surge protection reduces the risk.
Power outages
Battery backup keeps the gate working through an outage. Without it, you need the manual release.
Storm checklist
Before a named storm
- Follow your operator manufacturer's storm instructions.
- Check the batteries and know where the manual release is.
- Clear loose items that could hit or jam the gate.
After the storm
- Clear debris from the track and sensors.
- Look for bent frames, shifted posts and loose hardware.
- Do not power up an operator that took on water. Call for service.
When to call a professional
- The gate fails a safety test.
- It stops, reverses or hums without moving.
- You see exposed or chewed wiring.
- The gate sags, drags or its posts have shifted.
- Parts of the frame are rusted through.
- The operator is old and keeps failing.
Leave wiring, control boards, motors and safety devices to a professional.
More answers are in the gate FAQ. For service, see gate repair or find your area: Homestead, Florida City, Redland, Leisure City, Naranja, Princeton, Goulds, Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay, Kendall.
Gate acting up?
Call or email with your address and a photo of the opening.