10 things to consider when installing electric gates – part 1

Installing Electric Gates

Part 1

Sometimes installing electric gates isn’t just a case of making a phone call and waiting for someone to turn up and install them. Installing electric gates isn’t just a personal luxury, or a convenience, it is also a means of adding value to your home and also increasing its ‘kerbside appeal’. However like most things in life, if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing properly, or not doing at all. Here at TPS Gates & Doors Ltd we take great pride in the work we do, and that begins with a comprehensive site survey and discussion about your individual needs. By the time we come to actually fit your gates, between us we should have dealt with any issues arising from the following ten points:

• Will access be purely for vehicles or will you require separate access for pedestrians? Sometimes we get so focused on one aspect of fitting new gates that we forget to include more than just car drivers. You may already have pedestrian access or maybe a keycode would work well alongside remote operation.
  

  TPS Gates & Doors Ltd for Electric gates, Wooden Gates, Metal Gates, Entrance Gates

• Will anyone, such as a gardener or other tradesmen need access to your property when you are not around? The more people you tell about a secret hiding place for your electric gates’ remote operator, the less secure the gate becomes. Again a secondary keycode opener can resolve this problem.
• How do you ideally want to be able to open your electric gates? We have mentioned a keycode and remote operating devices. However in the days of advanced technology, you can now open a gate using your smartphone. Often a combination of ways will see everyone happy, right down to installing a transmitter in your car so you don’t even have to look for the remote when you set off for work or arrive home after a long day in the office.
• It is always a good idea to take into account the surroundings and location of the gates being installed. Remember that with panelled or close-coupled gates the amount of resistance created by wind in the wrong direction can tax an underpowered motor. Always ensure that the motor for your electric gates is going to be powerful enough for all conditions.
• Increased security is one of the greatest reasons for having electric gates installed, whether wooden gates or metal gates. However the degree of security required will again determine the type of gates you have installed. Swing gates are ideal for a sensible level of security. However in cities, sometimes you want extra security, perhaps against car ramming to open gates. This can be achieved by installing sliding gates instead, while additional locking mechanisms can be attached as well.

Any money spent on your home which helps to increase its value is always money worth spending. According the Daily Telegraph “Poorly maintained gates that clunk open, jam or scrape their way slowly across your drive will detract from the property’s value. There is no doubt, however, that a beautiful gate, made to order and sympathetic to its surroundings, will add value to the house, whether it is automated or not.”

Why not give us a call at TPS Gates & Doors Ltd and let’s have an initial chat about some new gates for you – we are always happy to provide you with a free site survey and estimate.