Without the proper safety measures and precautions, automatic gates can be very dangerous, especially for small children or animals. Accidents caused by automatic gates have led the Consumer Product Safety Commission to launch Operation Safe Gate, which provides reminders and awareness for communities about how to keep kids and animals safe around automatic gates.
4 Sure Gates, having installed countless manual and automatic gates throughout Texas, always puts the safety of the property owners at the forefront of every automatic gate installation. While there have been far fewer incidents of accidents around automatic gates in recent years, it’s always important to establish safety measures to protect children and pets.
Maintain Your Gate’s Motor
Ultimately, the motor is what makes the automatic gate move, propelling it open or closed. It’s crucial to keep the gate’s motor running properly. Regularly inspect the motor at least once a month. Check for debris, moisture, pest infestation, and anything else that might get into the system that may cause it to malfunction.
Another way to ensure that it is running correctly is to upgrade it. If you’ve had the gate and the motor for several years to a decade, it’s best to upgrade it to a new one with better features. Make sure your gate motor hasn’t outlived its lifespan.
Inspect Your Automatic Gates for Debris
Inspect the gate regularly for debris. If you’re sweeping your yard or your driveway, take the time to check the gate’s tracks or its rail. Inspect for any sign of debris that might get in the way of the track and gate movement.
Debris and obstructions like ice and snow can prevent the gate from opening or closing fully, causing damage and malfunction. The worst-case scenario is that the “jammed gate” gets the debris dislodged by movement, causing the gate to heavily and swiftly close, hitting whatever is passing through.
Always Be Aware of Children or Pets in the Yard
As safe as kids and animals can be within your property, adults need to maintain constant vigilance about where they are in the yard. At no point should they come near the automatic gate. If possible, speak to your kids and remind them not to go near it. Remind them that it’s heavy and moves fast, and it can be hazardous.
If you have pets, make sure there’s an inner pet rail or fence that keeps them from going near the gate itself. Another method is to keep your pet on a long leash that allows them to move freely around the yard but not near enough to the gate, or an invisible fence.
Create a Separate Entry or Doorway for Pedestrians
At no point should pedestrians be passing through the automatic gate as a pathway into the property. Create a second doorway or a smaller gate entrance, a manual one, that allows people and pedestrians to pass through safely.
Keep the automated gate restricted for vehicle use, and instruct everyone in the family or staff to pass through the pedestrian gate instead for safety.
Have Your Automatic Gates Installed by a Professional
One of the best ways to ensure the safety of your gate is to have it installed by professionals who know the safety protocols and regulations associated with automatic gates. They can install it with expertise, ensuring that the gate is at peak performance and also at its safest for the people using it.
4 Sure Gates has had years of experience in designing, installing, and repairing manual and automatic gates for private residences and commercial properties.