Spring ushers in March winds, April rains and thunderstorms – none of which are friendly to gates. Try these tips to keep your gate working and repair costs low.

Consider the benefits.

We discussed some low-cost surge protection in our blog about gates and lightning. A plan for surge protection could save you a lot of money and hassle.

Make sure your gate is insured.

Call your insurance agent to make sure your gate is included on your current policy!  Surge protection can only help to some degree.  A close hit could blow it all.

When windy, keep your gate in a secure position.

Closed is preferable because it minimizes the swing distance and potential for damage. High winds typically cause a gate operator to stall when opening or closing. When this happens, your options depend on the kind of operator you have.  You will need to either remove or disengage the arm. See your owner’s manual which can be found on-line if you have lost the hard copy.  Then, secure your gate in either position so it is not swinging free.

Do your spring cleaning.

Trim tree limbs that might fall on or around your gate due to high winds. Clear out bushes and other landscaping from around your photo-eye (if you have one).  We get a lot of calls this time of year because a gate is holding open.  It is just because the vegetation is growing and blooming and has obstructed the photo-eye.

This is easy!

Apply Rain-X to your photo-eye so the water sheds quickly when it is pouring.  It works great on your windshield too!

Do a quick inspection and assessment.

Make sure hinges, bolts and chains are in good shape. If they are not, a high wind can cause even more damage.

Managing a gate in high winds is dangerous.

Use caution handling a gate in high winds, especially if that gate is swinging freely.

If you have not installed or built a gate or gate operator yet, keep wind in mind as you select the location and design.

If possible, select a location that has the least wind resistance.  Avoid designs that don’t allow wind to pass through easily. The more open the gate design the better. No matter how light-weight your gate is, the design can make it a wind sail and therefore a gate operator killer!

What is your wind or rain gate hassle story? Got any other advice we could pass along to our clients?