As a business owner, you rely on your commercial automatic gate to open and close when you need it and keep your property secure at all times. If your gate has stopped working, here are a few troubleshooting tips to help you get to the root of the problem.

How to Troubleshoot Sliding Gates

If your sliding gate is acting up, here are a few steps you can take to try to get it working again:

• Check for any debris like twigs and leaves stuck in the track that might be preventing the gate from closing.
  
  
• Make sure the opener chain is lubricated. The opener chains must be lubricated every year to prevent the chain links from rubbing against each other and causing premature wear and tear.
  
  
• Inspect the chain tension. The chain can stretch over time, causing the links to become loose and fail. However, keep in mind that a small amount of sag is needed for optimal operation.
  
  
• Determine if the tracks are worn. This can happen for a variety of reasons. For example, if the gate is unbalanced, it can scrape the tracks and slowly wear them down. Additionally, rust can cause the tracks to become damaged.

If any part of your sliding gate appears damaged, it must be repaired or replaced by a professional.

How to Troubleshoot Swing Gates

Is your swinging gate stuck or unresponsive? If so, here are a few things to check:

• Make sure there aren’t any plants or bushes blocking the swing trajectory.
  
  
• Inspect the hinges on the swing arm to make sure they aren’t rusted, sagging, bent, or broken. This could cause your gate to hang ajar.
  
  
• Check to see if the gate is misaligned. This can happen because of inclement weather, physical damage, and extended use.

If your automatic gate swings freely when disconnected from the power source, you may have an electrical problem on your hands. First, check the “hold open” command to ensure it wasn’t accidentally left on. If the command is engaged, simply turn it off to get your gate working again.p

You may find you can’t manually open or close your gate when the power is cut. If this happens, there’s likely a deeper structural issue that needs to be investigated by a professional.

How to Troubleshoot Roll Up Parking Gates

Here are a few troubleshooting steps to take if your rolling parking gate is stuck:

• Make sure there isn’t any dirt or debris in the rollers. Small particles can easily build up and prevent your gate from opening and closing.
  
  
• Determine if the tracks are warped, damaged, or misaligned. If so, the gate won’t function properly.
  
  
• Inspect the torsion springs. Torsion springs control your rolling parking gate’s up and down movement and can withstand numerous cycles. However, they eventually wear out.
  
  
• Check the end bearings for damage. Over time, the end-bearing plates can bind up, prevent the door from moving, and force it out of alignment.

If your parking gate is unresponsive, the jam may be related to a motor-based issue. Motors are made up of several complex parts. Therefore, you should contact a professional to pinpoint the exact cause.

Additional Troubleshooting Tips for Automatic Gates

Your automatic gate may fail to close if there’s an issue with the electrical wiring. This can occur because of pests nesting inside the gate operator or rodents chewing through the wires and weakening the connection. You’ll likely need to replace some wiring to get your gate back up and running if this happens.

Additionally, automatic gates are equipped with delicate photo-eye sensors that can sometimes become misaligned. If there isn’t a clear path between the sensors, they may not work correctly. If this happens, simply realign the sensors to ensure they face each other.

It’s also easy for the photo-eye lenses on your automatic gate to become dirty, smudged, or covered in cobwebs. Therefore, simply wipe them down with a dry, lint-free cloth.

If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with your gate, call an expert to make sure you don’t cause more damage to your gate operator or injure yourself.

Commercial and Industrial Gates Across Western Canada

If you need your business’s automatic gate repaired or maintained, turn to the knowledgeable team at Creative Door Services™. We service a variety of automatic gates and offer a planned maintenance program to keep yours in peak condition. Our licensed technicians have the knowledge, tools, and equipment to get the job done right. We also carry industrial swing and slide gates, operators, and innovative access control systems from industry-leading brands.

For a free quote or to learn more, contact us today. We have locations in Kelowna, British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.