Winter weather can lead to issues with your automatic gate. However, if you stay on top on your gate maintenance, you can avoid problems and ensure that your gate system provides dependable operation year-round. Here are some tips from the experts at Creative Door Services™ for protecting your residential driveway gate from harsh winter weather.

How to Get Your Gate Ready For Winter

To prevent gate problems in winter, there are several key maintenance tasks you should complete for your residential gates before the first snowfall. Here are a few things you should do every fall:

• Touch-up the paint. In winter, gates are exposed to large amounts of moisture. If you have a steel or wrought iron gate, this could lead to problems with rust and corrosion. With a wood gate, rot might become an issue. Be sure to inspect your gate and touch up any nicks or scratches. On steel and wrought iron gates, scratches in the rust-resistant coating expose the gate to rust buildup. On wood gates, scratches on the protective paint, stain, or varnish leaves the wood vulnerable to rot and pest infestation.
  
  
• Lubricate the gate. In summer, the heat and sun likely caused the oil and lubricant on your gate’s moving parts to dry up. It’s important to lubricate the gate before winter to ensure that it can easily open. Be sure to use a lubricant that’s designed for cold weather.
  
  
• Inspect the components. Take the time to examine your gate system to ensure its main parts are in good working condition and will last the season. For example, if you have a slide gate, you should ensure that the rollers and tracks aren’t bent, dented, or otherwise damaged. Such issues may seem minor in summer, but in winter, with ice and snow in the tracks, they can impede operation.

You’ll also want to ensure that the gate operator is in good shape. For example, you should replace the battery if it’s near the end of its lifespan. Like the one in your car, the battery in your gate operator has to work harder in cold weather. Unfortunately, freezing temperatures can kill a battery that’s already on its last legs.

Ideally, your gate should be serviced by a qualified gate technician before winter. A technician can inspect your gate, perform any necessary upkeep and repair, and lubricate the moving parts.

Contending with Snowfall and Ice Buildup

When winter comes around, snow, ice, and sub-zero temperatures can present some challenges.

First and foremost, you need to promptly clear away snow from your gate to prevent it from turning into ice. Otherwise, getting rid of ice may become a real challenge.

Remember to only use a brush to clear the snow from the tracks of slide gates. Never use salt or other de-icers, as the chemicals in these products can damage the finish.

In addition, make sure to keep the photo-eye sensors free of snow and ice, which can trigger the safety mechanism and prevent the gate from closing.

Dealing with Gate Operator Problems

In freezing temperatures, problems can arise with the gate operator . In particular, the oil in the operator’s gearbox may thicken, causing the gears to lock up. The battery for your gate system may also perform less efficiently as temperatures decline.

To avoid issues of this kind, certain gate operators, such as the LiftMaster CSW24U and CSL24U, are available with heaters built into the operator housing. When equipped with a heater, these LiftMaster gate operators are rated for temperatures as low as -40°C; without a heater, they’re rated for temperatures as low as -20°C.

If your gate operator doesn’t have a heater and its performance is affected by the cold weather, you may be able to have a heater retrofitted. Alternatively, you could add insulation to your gate operator. Speak with a professional gate technician to learn more about these options.

Comprehensive Residential Gate Services Across Western Canada

Turn to the experienced team at Creative Door Services™ for help maintaining your automatic driveway gate. In addition to providing homeowners with custom gate solutions, we offer residential gate maintenance and gate repair services.

For more information about our gate products and services, contact us at one of our locations. You can reach us in Vancouver, British Columbia; Kelowna, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.