Why Have a Maintenance Contract for My Automatic Gate?July 31st, 2015

For most customers, and most likely for you, installing an automatic driveway gate is a significant investment.

What would you do if you didn’t perform the necessary maintenance, and then one day you need to pay for an expensive repair?

With anything you own – your car, your appliances, your home, and even your pets – you take good care of them throughout their lives:

Because you value and love them You don’t want to see them experience any unnecessary damage, harm, or pain So it only makes sense that you, or a professional, would take care of your automatic driveway gate too.

So let’s talk about why you would have a maintenance contract:

You Don’t Want to Pay More for Repairs Later On

Taking care of the fix now, or doing maintenance ahead of time, prevents more expensive costs later on. Why pay $1000 for something that costs $150 – $250 now?

You Don’t Have Time To Do the Maintenance

Unless you’re really the DIY type, there’s a fair amount of maintenance to do to keep your gate in top condition:

• Wash and wax it once per year (the alternative is to have it removed and sandblasted, which isn’t cheap)
• Annually inspecting and cleaning all circuitry of spider webs, snail and slug slime trails, bee nests, and ant colonies
• Lubricate bearings
• Lubricate internal chains on swing and slide gate operators (You shouldn’t use WD-40!)
• Inspect your gate to ensure the gate opens and closes properly
• Check gate operator to make sure it’s working as hard as it should
• All equipment should also be checked to guarantee safety
• Wire connections should be examined to make sure they’re tight and functioning as they’re supposed to

Do you know how to check those things, or do you have or want to take the time to check them every year?

You Want Peace of Mind

Yes, your gate installation pro can teach you how to do the necessary maintenance. But when you have to examine your gate annually, will you remember exactly what to look for?

If you’re a small single family that only uses your gate a couple times per day, you only need an inexpensive annual maintenance plan that includes one yearly visit from a professional. If you frequently have visitors, you may need a more robust package that offers several visits per year. This would keep your costs under control.

So if you want to save money, don’t like doing the maintenance yourself, and you want peace of mind, maintenance contracts make sense.