Our driveway gates are a modern and practical addition to your property. Although our custom driveway gates are pretty easy to maintain, they can lose their elegance if you neglect them for too long. But fear not—with a high-quality gate from a provider like T&F Iron Works and the occasional maintenance, your new gate can last a very long.
For us to make sure the shine and functionality of your driveway gates are kept intact, you need to perform a few small tasks to properly maintain your gate occasionally. You can do these tasks yourself without the need for a professional; here are a few of the tasks you can do to keep your gates in tip-top shape:
1. Lubricate Your Gate
The chain, wheels, screws, hinges, and pulleys are all parts of your gate that benefit from lubrication (in addition to any internal chains in swing and slide-type gates). These are just the most essential parts that may need to be lubricated, but ask your gate provider if there are any additional moving parts.
You should also always ask your gate provider for their recommendation for a lubricant that will work best on your gate. However, if you can not reach your gate provider, avoid using heavy oils or WD 40 for your gate and instead use lithium grease, oil, or a silicone-based lubricant.
2. Practice Proper Pest Control
Although you may not expect it initially, pest control is essential to driveway gate maintenance. Bugs, rats, lizards, and more can get near the electrical components of your gate and cause chaos inside.
This includes slugs and snails as well, as they can leave a trail of slime when they move around, which can cause moisture to build up and potentially damage the electric components inside your gate. The same applies to spider webs and ant nests, which can damage your gate components if left unmanaged for long enough. In the long term, taking care of these home invaders before they cost you money in repair costs for your gate is essential.
While you can do most of this pest control yourself, if you would instead not handle it or would prefer more peace of mind, we recommend speaking to a professional pest control specialist and explaining just what your concerns are.
3. Properly Clean Your Gate
This is a basic yet effective form for maintaining just about anything. An automatic driveway gate requires cleaning at least once a year while doing minor cleanups wherever and whenever necessary.
It might go without saying, but our last and most important tip is to ensure you clean your gate regularly. It would be best to clean your gate at least once yearly, once every 3-6 months recommended.
The more you monitor your gate, the longer you can prevent rust or clogged debris, and overall, you will significantly extend its longevity.
These are not the only things you can do to help maintain your gate, but they are some of the most important ones. If you have any questions about automatic driveway gates, please get in touch with us for more information.