It’s springtime! The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and the winds are roaring as we welcome warmer temperatures! And while there’s a lot to like about spring, it can be a difficult time for your security gate and gate operator. Those spring thunderstorms pack quite a punch and the winds can damage your gate operator if you are not prepared.
How to Keep Your Gate Operator Safe During High Winds and Thunderstorms
Spring and Summer thunderstorms can seemingly pop up without warning. One minute it is bright and sunny; the next minute the skies are dark and angry. As the storms come rolling in, high-powered winds can damage just about anything in their path, including your gate operator. To keep your gate operator safe during high winds, you should do the following:
1. Keep your gate closed and secure. This might seem obvious, but it is often one of the most overlooked pieces of advice. Simply make certain that your gate is closed when storms approach. Your gate is like the sail on a boat. It will catch the wind and strong winds can rip it from its post. And when that happens, the gate can be thrown into your gate operator as was the case for one of our customers recently:
2. Develop a surge protection plan for your gate operator. In a previous post about power surges, we talked about the importance of developing a surge protection plan for summer thunderstorms. Thunderstorms bring electrical surges that can overpower your gate operator and blow out the circuit board. By developing a surge protection plan, you will provide an extra measure of protection for your gate operator to ensure it will continue to operate long after the thunderstorm is over.
3. Trim back any branches or trees near your gate operator. The most common cause of damage to security gates and gate operators (aside from vehicles) are falling trees and branches. A tree can crush a gate operator beyond repair and severely damage the gate. Regularly check the vegetation growing around your gate operator and security gate to see if it should be trimmed back. We recommend giving at least 10 feet or more of clearance around the gate operator whenever possible.
4. Regularly inspect your gate hardware. Sometimes the simple things like worn out hinges, bolts or rusted metal cause your security gate to fail in high winds. Imagine a 30 – 40 mph wind flinging a piece of metal and the only thing holding it all together is a bolt that is damaged from years of use. By checking your gate hardware regularly to inspect it for signs of damage, you can eliminate many problems before they ever become a reality.
How Secure Access Services Can Help
At Secure Access Services, we can’t stop mother nature and the potentially devastating effects from spring and summer thunderstorms, but we can help you protect your gate operator and keep it working for years to come. If you have questions about your gate operator or if your gate operator has been damaged in recent storms, contact us today for a free estimate on gate operator inspections and repairs or give us a call at (919) 773-8889 to discuss your options. Our team of experts will be happy to work with you to get your gate operator up and running once again.