A gate can represent many different things: it can be an important entrance to a property, it can offer vital security and it can say a lot about what lies within. However, if it is not properly maintained, can it really do any of these things?
Here, Lucinda Thorpe, Business Development Executive at Newgate, shares her insight into the importance of gate and barrier maintenance.
Adding automated electric gates to your property is a massive investment and they can be very important. They are likely to look impressive and will perform a variety of tasks, but without proper maintenance they are just a susceptible to faults and problems as anything else and can let you down without warning.
By putting them through regular maintenance, they will be checked and repaired by a qualified expert, and every maintenance appointment should be thoroughly logged so that you are aware of exactly what has been done. This helps to keep them safe, working efficiently and lasting longer.
Maintenance
A faulty electric gate can be an inconvenience, but it can also be incredibly dangerous. If it develops a fault, it can cause severe injury or even death, which the owner of the gate may well be held responsible for.
In some cases, a fault with your gate may result in it simply refusing to work. This means that staff, visitors or customers may be unable to access your business or could even be stuck inside.
In some cases, you might find that a gate which is not functioning properly is then vulnerable to those who do not have the best intentions. It can mean that thieves or vandals are able to gain access to the property when they would not ordinarily be able to do so. If this is the case, you might find that it invalidates your insurance.
When a gate fails, you will need to call out a specialist engineer for urgent repairs, and this can work out to be very expensive. Scheduled gate servicing means that you will not need to worry about this, and can factor in the expected cost to yearly budgets, instead of having to write big cheques for those unexpected repairs.
Ideally, you will need to service your gates annually in domestic situation, but twice a year for commercial and industrial sites. This is due to the increased use and wear and tear that the gates will go through, and will ensure that they stay in good condition and that their lifespan is prolonged.
Compliance
You are probably aware of all the areas that your business needs to be compliant in, but do not forget that your gates are part of this too.
By arranging for regular maintenance checks, you can be sure that your gates are compliant with all the latest health and safety requirements and that your business remains within the law, even if the safety standards change.
It will be required to undergo force testing, and all safety devices and mechanisms should also be checked.
One concern that many business owners have is that a power failure could leave them stuck even if their gate has been serviced. However, part of those checks will be to ensure that the manual release system is working and lubricated to ensure that the gates can still be easily released even with no electricity supply.
Maintenance of your electric gates might not seem like the most important thing on your to do list, and avoiding it could be seen as an easy way to cut a few costs. However, not doing it could end up with a far great cost, either to your pocket, your reputation or to human life.
