How often should electric gates be serviced?

The short answer: electric gates should be serviced at least every six months. An automatic gate is a heavy, powered machine that moves by itself, often right where people walk, cars pull in and children play. Regular checks help keep it safe and reliable, and help you avoid nasty surprises.

Why every six months?

Your gate opens and closes day in, day out, in all weathers. Over time, parts wear, hinges and tracks pick up dirt, and safety devices can get knocked or damaged. The tricky part is that most of these problems aren't obvious. A photocell gets nudged out of line, a rubber safety edge splits, or the gate starts pushing harder as its parts wear. The gate still opens and closes every day and looks perfectly normal, but it may no longer stop when someone is in the way.

A check at least every six months gives an engineer the chance to spot these things early, before they turn into a breakdown or, worse, a safety risk.

What our gate health check covers

Our safety systems and gate health check looks at the parts of your gate that keep people safe, and the parts you use every day.

Force testing

We use a force tester to measure how hard the gate presses against anything in its way, and check those readings are at a safe level. This is one check you can't do by eye, and it isn't something to adjust yourself.

Safety devices

We test the photocells and safety edges to make sure each one does its job, stopping or reversing the gate when it should. We also look for damage, wear and poor alignment.

Remote handsets

We check that your remote handsets open and close the gate as they should.

Intercoms, keypads and GSM units

We check that intercoms work, that keypads operate the gate, and that GSM units (the phone-based openers) respond and open the gate as they should.

General condition

We also look over the gate, posts, hinges, motors and controls for wear, corrosion, damage and anything else that could cause trouble later.

Your written report

Once the check is finished, you get a written report. It lists:

• Defects we've found that need putting right
• Worn parts that are likely to need replacing soon

That way, you know what your gate needs now and what's coming up, so you can budget ahead instead of being caught out by a sudden repair. If anything needs fixing, we'll quote for it, and you decide what happens next.

How much does a gate health check cost?

£199 for one gate, plus £99 for each additional gate checked on the same visit.

A pair of double gates counts as one gate. The same price applies to barriers and bollards, so if your site has a barrier or bollards as well as gates, they can all be checked on one visit.

Let us keep track of it for you

If you'd rather not remember when your next check is due, we can set up a maintenance contract tailored to your site, so the visits are booked in for you.

Signs your gate needs attention sooner

Don't wait for the next scheduled check if you notice any of these:

• The gate is slower than usual, jerky or stops part way
• It makes new grinding, scraping or knocking noises
• It reverses or stops for no obvious reason
• A remote, keypad or intercom has become unreliable
• A photocell or post has been knocked by a car or bin

If your gate has already stopped working, see our gate repairs page. Call-out charges depend on your location, and repairs are quoted after an on-site assessment. Out-of-hours emergency call-outs are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Extra charges apply outside normal hours.

Frequently asked questions

How often should an electric gate be serviced?

At least every six months.

Do you check gates you didn't install?

Yes. We carry out health checks whoever installed the gate.

Do double gates cost more?

No. A pair of double gates counts as one gate, so the price is £199 for one gate, plus £99 for each additional gate checked on the same visit.

Do you check barriers and bollards?

Yes, and the same price applies.

Which areas do you cover?

We're based in Southampton and work across Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey and Berkshire. See areas we cover.

Book a gate health check

Call 07890 387915, Monday to Friday, 8:00am–5:30pm, or contact us and let us know where your gates are and how many you'd like checked. You can also WhatsApp photos or videos of your gate to the same number.