Taking Care of Your Automatic Gate in Snow and Ice

When the ice and snow fall, it’s common to be concerned about a lot of things. How the commute to work will be, if there will be time to clean the sidewalks and driveway off, and of course trying not to fall down. One thought that can often go forgotten is our gates. Snow and ice can potentially hinder or prevent your gate from opening.

If your gate is not operating as it should after the snow and ice comes down, take a few seconds to observe a few key components. Guide rollers,top rail, photo eyes, reflectors, and the amount of snow and ice that may have formed on them.

Key Components for Winter Gate Operation

Guide rollers: Are your wheels covered with safety covers? These covers don’t only help keep any fingers from getting pinched, they also help prevent snow and ice from building up on the roller. The last thing you need is one more headache throughout the winter months.

  • Cantilever roller without a cover covered in snow
  • Cantilever rollers with covers

Photo eyes and reflectors: There are many different ways to cover your photo eye, from a pre-made cover to a repurposed tray you may have laying around. You can also try out the revolutionary new heated photo eyes from LiftMaster. Keeping the snow and ice from obstructing the photo eyes will help keep frustration at bay during the dog days of winter.

A cover protecting a photo eye from snow and ice accumulation

Snow and ice build-up: When snow and ice builds up on your gate, it can really weigh it down and prevent it from opening property. With the safety options available such as guards and covers that can be installed over devices, most gate operators do have inherent entrapment safety built in. This will help prevent the gate from moving when the gate senses too much resistance.

A photo eye cover installed on either side of a gate operator

Follow this basic guide to keep the snow and ice from “weighing” you down in frustration during these long days of winter.

If you’re experiencing any trouble with your automatic gate and the accumulated winter weather, please give American Access Company a call today at 402-896-6722 or send us an online request.