Questions About Gates and Openers

Do you work on home gates and commercial gates?

Both. Most days are spent on homeowners’ driveway and sliding gates in Columbus, Dublin, Westerville and Grandview Heights, and on HOA entrances, apartment communities and commercial lots that need their gate opening every morning.

What kinds of gates do you build and hang?

Swing gates in wrought iron, aluminum and wood, plus new automatic gates with the opener, safety devices and any keypad or intercom set up as one job. Driveway and sliding gates make up much of the repair work, along with opener replacement.

My gate is stuck open or closed. What should I do first?

Keep people and cars clear, switch the operator off and do not force the gate. If you know where the manual release is, use it to free the gate by hand. Then call and describe what it did right before it stopped.

Can I send photos before anyone comes out?

Yes, and it helps. Photos of the gate, the hinges or rollers, the opener and its label, plus a rough width and height, let the right hardware ride along on the first visit. Email them to the office after you book.

Which towns around Columbus do you cover?

Columbus and the suburbs around it, from Dublin, Worthington and Westerville in the north to Grove City and Canal Winchester in the south, and from Hilliard to New Albany and Reynoldsburg. If your town is not on that list, call with the address.

How do I get on the schedule?

Call during business hours or send the request form with your address and a few words on the gate. Say whether it is a repair, an opener, access control or a new gate, and whether it is a home, an HOA or a business.

Can I install a manual gate now and automate it later?

Yes, if the install plans for it. Lay empty conduit from the power source to the hinge or operator post, plus a second run for keypad or intercom wiring, before the drive is paved. Size the posts and footings for an operator’s pull, not just the gate’s weight. On a swing gate, use hinges rated for the leaf and daily cycles; on a slide gate, choose a track or cantilever layout with room for the operator pad and gear rack.

What can an older gate be upgraded with?

Quite a lot, as long as the frame is sound and the posts are plumb. Worn strap hinges can give way to heavy-duty ball-bearing hinges, and a slide gate can take new V-groove wheels and guide rollers. A gravity latch that catches on its own, or a magnetic lock on an automated gate, can replace a tired latch. Photo eyes and edge sensors bring an older automated gate up to date, and access control adds a keypad, intercom or card reader.

Can a swing gate be converted to a sliding gate?

Rarely as a straight conversion. A swing leaf is built to hang from hinges. A slide gate needs a bottom rail carrying V-groove wheels on a track across the drive, or a cantilever frame with a counterbalance tail, plus clear run-back space along the fence beside the opening. The posts and footings change too, so in most cases it means a new slide or cantilever gate, sometimes keeping sound pillars.

Do I need a permit for a new driveway gate?

It depends on where the gate goes. The City of Columbus, the suburbs and the townships each set their own rules on height, setbacks from the sidewalk and street, and sight lines at corners. An automatic gate may also need an electrical permit for the operator’s circuit. Check with the building or zoning department before anything is dug.

Does my HOA have to approve a new gate?

If your HOA has architectural rules, assume so. Associations usually review style, height, color and placement, and some don’t allow driveway gates at all. Submit a drawing or a photo of a similar gate with the measurements, and wait for written approval. A city permit doesn’t replace HOA approval, and HOA approval doesn’t replace a permit.

How deep do gate post footings go in Ohio clay?

Below the local frost line, which the building department sets. In central Ohio that’s typically 32 inches, and gate posts often go deeper, because a hanging leaf levers on them. Clay holds water, and water freezing under a shallow footing lifts it. A wider base, gravel for drainage and a crowned top that sheds water help a post stay plumb.

Do I need to call Ohio 811 before a gate goes in?

Yes. Post holes are digging, and Ohio 811 needs at least 48 hours’ notice, not counting weekends and legal holidays. Whoever does the digging places the request, and the utilities mark their lines with paint or flags. Private lines aren’t marked, so point out any buried lighting, sprinkler or garage feeds yourself.

Is a sagging gate worth repairing?

Usually, if the frame is sound. Sag comes from worn hinges, a hinge post that has leaned or lifted, or a frame that has racked out of square. New hinges, a diagonal brace or a turnbuckle cable on a wood gate, or a post reset fixes most of it. Replacement makes sense when a wood frame has rotted at the joints or a steel one has rusted through.

Can a bent gate frame be straightened and rewelded?

A local bend from a bumper usually can. The damaged section is straightened or cut out, rewelded, ground smooth and recoated so rust doesn’t start at the repair. A frame twisted along its whole length rarely hangs true again, and aluminum is harder to weld in the field than steel. In those cases a new leaf on the existing posts is often the better job.

Should a heaved post be reset or replaced?

If the post is straight and solid, reset it: dig it out, pour a new footing below the frost line and rehang the gate. Replace it when the steel has rusted thin at ground level, the post is bent, or a wood post has rotted at grade. Either way, the latch, the stops and any operator need realigning afterward, because the gate now sits differently.

Is an old gate operator worth repairing?

Often, while parts are still made for it. Gearboxes, capacitors, control boards and limit switches can all be replaced. But an operator built before the current UL 325 rules may not support monitored photo eyes and edge sensors, and once parts dry up, every repair turns into a hunt. At that point a new opener is the safer choice.

Why does my gate slow down or stall in cold weather?

Cold thickens the grease in the gearbox, the hinges and the wheel bearings, so the operator works harder for the same travel. Backup batteries lose capacity below freezing, and ice in a track or hinge adds load on top. Past a point, the operator reads that effort as an obstruction and stops or reverses, which is its safety logic doing its job. Clear the ice, leave the force setting alone, and book gate maintenance if it keeps happening.

What does an automatic gate do when the power goes out?

Without battery backup, it stays where it is. Switch the operator off at its breaker, then use the manual release to move the gate by hand. With battery backup, the operator keeps running on the battery for a limited number of cycles, often more slowly. Some systems can be set to open and stay open when the battery runs low, others to stay shut. Find out which way yours is set before the next storm.

How do I put the gate back on automatic after using the manual release?

Lock the release the same way you opened it, then move the gate by hand until the drive engages; on some operators you’ll feel or hear it catch. Restore power and run one full cycle while you watch from a safe distance. If the gate stops short, runs past its usual stopping point or doesn’t reverse at the photo eyes, switch it off again and book a repair.

How do I add or program another remote for my gate?

Most receivers learn a remote in under a minute: press the learn button on the receiver or control board, then the remote’s button. The remote must match the receiver’s frequency and code type, so check before buying.

Rolling-code remotes change their signal with every press, so a recorded signal won’t open the gate; a new receiver brings that to an older fixed-code operator. Lost a remote? Clear the receiver’s memory and relearn the ones you still have.

Can I open my gate from my phone?

Yes, with a Wi-Fi or cellular module connected to the operator. Wi-Fi needs a strong signal at the gate, which often sits beyond the house router’s reach; an outdoor access point fixes that. Cellular modules work where Wi-Fi won’t, on a data plan.

Either one works only with a control board or receiver that accepts it, so check compatibility first. Phone control adds to the remotes rather than replacing them.

Can an operator be fitted to the gate I already have?

Often, yes. The gate must be stiff enough to be pushed from one point without flexing, hang level on sound hinges or rollers, and move freely by hand without drifting. Its weight sets the operator size, and there has to be clearance for the arm or the slide travel.

The old latch comes off or gets disabled, because a latch fighting an operator is a hazard. Send photos and measurements of the hinge side first, and the visit starts with the right parts.

Can a keypad or reader be added to the gate I already have?

Usually. Most operators have an input that takes an open command from a keypad, reader or intercom, and older boards can often take one through an add-on receiver. Wired devices need a conduit run to the post; wireless keypads skip the trench but need batteries and a clear signal.

The operator should be sound first. Adding traffic to an operator that no longer reverses properly makes a bad problem worse, and a worn unit is better replaced as part of gate opener work.

What happens to keypads, readers and locks when the power goes out?

Without backup, keypads and readers go dark, and each lock does what it was set to do. A fail-safe lock, such as a magnetic lock, releases when power is lost and leaves the gate unlocked. A fail-secure lock, often an electric strike, stays locked from outside and opens with a key.

A small power supply with a battery keeps the access devices running through a short outage. Which way the locks fail depends on whether the gate is a required exit or a security barrier.

Can visitors at the gate call my cell phone?

Yes, with a cellular or Wi-Fi intercom. The call box at the gate rings your phone or an app; you talk to the visitor, then press a key to open the gate from wherever you are. Video models show you who’s there first.

Cellular units need a service plan and decent signal at the post; Wi-Fi units depend on the home network reaching the gate. A handset intercom wired to the house still suits anyone who wants no monthly plan.

Where should the keypad or call box go?

On the driver’s side, on a gooseneck post at car-window height, with a taller second head where trucks come through. Set it back so a waiting car sits clear of the gate’s swing or travel, with room to turn around.

Nobody using it should be able to reach the gate itself. Light it for evenings, and keep shrubs and snowbanks away from it.

How often should a gate and its operator be serviced?

It depends on use. As a general trade rule, a home gate with an operator gets a full service once a year, and spring, after the thaw, is a good time. A busy HOA, apartment or commercial gate that cycles all day typically needs a visit every three to six months.

Some operator manuals also set an interval by cycle count; go by whichever comes first. Between visits, a few owner checks catch many problems early.

What winter care does a gate need?

Rinse road salt off on mild days, since it eats hinges, wheels and welds. Keep tracks and swing paths clear of snow and ice, and ask whoever plows not to pile snow against the gate or its posts.

Clear photo eyes and edge sensors with a soft brush or a gloved hand, and never chip ice off a sensor with a metal tool. Cold also cuts battery capacity, so a backup that tested fine in October can fall short in January.

Does a gate without an opener need regular service?

Yes, just less of it. A manual gate still hangs its full weight on hinges or wheels, and freeze-thaw still moves posts. A yearly look at the hinges, latch, posts and rust spots catches sag before the gate starts dragging across the drive.

If it already drags, won’t latch or has to be lifted to close, that’s gate repair work rather than upkeep.

What does an HOA board need before approving work on the entrance gate?

Most boards want a written scope (which gates, operators and entry devices), photos or drawings, product sheets, and a plan to keep the entrance usable while the work goes on. New gates, posts or wiring can need a permit, so check early with the City of Columbus or your own city or township.

Give residents notice before the gate is set to stay open or switched to manual, and say how visitors will get in meanwhile.

How should codes and fobs change when tenants move?

Give every resident or tenant their own code or credential, never one code for the whole property. A move-out then means deleting one entry on move-out day, without changing anyone else’s.

Keep the user list current, review it a few times a year, and limit who can make changes. Many newer systems are managed from an office computer or a phone; older standalone keypads are programmed at the keypad itself.

How do we keep gate service consistent across several properties?

Start with one list: every site, every gate, its operator and access system, and the last service date. Name one person on your side who approves work, so nothing waits on a chain of emails.

Matching hardware across sites, such as the same keypads, readers and remotes, keeps spare parts and credentials simple. Grouping scheduled visits by area lets one trip cover nearby properties in Columbus, Dublin or Westerville.

How long does a fence or gate permit take around Columbus?

It depends on the city and the season. Columbus reviews permits through Building and Zoning Services, and each suburb has its own office, review steps and backlog. A variance or an electrical permit for an operator adds time, and an HOA review runs on its own schedule. Ask the office for its current turnaround before you set an install date.

How long do concrete footings need before a gate is hung?

Concrete typically sets within a day or two but keeps gaining strength for weeks. A hinge post carries the leaf’s weight as leverage, so many installers wait several days before hanging a heavy driveway gate or bolting an operator to a fresh pad. A light pedestrian gate can usually go up sooner.

Does winter change how long the concrete needs?

Yes. Curing slows sharply below about 40°F, and concrete that freezes before it gains strength can be weakened for good. Winter work in central Ohio is still possible, with frozen ground thawed and fresh footings covered and kept warm, but expect a longer wait before the gate goes up.

Can you work on a gate outside the listed towns?

Possibly. The list covers Columbus and the suburbs around it, but plenty of addresses sit just past a city line, in a township pocket between two suburbs, or a little further out in the next county.

Call (380) 291-2604 with the address, the kind of gate and what it is doing. Whether the job fits depends on the work and the schedule, so the answer comes on that call rather than from a map.

My ZIP code covers two cities. Whose permit rules apply?

The rules of the city or township the property sits in, not the ZIP code. ZIP codes follow mail routes, so one code can take in a suburb such as Grandview Heights and part of Columbus as well. The county auditor’s property record names the municipality for every parcel, and that office’s rules on permits, heights and setbacks are the ones that count, along with any HOA covenants on the lot.

What should a gate request include?

The property address, the kind of gate (swing, sliding, cantilever or a barrier arm), what it is doing or not doing, and whether there is an opener, keypad or intercom on it. For new work, the opening width and whether the drive slopes.

Where do I find the opener’s make and model?

Look for a label inside the cover of the control box or on the operator housing itself, often near the bottom or on the side facing the gate. A clear photo of that label is just as good as typing it out.

Is it a problem if I do not know what kind of gate I have?

Not at all. Choose “Not sure” in the form and describe how it moves: swinging on hinges, rolling on a track, or sliding with nothing touching the ground. A photo taken from the street side settles it.