Electric Gates for Your Driveway

While many people have gates to guard their home, too many make the mistake of leaving them open. Whether out of forgetfulness, laziness, or just plain busyness, manual gates can be a pain. Today, driveway electric gates are more affordable than ever, offering every home the means to secure their lifestyle with the click of a button.

Automated electric gates allow you the comfort of feeling secure both at home and away, but can be customised to suit the tastes of any homeowner. Wrought iron and wooden sliding and swing gates give any property a personalised touch while increasing property value and providing invaluable peace of mind to its occupants. Improved technology means that a sophisticated security system is now accessible to everyone.

Why do home owners have electric gates?

The four prime reasons that home owners install electric gates are:

Security

Today, more and more home owners are looking to increase the security of their property to combat car thieves and vandals.  Automatic and electrically controlled security gates, in conjunction with a video or audio intercom, can enable home owners to provide a secure perimeter and control who has access to the entrance of their property from the safety of the home, home office or even any part of the world!

Convenience

There are thousands of properties that have wooden or iron gates installed but, incredibly, are permanently left open.  The fact is that an open gate is not a gate!  However, when you consider the number of times people drive in and out of their homes every day, it probably isn’t surprising that they are left open as this avoids the hassle of having to open and close them manually, especially when it is cold, windy or raining. 

Automatic gates provide the security that people are looking for and no matter what the weather condition, at the press of a button on a small remote control device from inside the warmth of your car or from inside your house, the gate will automatically open and shut safely behind the people you have decided to invite into your home.

Safety and Comfort

With increasing road traffic, home owners are understandably concerned about the safety of their children and pets and how to stop them wandering out onto busy roads.  With an electric gate system, this not only provides a secure boundary but also ensures that even when people or cars enter the property, the gates will automatically close to provide a safe and secure environment for both children and family pets.

Resale Value

When buying a house, it is strange how one aspect of a property can be the deciding factor.  Although an increasing number of homes now have automatic electric driveway gates installed, many people still haven’t experienced the convenience that this type of entrance system provides.  Not every house has one but there is no doubt that the ones that do will stand out from the crowd.

What electric gate options are available?

Most of gates that people see, either manually or electrically operated, are swing gates.  However, this is not the only option available to home owners thinking about a gate automation project. So what are the best electric gates available?

Swing Gate

Where a swing system is used, the entrance comprises of one or two gate leaves with automation and control equipment.  The gate leaves generally open into the property but, if the environment allows, they can also be set up to open away from the property.

Sliding Gate

Where space at the front of the property is tight and at a premium, a swing gate system is not ideal as the gate may well eliminate space where cars park or manoeuvre.  In this situation, or where the road at the entrance to the property is on a notable incline which would restrict the opening of swing gates, a sliding gate system is a much better option.  A sliding gate spans the entrance to the property but when activated, slides either to the left or the right to provide the opening.  There is also the option of installing a bi-sliding gate where each of the two gate leaves slide to each side of the entrance.

There are two different ways a sliding gate can be installed.  Firstly, a tracked sliding gate where a length of curved metal rail is installed across the entrance and the gate is fitted with a couple of roller wheels that slide across the metal rail.  The entrance will need to be swept occasionally to remove debris from the track, especially at the end of the summer when the leaves fall. Secondly, a cantilever sliding gate can be installed which has no need for the curved rail track across the entrance and therefore requires less maintenance.  With this type of sliding gate, the gate is suspended over the entrance and hangs with the gate sitting on cantilever wheels to the side of the entrance.

The BFT range of electric gate automation

There is a wide range of electric gate automation equipment manufactured by BFT.

The automation equipment includes articulated arm motors, both mechanical and hydraulic fixed arm motors and a variety of underground motors. Each motor has very different characteristics and each are suitable for different situations.  The motors have different designs that are suitable for some projects but not for others.  Each motor is capable of moving gates leaves of different lengths and weights, at different speeds.  Some underground motors will open gate leaves up to 180 degrees – others are restricted to 110 degrees.  Some motors require different electrical power and have different functional capabilities.  As such, all gate operators have different costs.

No matter what your requirements, a professional installer will be able to advise you on the possibilities and associated costs for your particular home project.  Click here to find a local BFT expert.