Many homeowners today are electing to use automatic gates at the entrance of their property as an extra perimeter of security for their homes. Electronic gates can run on solar power or electronic gates may be wired into the house alarm monitoring system. Although electronic gates are intended for security, they can also add a measure of beautiful focus to your driveway. Wrought iron gates, in particular make a statement of quiet elegance and security.
When choosing your electronic gates, some of the factors you will want to consider are what material to use for the electronic gates, what size the opening is, and whether it will be a single, double or overhead gate.
Wrought iron gates are a good choice for many people. These electronic gates are very decorative. Wrought iron gates provide good visibility beyond the gate so it doesn’t feel as if you are living in a walled compound. Wrought iron gates are somewhat impervious to the weather, but do require occasional maintenance work where rust appears. With the new finishes available, wrought iron gates should last several years without heavy refinishing.
Another of the electronic gates choices are aluminum gates. Aluminum gates are lighter weight that wrought iron gates, so aluminum gates may be more appropriate for longer spans. Aluminum gates can be designed to give the appearance of wrought iron gates or they can be purchased with designs unique to aluminum gates, in a way – it’s a lot like window gates in aspects of design and safety.
Aluminum gates require less upkeep than wrought iron gates, but still provide both beauty and security for your home.
Determining how your gates will be mounted is something else to consider. You will want to have sturdy enough fastenings that the electronic gate will not pull loose or sag in the middle. This is particularly true of the heavier wrought iron gates.
You also need to consider the type of opener which will be appropriate for your electronic gates. Some electronic gates use a radio signal similar to a garage door opener, some use an electronic keypad, and still others use a simple push button operation. Whether you use an aluminum gate or a wrought iron gate the gate opener operates on the same principle. The main variation for the openers would be the amount of power that it would take to move the gate. Of course, the wrought iron gates, being heavier than the aluminum gates would require more power to move the electronic gates. Some gates that are designed to move up and down, similar to an overhead door, will require more power to lift.