Preventative Maintenance & Servicing Questions

Yes. Worn drive components, sensor drift, and closing forces outside BS EN 12453 limits can all develop without obvious symptoms. A service visit catches these before they cause a breakdown or a safety incident.

Noise and slow movement usually point to drive wear or misalignment. Leaving it allows the fault to worsen, and what starts as a minor adjustment can become a motor or hinge replacement. The cost and disruption increase the longer it is left.

No. Servicing covers inspection, lubrication, adjustment, and safety testing to prevent problems. A repair is needed when a component has already failed. The two are separate jobs, though a service visit may identify parts that need repair.

BS EN 12453 sets the closing force limits for powered gates. BS EN 12635 covers installation and use. Electrical work may also fall under Building Regulations Part P. A proper service visit checks compliance with these, not just mechanical function.

Annual servicing suits most residential gates. Gates on busy driveways, commercial entrances, or those exposed to harsh weather benefit from a check every six months. Older gates or those showing early symptoms should not wait for the annual cycle.

Gate motors, safety edges, and control panels require specific knowledge of BS EN 12453 closing force limits and sensor calibration. A general handyman is unlikely to carry out a closing force test or correctly adjust limit switches and safety edges.