Attach please find Important Tips
you should put attention before Purchasing New Gate:
A good contract will cover most aspects of an
installation. Important details to look for are: A description of the work to
be performed, responsible party for different aspects of the job, work schedule,
warranty information, work authorization (permit) information, proof of
insurance, payment terms, structural settling and concealed conditions clause,
and proof that the Contractor is licensed by the Contractors' State License
Board.
Your contractor must be licensed, bonded and
insured, and have compensation insurance for his employees. A contractor can
easily supply you with proof of all the above, so don't hesitate to ask. You
will usually get two out of three of the following qualities in a contractor:
price, quality, and timeliness.
Start with a reputable, well-known firm. Obtain
a bid that is all-inclusive and then have other contractors bid on the same
items. Compare "apples to apples". This is a good way of leveling the
playing field. The lowest bid is not always the best bid.
Job site safety, gate drawing, site plan, soil
stability, posts, footings, grading, gate, electrical and communication supply,
entry system, fire medical emergency lock, gate configuration, gate operator,
system power and communication lines, exit loop, safety loops, photo electric
eyes and other safety equipment, lighting, site cleanup and restoration. All
these items will be discussed in the following paragraphs:
The job site has to be safe. All excavated
areas need to have cones or barriers. Protruding reinforcing bars,
"rebar", need to be plastic-capped. All garbage has to be cleared
away and all dangerous areas cordoned off.
The purpose of a drawing is to see the gate as
it would appear when finished. It should include any posts, columns, and
lighting. It is also good to see the side-to-side slope of the road, as it
would appear under the gate. This is especially important if you have a lot of
slope. The width of the road should also be included. A gate drawing is usually
required when obtaining a permit.
The site plan is important for showing the
location of both the gate and operating equipment. A good plan will show where
all the wiring is buried and is useful for future repairs and any excavating
you may want to do later. A site plan is usually required when obtaining a
permit.
If the soil is not stable there is a good
chance your gate will sag. Soil conditions are the first thing to look at
before you begin your project. If soil is not solid or has major clay content
you will need additional structural support. You may need a grade beam or
outriggers. Grade beams are concrete beams that connect posts or columns
together below grade. Outriggers are metal arms that extend out in the two directions
the gate swings and are anchored in concrete. Post-holes have to be square or
the swinging motion of the gate will eventually enlarge the holes and your gate
will sag.
Concrete footings are required if you plan on
installing columns. The column footing needs to be installed at the time of the
gate installation. Footing size is determined by column size and soil
condition. The footing should be at least 18" deep and be at least six
inches wider than the proposed column on all sides. The footing should have a
rebar cage with vertical rebar for the column. It is always advisable to
connect footings together with a grade beam.
Make sure that either the contractor or you
call for an underground utilities check before excavating. In most areas this
removes liability if the contractor should cut through a buried utility line.
The various utilities come to your job site and mark all underground utilities,
usually at no cost.
Gate posts support the weight of the gate. The
posts can either be decorative (flank the gate), or be imbedded inside the masonry
columns. Imbedded posts are set in the middle of the column footing and are
used to hold the hinges, equipment vaults, lighting, and other accessories.
Gate posts should be at least 5 inches x 5 inches and set 36 inches below
grade. The minimum width of the hole should be 24 inches x 24 inches and be
filled with a rebar cage and concrete. The holes should be square to prevent
loosening by the gate's swinging action.
Some sites are flat. Those that are not may
need grading. Water flow should be considered when grading. All added road base
has to be compacted.
Heavier gates have a tendency to last longer.
Where hollow tubing is used it should be of a heavy gauge. The frame should be
of at least 1/8 inch wall thickness and stakes should be at least 1/16 inch
thick. The gate must have weep holes to allow trapped moisture to vent or the
gate will rust from the inside out. All weld slag must be removed before
painting or powder coating. Removing slag is a tedious process. If not done
thoroughly, it is a major detriment to the longevity of a gate. Since paint
does not get into all the tiny spaces surrounding the slag, it later falls off
leaving a bare spot where rust begins. You can tell good workmanship by how
smooth the finish feels when you run your hand over it. Check the areas around
welds, and check several gates built by your prospective contractor for this
quality.
The most common gate material is iron (or
steel), with aluminum becoming increasingly more popular. Sculptural Gates can
also integrate unique materials into the design of your gate, such as wood,
glass, or exotic metals.
Steel gates provide a stronger "feel"
for your entryway and are less prone to damage if impacted. With currently
available coating technologies, such as galvanizing and powder coating, decay
due to rust is virtually eliminated. In addition, more embellishment choices
are available in steel.
Gates can also be fabricated from aluminum. The
advantages of aluminum are corrosion resistance and lighter weight. Corrosion
resistance makes aluminum an attractive choice for gates that will be located
in harsh environments. Lighter weight means that less rigorous structural
support will be required for the installation. Aluminum can also be powder
coated, so a wide variety of colors are available.
While wood, glass, and exotic metals provide a
beautiful presentation for your gate, they should be integrated into a steel
frame to support their weight. In most cases the gate is fabricated so that the
unique material is easy to replace.
Powder coated finishes are superior to enamel
and can last up to 15 years. A good enamel paint job will last up to six years.
Single coat paint jobs, also called primer paints, last only two years at best
and should be avoided. Galvanization should be considered if you live near salt
water. You may powder coat over galvanization if you prefer a different color.
The National Electrical Code calls for
electrical lines to be buried at least 18 inches underground. Unfortunately we
often find these more shallowly placed. It is not a pleasant experience if you
hit a power line. Even if you don't get shocked you will endure a costly
underground splice.
Power and communication lines must be in
separate conduits, for safety and to prevent noise on your telephone or
intercom system. The conduit should be larger than necessary for easy wire
pulls and future repair. The wire should be large enough to deliver the needed
current after line loss. Line loss is a voltage drop that happens whenever
power is delivered over long runs. Almost all underground conduits fill up with
water. Use wire with appropriate insulation to hold up to these adverse
conditions.
Most single gates (one operator or motor) need
10 amps at 110 volts AC. Consult an electrician before laying long runs
underground so that you get the right gauge of wire. Splice or
"Christy" boxes, should be installed at least every 200-300 feet. Use
high quality communication wire, preferably direct burial cable installed in
conduit.
There are many entry systems on the market,
many of which are good, though some are more difficult to program than others.
Check with your installer on ease of programming. Determine whether you need a
simple keypad or one that communicates through your telephone system. There is
a large cost difference between the two. Card reader units are used more in
industrial applications and multiple dwelling communities. Make sure the
"Goose neck" or pedestal mount is sturdy. The unit should not move
when you use the keypad. In certain applications wireless intercom systems can
be installed. These units either connect to your phone system or require a
separate base station for direct communication and gate operation.
Video cameras can be installed in your
telephone entry device and around your entryway. Video surveillance systems can
range from a single camera and display screen to a system that monitors your
entire property. Contact your installer to determine the system that is right
for you.
Most municipalities require you to have a fire
/ medical lock to allow emergency crews to enter your property without damaging
your gate or automation equipment. Make sure this item is not left out of your
installation; you will only have to install it later.
In addition to standard slide and swing gates,
other proven options are available to help you overcome difficult terrain
conditions or space constraints. Uphill Hinge: The uphill hinge mechanism
causes the far end of the gate to rise as it opens (to clear the upslope). The
hinge end of the gate will coincidently be directed towards the center of the
driveway (decreasing entryway width). Lift Gates: The vertical lift gate
rotates 90 degrees, vertically, to open. The gate can be opened or closed by
hand in the event of a malfunction. The gate operator is rather large since it
includes the counterweight. Cantilever Gates: The cantilever gate is a slide
gate that is suspended in space, so no driveway track is required. Cantilever
gates are longer than traditional slide gates because of the counterweight
member.
There are several ways to operate a gate. Swing
gates can use four types of operators. A swing arm operator, which is a box,
that sits off to the side and has an arm extending to the gate. A ram arm is
located on the gate and post and uses either a hydraulic piston or a
jackscrew-operated piston. A column mount operator mounts on a wall or column
to open the gate with a swing arm style action. Underground operators are
located by the hinge and operate the gate from below grade.
The simplest to service and install is the
swing arm operator. The advantage of the ram is that it is smaller and takes up
less space. The column mount operator uses less space that a traditional swing
and does not require a niche in the column to operate. The underground operator
is the most expensive but is very attractive in that you see no equipment. The
swing arm is usually the fastest of the operators. The swing arm units also
handles a gate very smoothly and slows down toward the end of each cycle. Some
ram arms do not have a slow down feature and the gates have a tendency to
shudder at the end of each cycle. This shuddering is more pronounced when the
gate is longer as in a single swing gate installation.
Slide gate operators are commonly installed at
the end of the gate in the closed position but can also be installed at the end
of the gate in the open position. In the first configuration a chain is
attached from one end of the gate to the other (near the bottom) and passes
through the operator, which shuttles it back and forth. In the second
configuration you do not see the chain or any operating equipment near the
gate. Sliding gates are more hazardous than swing gates and should be equipped
with appropriate safety devices.
Either type of gate operator is available in 110
volt AC or low voltage DC. The DC powered gates can run off low voltage
transformer or solar panels. Solar installation requires more maintenance than
an AC powered system. Quality operating equipment will generally last 12 to 20
years before it needs to be replaced. Most installations use a built-in timer
that closes the gate after a set period of time
An exit loop is wire that is either buried
beneath the driveway or cut into the concrete or asphalt. It is located behind
the gate. Locating it far from the gate is best. A vehicle triggers the loop,
which acts like a big metal detector and opens the gate, allowing the vehicle
to exit.
Loops can be a weak spot in many gate systems.
All loop connections must be soldered and any underground connections
completely waterproofed in order to avoid problems. The size, shape, and number
of turns of wire in the loop will determine the sensitivity. Loops cut into
asphalt or concrete should be 1" or more deep. Those buried in earth or
gravel should be 4-6 inches.
Reversing Loops, Edge Sensor Switches, and
Photo Eyes
Reversing (Safety) loops are buried or cut in
the pavement in front of and behind a gate. They prevent the gate from closing
on a vehicle in its path should it stay there past the "momentary
open" timer setting.
Edge sensor are long strip switches as found on
elevator doors They are used halt gate motion if an obstruction is
encountered.
Photoelectric "eye" and safety loops
are often used in conjunction with one another. A single photo eye may be used
on a slide gate to hold the gate open in case a vehicle stays too long in its
path or reverse if a vehicle enters its path as it is closing. Other
"entrapment zones" created by the gate (e.g., sliding behind a fence
or wall) should be protected by safety devices well.
Finally, all gates should be equipped with a
warning sign, visible from both sides, to prevent accidents and limit your
liability. For more information refer to our section on regulation U.L. 325
safety guidelines.
Personal Safety & Underwriters Laboratories
Standard UL-325
By definition, automated gate systems are
intended solely for vehicular traffic. However, personal safety is paramount to
any automated gate system. For that reason, Underwriters Laboratory developed
UL-325, a voluntary standard whose primary intent is to prevent entrapment or
injury of people by automated gate systems. UL-325 is not concerned about the
gate contacting vehicles, only the entrapment or injury of people.
Compliance with UL-325 means that you have a
separate walk through gate installed for pedestrian traffic, have sensors and
guards installed to protect people from entrapment areas and pinch points, have
slide gates constructed so that a 2-1/4" diameter sphere cannot pass
through critical areas of the gate (and associated fencing), have operational
controls located at least 6' from the gate, and have any other safety measures
installed that are deemed necessary for the specific application. You should
understand that automated gates are not intended for pedestrian traffic and
notify the Contractor if you choose to have UL-325 safety features
installed.
Lighting often is located either on top of gate
posts or on top or on the front of columns. The best way to control lighting is
with a combination timer-photocell. The timer is set to activate in the
afternoon and has a photocell located between it and the lights. Once the timer
is activated, the photocell prevents the lights from coming on until dusk. The
timer shuts off the lights at a predetermined time, (e.g., midnight). In this
way the lighting tracks the seasons and you do not have to keep adjusting the
timer.
A project is not finished until the job site is
thoroughly cleaned and restored to its former state. Special circumstances
should be discussed (e.g., hauling away certain debris). It should be made
clear whose responsibility this is. The contractor should always perform
ordinary clean up at the end of each day.
Sculptural Gates installs complete gated
entryway systems using the finest materials and methods. We work closely with
you to determine the best system for you, based on style, functionality, and
cost. Contact us to arrange for a no cost site evaluation and cost estimate.
For
Special Offers Call Now – 1-800-431-2404