I'd love to be able to afford a house further off the main road, but unfortunately I'm not there yet. In the meantime, we live near a main road, and we have a huge fence to keep the dogs and the kids inside and the noise out. It's a challenge to find a design for a really big fence that doesn't look like a jail fence! I have researched all of the options I have to keep everyone safe and make our yard as comfortable as possible, and I thought this info might be useful for other homeowners like me.
Automatic gating systems offer homeowners a wealth of options to provide privacy and additional security for their home. From design concepts to automatic and manual operating systems to additional security and mechanism types, there are truly numerous combinations of features you can incorporate into your gating system. The key is to hire a contractor that is able to take your project from conceptualization and design to proper installation of all components so that your system performs at its best.
Conceptualization & design
Prior to your installation, you'll be able to collaborate on the design of your automatic gate with your professional contractor. First, you should decide on the type of gate you'd like present on your property. Will it be a swinging or sliding gate system? Swinging systems require more driveway space and, in order to be automated, there must be a cable that is run across your driveway to operate the automatic opening and closing mechanism. Depending upon the slope of your driveway, your swinging gate may open inward or outward. Inward gates require that your driveway slope down and are better on the hinge and support posts for the gate. Outward swinging gates are typically only recommended if your driveway is too steep for an inward mechanism. This is because outward gates are not as durable as inward and will need to be positioned far enough from traffic so that they can properly open and close without obstructing the public road.
Sliding gates have significantly more design techniques, are perfect for just about any driveway, as long as there is enough room, width-wise, for the gates to slide open, and closed. Unlike swinging gates, sliding gates do not take up significant portions of your driveway and can be positioned at any location along your property. Sliding gates are also better solutions for automatic systems because there are no cables running across your property and strong winds will not knock the gates off their tracks.
Things to know before you install
After the conceptualization and design stage, the installation on your property will be fairly straightforward as the contractor will follow their exact plans. However, before installation both you and your contractor should know the regulations in your neighborhood for installing a gate. How tall is the gate permitted to be? How wide does it need to be fitted to, to allow emergency vehicles easy access to your property? You can have both of these questions answered by contacting your local government residential building permit office. They will be able to provide you with all the necessary information prior to your installation, so that you do not need to reinstall your gate to meet regulations in the future.
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