Three Ways To Open Your Driveway Gates And How They Operate

Now that you have these big, beautiful driveway gates, you need to find a way to open and close them easily. If you did not enjoy getting out of your car repeatedly to open and close your garage door, that is nothing in comparison to the weight of driveway gates and the frequency with which you have to open and close them. Here are three solutions for your gates that will keep you in your car and keep you safe and dry.

Single and Dual Swing Gate Openers

These electronic openers hydraulically swing your gates open, either to the outside, if you have room, or to the inside, where they are less likely to cause an accident with oncoming auto and pedestrian traffic.  You can install these gate openers yourself, but because of the electrical components many homeowners prefer to hire a professional to do it for them. One of the easiest models to install is the Liftmaster dual swing gate opener, but there are other similar models. If you do not have a twin gate, there are single gate openers, too.

Single and Dual Slide Openers

Many homeowners opt for this type of gate opener because they lack enough inside space to open their gates inward and opening them outward onto the sidewalk and street just is not an option. The slide openers retract your single or double gates back and behind your fence line or directly inward into your fence walls. This type of opener definitely requires some professional help because of the track system used to guide your gates along as they open.

Gate Lift Openers

Gate lift openers are a little more difficult to come by, but if you really want your single gate to lift upwards like a garage door, you can find both an opener and a fencing contractor who can do it. Just bear in mind that the gate is heavy, your vehicles need to pass under it easily when it is in the up position, and the motors required to lift your gate may need more frequent maintenance and repairs. If that is something you can live with to have a really unique gate opener, then it will work out just fine.

How All Openers Operate

All of these gate openers operate electronically. Just like your garage door opener, they receive electric signals from a remote you keep in your car that tells them when to open and close. If you want more security with your gates, you can invest several hundred dollars more to tie your entire gate system to a passcode system, but usually most homeowners are content with the basic gate opener because only a duplicate remote can open the gates.

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