Types Of Automatic Driveway Gates And Their Benefits

Originally sourced from: https://www.splitrailfenceco.com/

Automatic driveway gates are an ideal way for property owners to save time, increase convenience, and enhance security for their homes. As opposed to gates that open manually, they give you more control over who comes on the property while also mitigating the need to exit your car or house to open the gate for yourself or a visitor.

Who can benefit from an automatic gate?

While many people associate automatic driveway gates with affluent neighborhoods or upper-end estates, they can be a fitting amenity to add to an average residential property of any size that possesses a long driveway. Automatic gates at residential properties provide three main benefits for any homeowner:

1. Security

As part of the perimeter fence, an automatic gate can help create a boundary that secures and protects children and pets. Additionally, automatic gates require that visitors know the code or have the right mechanism for opening the gate to approach your driveway, which keeps unwanted or unauthorized vehicles away. With an automatic gate, you also don’t need to exit your vehicle at night while opening the gate.

2. Curb Appeal

There are numerous attractive, durable, and reliable automatic gates on the market these days. Plus, the automatic gate mechanism can be installed on any gate material, even your existing gate. When added to your property, they enhance the appearance with an intricately sophisticated touch.

3. Increased Home Value

Through both heightened security and curb appeal, you can potentially increase the value and resale potential of your property. This is influenced, though, by multiple factors, not least of which is how well you maintain your automatic gate to preserve its function and appearance.

While any family or individual can enjoy the benefits of an automatic gate, they are additionally useful and convenient for elderly property owners or those who have a physical disability or chronic injury that makes it uncomfortable or difficult to exit the vehicle to manually open the gate.

What types of automatic gates are available?

You can choose any material that you would for the fence itself. For both fixtures, your primary choices are vinyl, wood, wrought iron, aluminum, or steel. The latter three are the most popular, as they are strong, durable, and easier to maintain. Aluminum gates are more lightweight than iron or steel gates. Wood gates are prone to warping and more difficult to maintain as they require being periodically repainted or stained, but they can be an attractive option to complement horizontal cedar fences.

You also have your choice between several styles, both for the design of the gate and its mechanism of opening and closing. Some of the most common basic designs for metal gates include:

A flat-top driveway gate. A simple style with the uppermost horizontal rail perfectly straight.

An arched-top driveway gate. The most popular style for driveway gates, the upper rail is gently arched with the pickets still flush within the rail.

An arched- or flat-top with finials. With both flat- and arched-top gates, you can choose for the pickets to extend past the upper rail and each is fitted with a decorative finial.

Additionally, there are different opening styles to choose from, including sliding, swing, and dual-openers. You should base your decision on the surrounding terrain near your home and driveway. For instance, if you have a narrow or sloped driveway, one enveloped in ample vegetation, or need to park right on the other side of the gate, the swinging style may not be suitable. Swinging gates, however, tend to be easier to maintain because they don’t incorporate as many individuals and moving components.