The 3 biggest myths about electric gates

Investing in an electric gate is a big decision, and it’s a good idea to do a lot of research beforehand. If you’re doing that research on the internet though, sometimes it can be tricky to distinguish the solid facts from the personal opinions. That means it can be easy to form the wrong impression about certain aspects of electric gates, from their function to their aesthetic appeal. At Gate Auto, we want everyone to feel that their home or business is safe and secure. So, without further ado, here we are to debunk some of the most notorious myths that are associated with electric gates.

They’re only suitable for large commercial properties

We’ll start with the most common one. People are often deterred from investing in an electric gate because the scale and price of certain models makes it seem like they’re best suited to commercial properties rather than private properties. And while that might be true for certain gates, it’s certainly not true for all of them.

In fact, in the long run, electric gates can quickly prove themselves be a cost-effective solution for private properties. Many insurance companies are willing to offer a discounted price to homes with electric gates, as they make the property more secure, reducing the chances of a burglary.

Moreover, if you opt to sell your home later down the line, many estate agents or buyers see added value in homes with this additional security, raising the selling price of your home. You won’t have to break the bank to purchase electric gates, and in the long run, they’ll prove financially beneficial to your property!

They don’t deter burglars

This myth is a bit of a strange one. Some people will argue that having electric gates makes your property more lucrative to burglars, as it suggests there’s more to protect. However, this argument ignores the fact that the vast majority of burglars are opportunists, and opportunists are easily deterred by obvious security measures. What’s more, the presence of electric gates also implies that a given property has additional sophisticated security measures in place, increasing this difficulty even more. In short, it provides a solid physical and mental deterrent to burglars, as the risk versus opportunity is massively tilted to the side of risk.

They’re unsafe

We have to be careful talking about this one, as it’s true that electric gates do require a certain level of caution to be used around them, in order to avoid the risk of damage to property (such as cars) or threats to human health and safety. However, modern electric gates are fitted with an array of sophisticated measures to vastly improve their safety for adults, children and animals alike. This includes, for example, advanced photocell sensors which prevent the gates from closing if they detect something blocking their path. (In fact, these are so sensitive that they can sometimes appear to be keeping the gates open for no reason – although happily, that’s a problem that can be often easily fixed without the need for an engineer callout.)

They’re also fitted with safety strips, which essentially function as artificial nerve endings for your gates, helping them to ‘feel’ when they come into contact with an obstacle, whether it’s a static object or a living creature, and ensuring that they quickly move away and back into their original position. These strips are so sensitive that you can actually stop them simply by pressing on them with your thumb. Obviously though, once these systems have been calibrated, installed and professionally tested, we’d recommend avoiding testing in ‘live’ conditions if at all possible!

If you’ve got any other questions or concerns about the best type of electric gates to choose for your property, that’s where we can help.

Here at Gate Auto, we have over 30 years in supplying and fitting high-quality gate automation, we provide a wide range of electric gate kits and garage door openers alongside an array of accessories to ensure you get the most out of your investment. Feel free to browse them right here on our site, or give us a call on 01282 677300!