Article · 2025-11-18
The winter gate checklist: an hour in November saves January
Winter concentrates gate failures: batteries fail in the first cold snap, water finds every unsealed joint, tracks collect leaves then ice, and stiffened hinges push force limits over the line. An hour of November checks — battery test, drainage clear, track sweep, lens clean, hinge grease — prevents the large majority of December-to-February call-outs we attend.
The owner's November hour, itemised
- Test the battery backup — kill the mains at the isolator and cycle the gates. Sluggish or partial travel means the battery is on its last winter; they're £45–£80 swapped, or a locked entrance on the year's first outage.
- Clear drainage around underground motor boxes and along slider foundation beams. Leaves dam water exactly where it does the most damage; flooded foundation boxes are our top winter repair, per the underground motors page.
- Sweep the track (sliders) and check the rack line for debris. Ice bonds whatever's left there.
- Clean photocell lenses and check alignment — low winter sun plus dirty lenses is the season's signature "won't close" fault.
- Grease hinges and the manual release — and confirm you can find the release key in the dark, because that's when you'll want it.
- Trim growth back from photocell runs, intercom lenses and the gate's travel; wet, wind-loaded vegetation triggers obstacle detection.
What to watch through the season
| Moment | What happens | The habit that helps |
|---|---|---|
| First hard frost | Batteries and stiff grease show themselves | Cycle gates on arrival home, not departure — fail-safe timing |
| Storm days | Wind on boarded leaves trips force limits | Consider holding gates open in named storms rather than fighting gusts |
| Snow | Slider tracks and swing sweep zones block | Clear the travel path before cycling, never after a stall |
| Thaw + heavy rain | Water table rises into foundation boxes | Check drainage again mid-season, not just in November |
What belongs to the engineer, not the checklist
Force testing after the seasonal stiffening, current-draw comparison against baseline, connection and ingress inspection inside enclosures, and slow-down profile recalibration are service-visit work — which is why our plans schedule residential visits in autumn where possible. If your gate enters winter unserviced and matters daily, book the one-off now rather than joining the January queue; costs here.
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Get a precise price for your gates
Tell us the opening width, whether power is nearby and the style you have in mind. We measure on site, confirm a fixed price in writing, and never sell door-to-door.
Prefer to talk? Call 01483 000 000.
Frequently asked questions
Should I leave my gates open during storms?
In named-storm winds, holding boarded gates open (secured) is often kinder than repeated force-limit battles — but only if security context allows. Open-bar gates generally cope; it's solid leaves that fight the wind.
Can I use de-icer or salt on a gate track?
Sparingly and rinsed after — salt accelerates corrosion on rack, fixings and coatings. Mechanical clearing first; a silicone-safe lubricant on moving parts beats salt on the track.