Troubleshooting · Urgent
Electric gate stuck open or won't close
A gate stuck open or refusing to close is usually caused by a safety device doing its job — a blocked or misaligned photocell, a triggered safety edge, or an obstruction in the gate's path. Because it leaves your property open, we treat it as urgent. Check the safety beams and path first; if that doesn't resolve it, call a gate engineer.
Why a gate refuses to close
A gate that opens fine but won't close is almost always the safety system preventing it — which is the system working, not failing. The usual causes:
- Blocked or misaligned photocell. If the safety beam across the opening is broken or the two cells are out of line, the gate won't close onto what it thinks is an obstruction.
- Triggered safety edge. The rubber pressure strip along the leading edge may be stuck, damaged or wet, telling the control board it has hit something.
- Physical obstruction. A stone, a build-up of leaves, or a dropped hinge letting the gate catch on the ground.
- Limit switch fault. The switch that tells the motor where "closed" is can fail or drift, so the gate never reaches its stop.
- Control board or timer fault. Less common, but a board fault can disable the close cycle.
Check these first — safely
- Look along the opening for the small photocell lenses and wipe both; make sure nothing (bin, car, snow) breaks the beam.
- Clear the track and the base of the gate of stones and leaves.
- Check the leading edge rubber strip isn't jammed or hanging off.
- If it's raining or freezing, note it — wet and ice both trigger safety edges and beams.
If the gate still won't close after that, stop — don't disable the safety devices to force it shut. Those devices are what stop the gate closing on a child or a car.
Why this one is urgent
A gate stuck open leaves your property open to the street, so we prioritise these callouts across Surrey — see gate repairs. And a gate with a misbehaving safety system is, by definition, a gate whose safety needs checking: every visit includes a force test and safety-device check to BS EN 12453. If your gate won't open rather than close, see gate won't open.
Free site survey & fixed quotation
Get a precise price for a gate repair
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
Why does my electric gate open but not close?
Almost always a safety device stopping it: a broken or misaligned photocell beam, a triggered safety edge, or an obstruction in the path. The gate is doing its job — refusing to close onto what it reads as an obstacle. Clear and clean the beams and path; if it persists, call an engineer.
Should I disable the safety sensors to make the gate close?
No — never. The photocells and safety edge are what stop the gate closing on a person, pet or vehicle. Bypassing them to force the gate shut is dangerous and, on a powered gate, unlawful. Get the fault fixed instead.
My gate won't close when it's raining or icy — why?
Rain on a safety edge or across a photocell can trigger a false obstruction signal, and ice can jam the track or a dropped leaf. It often clears when dry, but a gate that does this is telling you a device or alignment needs attention before it fails for good.
How quickly can you fix a gate stuck open in Surrey?
We treat a gate stuck open as urgent because it leaves your property insecure, and aim to attend within one to two working days — often sooner. We carry common spares for a first-visit fix.