In addition to defining the material and style of the entrance gate to my property, I also had to decide whether or not to motorize the opening. I let myself be tempted by a motorized gate.
The old gate of my house was completely manual. As a result, whenever I went out and arrived home, I had no choice but to get out of the car to operate it, get back in the car to exit or enter my home, and then to go back down to close it behind me. In short, an essential ritual that is often annoying and exasperating when I'm in a hurry and especially when it's raining or snowing.
In addition, as the gate leaves were made of wrought iron, the leaves had been very laborious to operate for several years. Sometimes it even took two people to successfully open them. So, as soon as it was a question of replacing my old gate, my priority was to take the opportunity to swap the very heavy old model for a lighter model, so probably an aluminum gate. Why aluminum? Quite simply because it is a material that is both robust and light, but above all very easy to maintain.
To come back to motorization, investing in a motorized gate has many advantages. First of all, incomparable comfort of use since the opening and closing of the entrance is done with a remote control. No more parking in front of the gate. And above all, I no longer need to get out of my car. But having such equipment also means ensuring better security for your home. This is particularly effective in deterring intruders, because now only people who know my access code can enter my property.
Before thinking about the motorization system for your exterior door, you must first choose the gate model, especially if it is to replace an old gate. But rest assured, it is quite possible to motorize an existing gate. And the approach is quite the same in the choice of the system. The device must be adapted to the opening mode of the gate, as well as to the weight of the door. Indeed, the heavier the exterior door, the more efficient the motor must be.
And if, like me, you don't know anything about it, it would be wiser to let a professional decide for you. A new gate, which is motorized, is still expensive, so it is better to install it correctly. Above all, do not make a mistake in your choice. But for information, if from the outset your gate is in the swing style like the gate of my residence, I advise you to opt for a manual motor. Reproducing exactly the movement of a human arm, this motorization is based on the traction of the leaves to open and close the gate.
It should be noted, however, that the arm automation does not support large-scale gates. Thus, if the dimensions of the leaves exceed two meters fifty, a cylinder motor would be better suited. Otherwise, rack and pinion motors are recommended for houses equipped with a sliding gate.
