- Question: What do you do?
Answer: We make ornamental iron items such as railings, balconies, fences, security bars for windows, hand rails and gates. We also handle various kinds of welding repairs and frequently are asked to build chairs or tables and other specialty items for restaurants.
- Question: What is better, a swing gate or a slide gate?
Answer: This depends on the terrain, available space and your aesthetic desires. A sliding gate is less accident prone since a swinging gate moves toward vehicles. A dual swinging gate is more dramatic and if you do not have room to slide the gate, may be your only choice. - Question: I have limited space for a driveway gate, do you have something for me?
Answer: Yes! We can install lifting gates, overhead gates, even bending gates. These will fit almost any scenario for unusual openings.
- Question: Which costs less, the swinger or slider.
Answer: A swinger will usually cost less but if you want a particularly heavy gate, the slider can be about the same price.
- Question: What do I need to automate my existing gate?
Answer: Besides the motorized operators you may need a whole list of things.Here are things to consider: - Signage showing the gates are automatic.
- Photo eyes for safety
- Vehicle loops detectors (for safety and exit loops to let visitors get out)
- Receiver
- Transmitters (also called remotes or clickers)
- Telephone Entry System, Keypad or intercom to let people know when someone is at the gate. (UPS for example)
- Knox key switch for the fire department
- SDG&E access key switch
- Postal key switch
- Question: What is better, a telephone entry system, intercom or keypad?
Answer: The telephone entry system (TES)
- Question: Why?
Answer: The telephone entry system rings all the phones on the line it is hooked up to. You don’t have to run to the intercom station to answer. If you need multiple intercoms the cost will soon exceed the TES. A keypad will not help UPS or anyone else who might be dropping by unless they have the code and once they have it, you have to reset it or give up security. A good TES will have time zones for different codes. If you have a worker come by on a regular basis during the day, you can give them a code only for those hours he should be there. You can also have the TES calls forwarded so no one has to know you are not home when they ring the call button.
- Question: I would like something I never have to worry about maintaining, what kind of gate should I get?
Answer: One in a gated community! All gates require maintenance just like everything in a home. You may be in close to the ocean or have a lot of spray from your sprinklers and want something less likely to corrode. Here there are many choices. Aluminum, Stainless Steel, even plastic. There are many considerations with these but as a general rule, thick galvanized steel with a well maintained coating will last for decades if not centuries. Here the key is thick. Thin steel even if it is galvanized will corrode easily compared to good thick high quality steel. Those gates you see in Europe are hundreds of years old but were maintained, painted, and made of solid iron.
- Question: I have a very tight space, can you fit a gate in small spaces? Can you automate them?
Answer: We have a number of options for narrow lots with small driveways. We can fold a gate in half or even thirds, we can roll them up and we can slide them next to each other. There are several solutions for these spaces. Yes, even automation. Give us a call and we will talk about your needs.
- Question: What kind of maintenance do automatic gates require?
Answer: Keeping them cleaned and parts lubed will go a long way toward making them last but other parts such as belts if you have them will need to be changed or adjusted. Some chains you can lube and some you cannot. For this reason it is better to have a professional maintenance done every 2000 cycles (10,000 for commercial openers) or once a year whatever comes first
- Question: How do I know how many open/close cycles we have gone through?
Answer: For residences you can guess by the number of vehicle usually going in or out during a day. For example, most gates have 5 to 9 cycles per day. Two vehicles going out in the morning and back at night equals 4 cycles. 2000 cycles usually equals close to a year. If you have a commercial or multi-residence facility, there are cycle counters we can install so you can make sure your maintenance schedule if kept up to date.
- Question: How much does a gate cost?
Answer: The variables involved make it impossible to say correctly without a site visit. Gates can be made to fit most budgets though. A driveway gate starts at $1000.00 and goes up from there. Some gate systems have exceeded $100,000.00. As a rule of thumb, the less expensive the gate, the thinner the material and the lower quality the hardware. We have a minimum level of quality we refuse to go under so our gates can cost more than one you might find from China or an unlicensed installer but you can be assured your gate will last. - Question: Do you make walk through gates?
Answer: Yes. These are often called garden or pedestrian gates and can be made to match your choice of entry gates.
- Question: Is a solar powered gate a viable alternative to running electricity to the end of the driveway.
Answer: Yes, definitely! You just need to make sure the gate opener is a good brand. Be careful of the 12 volt types found in the box stores. They often cost more in repair charges than they are worth.
- Question: Do you fix those brands bought from a store or somewhere else?
Answer: Yes, in fact a good portion of our repair business comes from them .