Safety Tips for Using Electric Driveway Gates

Although they are convenient, electric driveway gates can be very dangerous. There are many safety features and devices designed to decrease the risk associated with using these gates. Some of them include the safety edge, induction loop, and fail-safe. This article will give you a few safety tips for using electric driveway gates.

Photocell

One of the most popular safety devices for electric driveway gates is the photocell sensor. The sensor uses active infrared beams to monitor the area. If a car or person trips the beam, the system will prevent the gate from closing until the obstruction has been cleared.

Edges

Another common safety feature of electric driveway gates is the safety edge. A soft, and collapsible material is installed on the leading edge of the gate. If this soft edge comes into contact with an object while the gate is closing, the system will reopen the gate and prevent it from closing. These are commonly used on sliding electric driveway gates when there is a risk of children or pets entering the area of the gate.

Ground Loop

Another safety measure you can take when using electric driveway gates is to have an induction loop installed. The system uses wire loop in the shape of a rectangle to create a magnetic induction field above the wire. The magnetic field will detect overhead vehicles and prevent electric driveway gates from closing while the vehicle is still above the induction loop.

Fail-Safe

Electric driveway gates should always have a fail-safe system. This consist of having a way to manually override the system in case there is a power outage. You will be able to open the gate safely even when the power is out. Most cities have laws requiring electric driveway gates have a fail-safe system.

Emergency

Homeowners with electric driveway gates may have an emergency one day and require emergency personnel to come to their home. Therefore, the gates should have a system that allows the gate to be open from the outside manually. This will allow emergency vehicles to enter your property even if you have electric driveway gates.