How to Open During Power Outage

Whenever there is a storm, you run the risk of the power going out. At Gate Repair Westchester we know that many people are concerned about what would happen to their gate if they lose power. This is a common concern and rightly so. Nobody wants to be stuck inside, behind a gate or outside of a gate. If you have somewhere you need to be or if there is an emergency, you want to know that you will still be able to attend to it. Well, when it comes to the operation and functionality of your gate, you don’t have anything to worry about. There are regulations which require you to be able to use your gate even during a power outage. National fire code makes it very difficult for a contractor to install equipment that doesn’t work during a power outage. They must take this very seriously because it can become a safety hazard and a huge liability.

How Your Gates Work

There are three things that should happen if your power goes out and you need to use your gate:

* The gate will reset to the unlocked position. This means you’ll be able to use your gate without any type of opening device. However, just remember, it will not lock again until the power is back on.

* It will run off of its backup power until either it runs out or the power is back on

* Your gate will automatically open until power is restored

If you have a driveway gate which needs a handle, crank or key to unlock, this can be dangerous during a power outage. Make sure when you have one installed that it has the necessary release features to minimize your chance of being inconvenienced or harmed. According to National fire code requirements, during a power outage, the gate should go back to the unlocked position.

Battery Backup Equipment

In order to meet the aforementioned requirements, gate companies must install one of the following:

* Mechanical Lock – automatically releases when a power outage occurs

* Single Open Battery Backup – opens the gate one time with a key switch

* Multiple Open Battery Backup – will open the gate several times while the battery lasts

Make sure you know which of these mechanisms have been installed on your gate so that in the event of a power outage, you will know how operate your gate.