Check these before you call.

Total silence usually means the operator isn't getting power. Storms trip gate circuits more often than people expect, so start at the source and work toward the gate.

1. Check the breaker. Find the breaker that feeds the gate (often labeled "gate" or "exterior") and make sure it hasn't tripped. If it has, reset it once — if it trips again, stop and call; something is shorting.
2. Check the operator's power switch. Most operators have an on/off switch or small breaker inside or under the cover. It's occasionally bumped off during yard work.
3. Look for a GFCI outlet. If the operator plugs into an outdoor outlet, press the reset button on the outlet (or the nearest GFCI upstream).
4. Check the backup battery indicator. If the operator runs on battery backup, a dead battery after a power outage can leave the whole system dark.

Call us if: power is confirmed at the operator and it's still dead, or the breaker keeps tripping. That points to the control board, transformer, or wiring.

Nine times out of ten this is the safety system doing its job. Automatic gates are required to stop or reverse if anything blocks the closing path — including things you can barely see.

1. Inspect the photo eyes. Find the small sensors on each side of the opening, about knee height. Wipe the lenses clean — spider webs, pollen, and rain spots are the #1 culprit in Georgia.
2. Check alignment. Each eye should point squarely at its partner. If one got bumped by a trash can or mower, gently aim it back until its indicator light goes steady.
3. Clear the gate path. A parked car bumper, low branch, or even tall grass in the beam will hold the gate open by design.
4. Look at the closing edge. If your gate has a rubber safety edge, check that it isn't damaged or compressed against something.

Call us if: the eyes are clean, aligned, and unobstructed and the gate still won't stay closed — that's usually a sensor, limit switch, or control board fault.

Before assuming the worst, figure out whether it's one device or all of them — that tells you where the problem lives.

1. Test a second device. Try another remote, the keypad, or the call box. If only one device fails, it's almost always that device's battery.
2. Replace the remote battery. Most gate remotes use coin-cell or A23 batteries that fade gradually — shrinking range is the classic symptom.
3. Get closer. If the remote only works right next to the gate, the battery or the receiver antenna is weak. Check that the antenna wire on the operator is intact and hanging free.
4. Cycle power to the operator — once. If nothing responds — remotes, keypad, and app — turn the operator off for 30 seconds and back on. Do this only once; repeatedly cycling power won't help and can stress the board. Receivers occasionally lock up after storms.

Call us if: fresh batteries and a power cycle don't bring devices back, or you need remotes reprogrammed or codes changed after a move or turnover.

Speed and smoothness problems are mechanical wear announcing itself. The gate is telling you something is binding — don't force it, because worn rollers and struggling motors get more expensive the longer they run.

1. Watch and listen to a full cycle. Note where it slows, jerks, or stops. A consistent trouble spot usually means a track, hinge, or roller issue at that point.
2. Clear the track. On slide gates, walk the track and remove leaves, mulch, gravel, and ice. Debris strains the motor on every single cycle.
3. Look at hinges and rollers. Rust streaks, metal shavings, or a visibly sagging gate mean hardware is wearing. Don't grease over the problem — worn parts need replacing.
4. Note the weather. If it only struggles in cold or after rain, mention that when you call — it helps us diagnose faster.

Call us if: the path is clear and the gate still labors or jerks. Catching a failing motor or capacitor early is a small repair instead of an operator replacement.

An open gate is a security issue, so run through these quickly — and if they don't work, call us and we'll prioritize it.

1. Check the photo eyes and gate path. Anything blocking the beam or the closing path will hold the gate open on purpose. Clean the lenses and clear the area.
2. Look for hold-open settings. Some gates have a party/hold-open mode on a keypad, switch, or app that gets enabled by accident.
3. Cycle power to the operator — once. Off for 30 seconds, then back on. Do this only once; cycling power repeatedly won't clear a deeper fault. A single reset clears many control board lockups.
4. Check for a tripped entrapment alarm. If the gate hit an obstruction repeatedly, many operators shut down and wait for a manual reset.

Call us if: the gate stays open after these checks. Call (678) 624-9432 — we’ll get you scheduled as quickly as we can. If someone is locked inside the property, tell us that when you call so we can treat it as an emergency.

New noises are the earliest warning you'll get, and each sound points somewhere different. Catching it now usually means a small repair instead of a full operator replacement.

1. Humming but not moving: classic sign of a failing start capacitor or a motor straining against a mechanical bind. Stop using the gate — running it this way burns out the motor.
2. Grinding: usually gears, chain, or track hardware wearing metal-on-metal. Check the track for debris, but don't keep cycling it.
3. Clicking with no movement: often a relay firing while the motor gets no power — typically a board, capacitor, or motor issue.
4. Squealing or rhythmic squeaking: dry hinges or rollers. Lubrication may quiet it, but recurring squeaks mean parts are wearing.

Call us if: any new noise persists for more than a cycle or two. Describe the sound when you call — it genuinely helps us show up with the right parts.