Very few people enjoy a rainy day. But what most of those people don’t know is that their residential automated gates feel the same way. Poor weather conditions often lead to even worse performance for electrical systems. And the idea of being locked out during the worst weather is something most people would rather avoid.

Of course this leads to a difficult situation. One will obviously want to keep security measures in place at all times. A security system isn’t very secure if intruders know it’ll be going in and out of commission on a regular basis. Thankfully there are ways around the issue.

One of the most important factors comes from just understanding why rough weather takes a heavy toll on electronics. Why can one day’s rain storm leave a gate untouched while the next renders it useless? It’s not possible to always know what the issue with any particular gate is without examining it in person. But the most common problem comes from physical damage to the systems which should keep rain out.

If a gate’s electronics were exposed to rain in a fully exposed state the failure rate would be 100%. The reason a gate can usually function in the rain is due to two points. Wires are shielded by a non-conductive material. And other vulnerable systems are kept safe within a control box. The control box isn’t always obviously placed. But one can usually find it by looking for a rectangular or square shaped box somewhere along the gate.

The control box should be fully waterproof. However, residential automatic gate repair experts say that it’s one of the most common points of failure. Even a small amount of damage can expose the delicate internal components to water. In many ways this can actually be worse than if the components were just sitting totally unexposed. Rain drops would at least have a chance of missing the most delicate sections of the electrical system.

Think about an automatic gate’s control box as a plastic bag. Imagine putting a single hole in the top and then immersing it in water. All the water would fill the bag since there’s no drain at the bottom. A control box will fill with water in a similar way if the top is punctured.

When people look into residential automatic gate repair the damage has usually been done. The box is damaged, the electrical system shorted out and the amount of time needed for repairs escalated beyond what anyone would want. This is why it’s always best to look for help before the situation gets out of hand.

This might seem impossible at first. After all, how can one call for help if the gate hasn’t broken down yet? The answer comes back to the most common point of failure. Since the control box is where damage usually occurs it’s a good idea to check on it every now and then. The first priority will be to ensure it’s placed properly. The box should never be located near the ground. As water levels rise on the ground it can wear away at the box. Likewise any plants, moss, fungi or animals might cause further damage. If the box is located on the ground than one should have qualified professionals elevate it.

Next, give it a quick but full check on occasion. It’s important to look for even the smallest punctures or holes in the box’s casing. Again, this is where water can enter and build up within the control box. If one finds damage it’s also important to leave it to the professionals to fix.

Even something as seemingly simple as opening the control box might shift existing water within it to cause serious damage. Having experts make the first move in examination and repair will dramatically lower overall risks of failure.