TROYS FENCE
810 SAVAGE LN. CORPUS CHRISTI,TX 78407 (361) 882-3044
GATE OPENER FAQ'S THIS PAGE CONTAINS IMPORTANT TIPS WHILE SHOPPING FOR YOUR GATE/GATE OPENER, MANY INSTALLATION METHODS RECOMMENDED HERE WERE PIONEERED BY TROYS FENCE, MORE IMPORTANTLY HAVE ENDURED THE TEST OF TIME . TROYS FENCE REWORKS MANY SYSTEMS INSTALLED BY COMPETITORS , MOST PROBLEMS ARE NOT INITIALLY APPARENT A FEW MONTHS LATER WHEN PROBLEMS SURFACE IT IS TO LATE THE CONTRACTOR HAS YOUR MONEY AND IS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. TROYS FENCE IS NOT PERFECT WITH 20 YEARS OF GATE FABRICATION / GATE OPENER INSTALLATION EXPERIENCE UNDER OUR BELT FAILURE IS RARE IN THE EVENT PROBLEMS ARISE WITH OUR INSTALL IT WILL BE FIXED AS PER WARRANTY,GUARANTEED! "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR " THIS STATEMENT IS PROFOUND IN RELATION TO GATES AND GATE OPENER SYSTEMS,SUBSTANDARD INSTALLATION METHODS ALWAYS SURFACE WITH TIME AND CAN COST HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WE HAVE SEEN BOTH CIRCUMSTANCES! ASK THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS UP FRONT, ARE YOU LICENSED, DO YOU CARRY INSURANCE ,GAUGE OF MATERIALS,GALVANIZED HARDWARE VS RAW STEEL TYPE HARDWARE,PAINT VS POWDER COATINGS,ETCHED BEFORE PAINTING VS NON ETCHED, ENAMEL PAINT VS EPOXY PAINT, GREASELESS SEALED BEARINGS VS NEDDLE GREASE TYPE BEARINGS, ALUMINUM VS STEEL, CAN YOU REPAIR GATE OPENERS (ALL BRANDS) AS WELL AS NEW INSTALLS,PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IF THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS NO ,BEWARE! , ALWAYS ASK FOR WARRANTY IMFO, ETC... HOPEFULLY THIS PAGE WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE CONCERNING YOUR GATE /GATE OPENER, IF NOT PLEASE E-MAIL QUESTIONS TO texas55029@aol.com THANKS! TROY
PRICING:AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL SWING GATE AND SLIDE GATE OPENER SYSTEMS RANGE $2000-$5000 IN PRICE THIS INCLUDES WELDED ALUMINUM GATES(10FT-14FT) WITH POWDER OR EPOXY COATINGS AND GATE OPENER , PRICING MAY VARY DEPENDING ON JOB SITE CONDITIONS. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A GATE(IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION) AND JUST NEED AN OPENER TROY SLIDE GATE OPENERS START AT APPROX $900 INSTALLED LIFTMASTER LA 100 SWING GATE OPENERS START AT APPROX $1200 DEPENDING ON JOBSITE CONDITIONS .COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS ARE TYPICALLY MORE DIVERSE AND REQUIRE QUOTE PER JOBSITE. SAFETY DEVICES ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR EITHER SYSTEM. MAJORITY OF GATE OPENER BRANDS OFFERED ON THE MARKET TODAY ARE VERY RELIABLE NO ONE BRAND IS PERFECT AND TROUBLE FREE, THE DIFFERENCE IN MANUFACTURES CUSTOMER SERVICE/SUPPORT COMPELLS US TO OFFER ONLY SPECIFIC MODELS FOR INSTALLATION. CHRONIC MALFUNCTION OF A SYSTEM 9 TIMES OF 10 OCCURE FROM SUBSTANDARD INSTALLATION OR MISAPPLICATION OF A PARTICULAR GATE OPENER MODEL WITH GATES THAT ARE TO HEAVY.
WHICH GATE IS RIGHT FOR ME:STEEL FAB GATES ARE PROBLEMATIC FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, RUST IS THE MAIN CONCERN STEEL GATES REQUIRE CONSTANT MAINTENANCE SANDING AND PAINTING EVEN WITH BEST EFFORTS RUST WILL COME FROM INSIDE OUT ,MOST METALS WILL CONDENSATE ESPECIALLY WITH OUR HUMID WEATHER CONDITIONS,IT IS DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO COAT THE INSIDE SURFACE OF METAL TUBING, SOLID BAR STEEL GATES HELP WITH RUST BUT ARE THEN VERY HEAVY AND WEAR HARD ON THE GATE OPENER AND HINGE POST. PRE FAB ALUMINUM GATES ARE TYPICALLY BUILT WITH VERY THIN MATERIALS AND DO NOT HOLD UP LONG TERM TO THE CONSTANT PUSH AND PULL OF THE GATE OPENER. WELDED ALUMINUM GATES CUSTOM BUILT FROM HEAVIER GAUGE ALUMINUM MATERIALS HOLD UP VERY WELL WITH GATE OPENER SYSTEMS, THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM WE SEE WITH SOME WELDED ALUMINUM GATES ARE THE FINISH COATINGS ,IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE ANY PAINT ESPECIALLY STANDARD ENAMEL(OIL BASED) PAINTS STICK TO AN ALUMINUM SURFACE WITHOUT FIRST ETCHING THE SURFACE. YOUR BEST BET IS TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL $200-$300 DOLLARS FOR POWDER COATING.
SLIDE GATE: THESE GATES ARE POPULAR ,WHEN GATE IS OPENED IT IS TUCKED OUT OF THE WAY, IF YOU HAVE A 10FT OPENING YOU SHOULD HAVE APPROX 12.5FT AT REAR GATE PATH TO ALLOW FOR GATE TAIL. RESIDENTIAL SLIDE GATES ARE TYPICALLY V-TRACK TYPE THESE GATES SLIDE VERY EASILY IF PROPER INSTALLATION AND GATE HARDWARE ARE USED . COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL SLIDE GATES FOR LARGE OPENINGS 20-25FT USUALLY REQUIRE A CANTILEVER TYPE GATE,IF YOU HAVE A 20FT GATE OPENING YOU WILL NEED 30FT (20FT PLUS 50%)AT REAR GATE PATH FOR 10FT TAIL. CANTILEVER GATES HEAVY WEIGHT AND THE FACT THE MAJORITY OF THIS WEIGHT IS SUSPENDED COVERING GATE OPENING REQUIRE THEY BE FABRICATED AND BRACED PROPERLY,IF NOT BRACED PROPERLY GATE FRAME WILL DROOP OVER CANTILEVER GATE ROLLERS CAUSING GATE TO BIND THIS PROBLEM WILL GET SEVERE OVER TIME AND CAN DESTROY YOUR GATE OPENER GATE FRAME UPRIGHTS SHOULD BE APPROX 5-6FT APART, EACH SECTION SHOULD BE CROSSED BRACED IN AN "X" PATTERN. SUPPORT POST FOR CANTILEVER GATES SHOULD NEVER BE SMALLER THAN 4"SCH 40 GALV PIPE, POST SHOULD ALWAYS BE SET AT LEAST 4FT DEEP WITH 5500PSI STRENGTH CONCRETE. TYPICALLY:20FT CANTILEVER GATES WILL NEED 2 SUPPORT POST AND 4 ROLLERS, 25FT CANTILEVER GATES WILL REQUIRE 3 POST WITH 6 ROLLERS,LARGER THAN 25FT CANTILEVER GATES REQUIRE SPECIAL DESIGN.
SWING GATES:WHEN SPACE IS LIMITED SWING GATES ARE A GOOD OPTION, AGAIN PROPER INSTALLATION IS KEY.TYPICALLY THESE GATES SWING IN BUT CAN BE SWUNG OUT FOR DRIVEWAYS WITH STEEP INCLINE, SWING GATES MUST BE HUNG 2" ABOVE HIGHEST GRADE POINT OF DRIVEWAY WITHIN THE GATES SWEEP. CONSIDER HINGE POST AS THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH THE ENTIRE GATE OPENER SYSTEM IS BUILT THEREFORE HINGE POST MUST BE STRONG. ORNAMENTAL TYPE GATES WE USE A 4X4 GALVANIZED SQUARE STEEL POST SET NO LESS THEN 4FT DEEP IN 5500 P.S.I. CONCRETE. HINGE POST MUST BE OF A SUFFICIENT GAUGE TO NOT LEAN OR FLEX UNDER GATE LOAD , ADJUSTABLE TYPE HINGES SHOULD ALSO BE USED , FIXED HINGES HAVE NO MOVEMENT IN OR OUT TOWARDS OR AWAY FROM THE HINGE POST IMPORTANT IF GROUND SHIFTS AND HINGE POST LEANS, A 1/8" LEAN ON A HINGE POST TRANSLATES TO AN APPROX 1/2" TO A 3/4" DROP AT THE END OF A SWING GATE (DEPENDING ON GATE LENGTH) WITH ADJUSTABLE HINGES THIS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED EASILY IN 5 MINUTES. WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS A GOOD IDEA IS TO SOAK THE GROUND SURRONDING THE POST , YES BELIEVE IT OR NOT YOU SHOULD WATER YOUR HINGE POST . CHAINLINK TYPE GATES ARE USUALLY HUNG ON 4" SCH 40 GALV POST BUT ROUND , SET WITH THE SAME METHODS AS SQUARE POST. STRIKE / LATCH POST ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE STRONG , WHEN CLOSED GATE WILL SQUEEZE AGAINST THIS POST A FORCE THAT IS CONSTANT. SWING GATES EQUIPPED WITH GATE OPENERS SHOULD NEVER HAVE A WHEEL AT THE END OF GATE THAT CONTACTS THE DRIVEWAY TO AID IN SUPPORTING THE GATE THIS IS A STOP GAP MEASURE THAT WILL RUIN YOUR GATE OPENER ,REMEMBER DRIVEWAYS INCLINE AS THE GATE OPENS THE WHEEL WILL BIND ON THIS INCLINE. IN ALL THE YEARS INSTALLING GATES WE SELDOM SEE LEVEL / EVEN PLAINED DRIVEWAYS.
HARDWARE:IMPORTANT ITEMS OFTEN OVERLOOKED AT INITIAL CONSULTATION, INFERIOR GATE HARDWARE CAN CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH YOUR GATE / GATE OPENER SYSTEM ,GATES THAT DO NOT SWING OR SLIDE SMOOTH WILL SHORTEN THE LIFE OF YOUR GATE OPENER, THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WITH SLIDE GATES IN PARTICULAR V-TRACK SLIDE GATES. TROYS FENCE USES ONLY "TROYS FENCE" BRAND GATE HARDWARE MANUFACTURED TO OUR SPECIFICATIONS, ALL STEEL COMPONENTS ARE GALVANIZED & RUST RESISTANT , BEARINGS ARE ALL DOUBLE & SEALED REQUIRING NO GREASE NO MAINTENANCE. BEWARE OF SLIDE GATE HARDWARE WITH GREASE FITTINGS OR FIXED AXLE THESE ITEMS ARE LOW COST BUT WEAR OUT FAST AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE .
