Security gates are an important part of a security system for many businesses and homes, and aluminum security are an attractive and economical solution. Gates keep intruders and unwanted parties from approaching your property and gaining access to your business or house, letting you decide who has entrance. Gates also provide a way of regulating traffic flow inside parking lots and can be useful for sectioning off areas for deliveries or employee parking.
Driveway and parking lot security gates are an economical solution for increased security and better parking area control, and installing a security gate can add value and aesthetic appeal to your property as well.
Security gates come in many styles and sizes and can be designed for different levels of durability and strength. Gates can be hinged and mounted to swing in or out, to slide horizontally, or to lift up for opening and closing.
Security gates and perimeter fencing can be constructed with several materials. Aluminum is a more recent addition to the gate and fencing industry compared to more traditional materials like wood and iron, and it has some significant advantages over these other materials for security gate and fence construction.
Her are four benefits of installing an aluminum security gate.
Aluminum Security Gates Need Less Maintenance
Aluminum security gates and fencing systems are virtually maintenance free compared to other construction materials. Aluminum is immune to the decay of rusting which inevitably happens to iron. Wood rots and needs the most frequent re-painting and repairs of gate and fencing materials. Plastic fences crack and splinter in sunlight and temperature fluctuations.
Galvanized finishes are often used on steel fencing and gates to improve lifespan, but welded areas are touched-up with galvanized paint which break down sooner than other areas of the gate or fence panel. This leads to failure at crucial corners and junctions in the frame. This is especially true if the location is in a cold weather area with ice, snow, or extreme temperatures.
Aluminum security gates and fences do not need to be repainted during their lifespan under normal conditions. This leads to a significant saving on maintenance over the life of the installation. When cleaning is needed, it usually can be done with nothing more than a garden hose. A bucket of soapy water and a little scrubbing with a brush is the most maintenance aluminum security products normally ever need.
Aluminum is a metal with natural resistance to corrosion due to aluminum oxide on its surface. This compound causes the surface of an aluminum object to change slightly when wet, creating an inert outer layer impervious to the damaging properties of oxygen. This molecular difference in aluminum makes it an ideal material for exceptionally long-lasting and attractive structures like gates and fences.
Besides it natural resistance to rust and corrosion, aluminum gates and fences are additionally powder coated with a finish twice as thick as enamel finishes. This produces a surface with outstanding resistance to color fading and less susceptibility to scratching of aluminum’s softer surface.
Installing security gates and fencing is a significant investment, and the longer this system lasts, the less the cost over time. The reduced cost of maintenance on aluminum versus steel or wroght-iron makes aluminum products the least expensive choice over the lifetime of the gate or fencing system.
Gates and fences are usually in prominent areas, making a big impression on customers and others entering the business. Having gates and fencing that keep looking good over the years can also have an effect on the success of your enterprise and the value and appeal of your property.
Aluminum Gates Are Easy and Fast to Install
Because of the lesser weight of aluminum, security gates made with this material are easier for contractors to install. Posts and other framework holding the gate do not need to be as intensively engineered, often making the entire job less costly and time consuming to complete.
By contrast, steel is much heavier and harder to handle during installation and repair. Heavier hardware, posts, and installation equipment are needed for setting-up a new gate or fence when it is made with iron. These additional costs are passed on to the customer in the bottom line.
Aluminum perimiter fencings also have the ability to bend or rack to follow the slope of a hillside, something steel cannot easily do. This makes installing an aluminum fence on uneven terrain a more economical and faster installation process.
Reduced Weight Means Longer Lasting Gate Openers
Compared to iron, aluminum is 2.5 times lighter. This lower weight gives this material several advantages when used for constructing gates. One advantage is the extended life of gate openers controlling the movement of the security gate.
The gate motor is the workhorse of a security gate system. It must lift or drag the gate each time someone pushes the button and passes through. The significantly reduced weight of an aluminum gate means the gate motor has less work to do, helping it last longer.
A motor moving an aluminum gate also needs less power. If the gate is opened and closed many times a day, this can add up. These factors can have an impact on the lifespan of the gate opener motor and the electricity bill.
The moving parts in aluminum gates also do not have the same need for lubrication as in steel gates. Especially in areas with extreme weather, aluminum gate rollers and trolley tracks are often better equipped for good performance in icy and dirty conditions. This advantage also results in less downtime and inconvenience due to motors out of service due to lack of lubrication or tracks jammed up with grime.
Aluminum Security Gates Give You Design Options
Aluminum might bring to mind a shiny metallic look, but aluminum fencing and security gates come in many colors, finishes, and styles. Decorative caps, butterfly-style decorations, and finials – like the fancy spikes and spear-tips often seen on wrought iron fences – are all available on aluminum gates and fences.
While black is a popular color for security gates and fencing, other readily available color options include white, forest green, bronze, khaki, beige, and brown. Custom colors are also available.
Aluminum is a more flexible metal than steel, making it ideally suited for unusual and intricate shapes and surface textures. This metal has an exceptional ability for molding and shaping without developing cracks or distortions in the finished product. When you build with aluminum, exciting creative options become possible and feasible.
Another flexible characteristic of perimeter security systems made from aluminum is known as rackablility. This refers to aluminum’s capacity for bending and racking, conforming to slopes and hillsides in a way steel cannot do. When you install a security fence system made with this metal, the fencing panels can be racked as much as five inches, easily bringing the rails into a vertical position on a slope.
Perimeter security systems made with aluminum are also easily curved and rounded for aesthetic effect. Tightly curved fence lines are easier and less expensive to install than similar systems made with steel. Aluminum perimeter security systems can be adjoined to buildings, posts, pillars, and other structures with mounting brackets, creating a complete security enclosure.
Aluminum security gates and perimeter fencing systems are a flexible and economical way of protecting and enhancing your home or business.
Looking to install a security gate for your New York based business? Get in touch with us at 844-900-3035