There may be several reasons that cause your gate to go out of commission. Determine the best way to repair it by troubleshooting it in a convenient way. The most common problem people face with gates is sagging. Basically, there may be three things behind sagging gates; loose hinges, wobbly posts or out of square gate frame. Sometimes, these gates retain moisture and begin to stick. It makes them misaligned and loose the hinges, and when the moisture goes away, the gates start to sag. Metal gates may sag due to either of these two reasons; posts start to wobble or pins holding the gate to the posts bend. Before you can address the problem, you have to identify it.
Inspect the Stability of the Posts– First things first – check the posts attached to the gates. These posts should not wobble. Also make sure that they are absolutely plumb. Moreover, fence posts made with untreated wood start to wobble after being in use for a significant amount of time. The same thing happens when their settings go unstable.
Wobbly posts can be settled with stakes and splints, but this idea works only when the posts are in good condition and the problem is with the setting. Such wobbling can be fixed with the help of two stakes. You must apply some sort of preservative on the stakes so that they don’t rot over time. Now bury the stakes in the ground on both sides of the post. Secure the stakes together with the help of a bolt which runs through the post. It will stop the wobbling of the post absolutely.
However, if the posts are not in good condition, they must be replaced immediately. Replacing the posts takes a good deal of work because you not only have to take care of the posts but the part of the fence connected to the posts as well. They need to be disassembled and reassembled during the process. Make sure that the posts you are installing are made of good, durable wood.
Ensure Good Condition of the Hinges– Replacing hinges is not as tedious a job as replacing the posts. Inspect the hinges visually to find out whether they are in good condition or not. These hinges get loose or bend over time. They may start to malfunction due to the heavy weight of the gates. Heavy gates should be fastened with heavy duty hinges. Sometimes, you don’t even need to replace the hinges, just replacing or tightening the screws attached to them solves the problem.
If your hinges are in good condition but have gone loose, remove the screws and fill the holes in the posts and doors with dowel plugs. The dowel plugs should match the size of the original holes. Then replace the hinges with the help of longer screws. Carriage bolts may also be used. You should replace used hinges with bigger ones so that you may make use of new holes for the screws. New holes will allow the hinges to hold the gate more firmly.
Check That the Gate Frame isn’t out of Square– When you find that neither your posts are wobbling nor your hinges have gone impaired, the only thing left to check is the gate frame. It needs to be in perfect square shape for the hassle-free functioning of the gates. If it appears that the gate frame has gone out of the square, you can restore its original shape. All that you will be needing for it will be good quality turnbuckles and wire.
For help with your broken gate, call the gate repair companies in Alhambra.
