After the storm season we saw in late 2024 and early 2025 — with gusts exceeding 60mph across parts of Essex and East Anglia — we’ve dealt with a sharp rise in call-outs for damaged gates, twisted rails and failed motors. For property owners with automated gates, the message is clear: a little pre-season preparation can prevent thousands of pounds in repair bills and, more importantly, keep the site secure when you need it most.
Why Automated Gates Are Vulnerable to High Winds
It is easy to assume that because a gate is heavy and solid, it can handle whatever the weather throws at it. The opposite is often true. Large swing gates act like a sail — the force of wind multiplies against the surface area, placing enormous strain on hinges, arm motors and the structural fixings that anchor the post to the ground. Slider gates are generally more wind-resistant, but their track systems and rollers can still be damaged by flying debris or standing water.
According to the Met Office, the UK experienced 14 named storms between September 2024 and March 2025 — the highest count in recent years. For gate owners in exposed areas of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, that pattern looks set to continue.
Key Checks Before Storm Season Hits
Our engineering team carries out these checks on every site visit, and we recommend property owners run through them at least twice a year — once in late spring and again before winter.
- Inspect all hinges and pivot points — Look for any play, rust or signs of fatigue. A hinge that feels loose in summer will be dangerous in a gale.
- Check gate post stability — The post is the foundation of the entire system. If it rocks or shifts in its socket, the whole gate alignment will be thrown out.
- Clear drainage around track and ground rails — Standing water accelerates corrosion and can seize up slider wheels overnight.
- Test the manual release mechanism — If power fails during a storm, you need to be able to open or close the gate by hand quickly.
- Review motor force settings — Under BS EN 12453, gate motors must have force limits set correctly. If they are too high, the gate becomes a safety hazard; too low and it may not close properly in gusty conditions.
What to Do When Storm Damage Has Already Happened
If your gate has been blown open, the motor is straining, or you can hear grinding and catching noises, do not keep using it. Forcing a damaged gate can destroy the motor entirely. Instead, switch it to manual mode if safe to do so, and give us a call.
Common storm-related faults our teams fix include: bent gate arms and rails, motors burnt out through overload, controller board failures caused by water ingress, and photoelectric sensors knocked out of alignment by flying objects. In most cases, we can respond within 24–48 hours for commercial clients on a maintenance contract.
Why a Maintenance Contract Is Your Best Insurance
Beyond the obvious benefit of having someone on hand when things go wrong, regular maintenance visits mean faults are spotted before they cause a failure. During a pre-season inspection, our engineers can identify wear that is not yet visible — a stressed hinge, a motor running hot, a control board showing early signs of moisture damage — and replace it under budget, on your schedule.
We design maintenance plans for commercial sites across East Anglia, covering everything from emergency call-outs and 24-hour response to full regulatory compliance checks under BS EN 12453. If you have not had a gate inspection this year, now is the time.
If your gate has been damaged by recent weather, or you want to arrange a pre-storm inspection before the next system arrives, contact our team on 01268 269914 or visit a-g-s.co.uk to find your nearest engineer.