Wind Storms And Tree Damage Can Wreak Havoc on Driveway Gates

Tree Trunk That Crushed A Driveway Gate And Blocked The Driveway For Nearly A Week – Kirkland, Washington

Wind Storms And Tree Damage Can Wreak Havoc on Driveway Gates

Articles, Residential Driveway Gates, Residential Slide Gates, Residential Swing Gates

The Pacific Northwest is a sweeping landscape of beautiful, mature, towering trees. They create stunning vistas of dense woods and thick canopies. When fierce Pacific wind storms blow through Washington state, it is not surprising that huge trees are uprooted or large limbs crash onto homes, sheds, fences, and driveway gates.

Discover what happened when trees and tree limbs fell onto driveway gates and how Automated Gates quickly repaired or replaced them for these homeowners.

Crushed Driveway Gate Replacement In Kirkland, WA

In Kirkland, many large, mature trees grace an older gentleman’s property. A powerful wind storm brought down an older, 100+-foot tree, landing squarely on a 20-year-old chain-link driveway gate. The tree also landed on his power lines, trapping him for several days. With access to the driveway cut off, he reached the road through his neighbor’s property. Had the tree not fallen directly on his driveway gate, he would have had to open and close it manually. It was installed before Fire Department regulations mandated backup power for driveway gate systems.

Wind Storm Toppled Tree, Bent Automated Gate Controller, And Damaged Chain-Link Fence – Kirkland, WA

He called Automated Gates to replace the destroyed gate. Because of the simplicity of his gate’s original design, which required no new design or fabrication, his new cantilevered, chain-link, sliding replacement gate was installed in only 3 weeks. Its new DC motor’s battery backup will help ensure his driveway gate will open automatically, even during a local or regional power outage.

A Harrowing Wind Storm In Yarrow Point, WA Prompts A Driveway Gate Repair

Homeowners in Yarrow Point, Washington, awoke one morning to find a wind storm had dropped a large, 8-inch diameter tree limb onto their driveway and driveway gate. Their arched, double-swinging steel gate was damaged. The falling limb bent one post and gate panel beyond repair. The gate operator was undamaged, and although a post and panel were bent, their gate was still operable. There was a major power outage, but their gate’s battery backup had enough power to open and close their gate for several days until the electric company restored their power.

Steel Gate Post And Double-Swing Gate Panel Damaged By A Wind Storm-Driven Falling Tree Branch

In consultation with the property owners, Automated Gates decided to replace the entire post and fabricate a new panel to match the undamaged portion. They painted both panels to ensure a perfect match.

Concerned About A Wind Storm or Large Trees Damaging Your Driveway Gate?

Living in the greater Puget Sound region of Washington State, it is wise to consider environmental factors in your driveway gate design and installation. With some planning, we can reduce the possibility of storm damage or issues.

Strong Wind. A gate design that allows ample airflow through the panels in consistently windy locations may prevent potential damage.
Large Trees. Strong winds, especially after heavy rains, can uproot and topple trees or dislodge large branches. Trees and large branches can block the driveway, damage the driveway gate, or both. Evaluate large trees near your driveway gate for potential hazards and consider removing those that pose a risk. Healthy trees can become risky if roadwork, construction, or landscaping damages their roots.
Snow. Snow is unlikely to damage your gate but could make a swing gate hard to open. A property that frequently gets snow accumulations over five inches would be best served by a sliding gate or cantilever gate with several inches of ground clearance.

Driveway Gates Wind Storm Damage – Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What should I do if my driveway gate sustains damage from a falling tree, large branches, or limbs?

A. Contact Automated Gates immediately to inspect the damage. Our service department is available 24/7/365. A trained driveway gate technician will promptly determine if there is damage to your gate’s mechanical function, power source, or power backup power source. They will give you a no-obligation estimate for your insurance. With your approval, Automated Gates will get started on the repair or replacement work.

Q. Is storm damage to my driveway gate covered by my homeowner’s insurance?

A. In most cases, your insurance covers damage to a driveway gate as a structure on your property. Depending on your policy and deductible, homeowner’s insurance usually covers a large portion of the repair or replacement cost.

Concerned About Driveway Gate Storm Damage?

Large trees grace many Puget Sound neighborhoods and surrounding greenbelts. They are a hallmark of our Evergreen State. Wind storms bring down trees and branches every year, and some land on driveway gates.

If a storm or tree damaged your driveway gate, or if you are concerned about what may happen in our next storm, our teams are ready to help.