Frequently Asked Questions

A technician arrives, inspects the gate from the hinge posts to the operator, and shows you what failed and why before quoting a written price. For welded steel or iron gates, the work often happens on the spot. For operator or control board replacements that need a specific part, the repair may be scheduled once the part is in hand. Either way, the price is agreed before any work starts, and the gate is tested through full open and close cycles before we leave.

Most hinge, track, wheel, and minor weld repairs in Arleta are finished in under two hours from the time the technician starts working. An opener motor or circuit board swap usually takes two to four hours, including testing the safety edges and photo eyes after everything is wired back up. If the gate is heavily damaged and needs structural straightening, we may quote a half-day or full-day repair. The timeline is always in the written estimate.

Yes, and this is one of the most common calls we get from homes around Arleta and Pacoima. The panel is lifted back onto the rail, the wheels and guides are inspected, and the track is realigned or re-anchored if it shifted. A gate that came off its track usually did so because a wheel wore out, a guide bent, or the bottom of the panel dragged on a cracked concrete apron. We fix the cause, not just the symptom, so it does not drop again in a few weeks.

Yes. We run power to the operator, install or replace low-voltage wiring for keypads and intercoms, mount safety edges and photo eyes, and wire the whole system to a dedicated breaker where local code calls for it. Any work on a live electrical panel is a job for a trained pro, and a gate operator is a high-current motor that can short, trip a breaker, or shock someone if the wiring is loose or undersized. We check the full circuit before connecting a new board or motor.

Check whether the breaker for the gate is on, whether the remote battery is dead, and whether the gate has hard power at the outlet or disconnect box. Then look at the track and wheels for anything obviously blocking the path. Do not open the operator housing or touch wiring yourself, and do not try to hold back a heavy cantilever or slide gate that wants to move. If the gate is half-open and unstable, prop nothing under it and call (855) 473-3106. We answer 24/7.

We work on the brands most common around Arleta and the San Fernando Valley, including Ghost Controls, DoorKing, Elite, and Mighty Mule. The circuit boards and motors differ between brands, but the failure points are usually the same: limit switches, gearboxes, power supply capacitors, and safety circuit wiring. We keep common parts on the truck and can source brand-specific boards quickly when a gate needs a factory component rather than a universal one.

Yes. Ghost Controls and Mighty Mule are two of the most popular residential gate opener systems we install and service in Arleta. They work well on light and medium swing gates and are generally easy to pair with keypads and remotes. If your gate is heavier than the opener is rated for, we will tell you before quoting the install rather than selling you a unit that strips its own gears in two years. The written estimate covers the opener, mounting, wiring, and testing.

Sometimes, but it depends on the brand and the frequency. Many DoorKing and Elite systems can be programmed to accept existing remotes or keypads if the equipment is compatible. Older remotes on a dead opener are often cheaper to replace than to force into a new system, and a universal receiver solves the mismatch in many cases. We will test your existing accessories before quoting the opener swap so you are not paying for hardware you don't need.

That depends on the age of the operator and what failed. A blown capacitor or a sticky relay is a board repair. A board that has been wet, scorched, or repeatedly tripped the breaker usually gets replaced rather than patched, because a repaired board on a failing operator burns out again. We will show you the failure and give you a straight recommendation. The price for either path is in the written estimate before work begins.

Every pro working under our name is required to hold the license and insurance their state requires for this trade. You are welcome to ask the technician to show the license before work starts, and we will never take it personally. Insurance matters on gate work because a heavy iron panel can cause real damage if it shifts, and welding near a wood fence or dry brush in a hot Arleta summer demands proper precautions. Ask for proof, and check with the city about permits if your job is a full structural replacement.

Most repairs, opener swaps, and panel replacements do not need a permit, but a full gate rebuild that changes the height, footing, or post positions may trigger a city requirement. Arleta sits within the City of Los Angeles, so permitting runs through LADBS. Ask your city's building department directly for the current rule on your specific project, and we will handle the work side once the paperwork is clear. We never skip a required permit on a structural install.

The technicians we send to Arleta, Panorama City, and the surrounding neighborhoods are experienced gate and access control pros who work under our name and to our standard. What matters to you is that the same standard applies on every job: licensed, insured, and held to a written estimate that is agreed before work starts. If you have a question about a specific visit, call (855) 473-3106 and ask before the technician arrives.

Yes, in most cases we can get a technician to your Arleta gate the same day you call. Fast dispatch runs from 7am to 7pm, Sunday through Friday, and a gate stuck open or a panel on the ground is treated with the urgency it deserves. We answer 24/7, so call (855) 473-3106 the moment you notice the problem. Early morning calls give us the most scheduling room, but a midday call still often makes it same day.

We answer 24/7. A call outside dispatch hours is booked into the next opening, Sunday through Friday, 7am to 7pm. If a gate fails on a Saturday, we are closed that day and you will be booked for Sunday. A failed gate can leave a driveway open to the street or trap a car inside, so a night call means you get a real person who starts scheduling rather than a voicemail. Call (855) 473-3106 any hour.

We dispatch crews across the northeast San Fernando Valley from 7am to 7pm, Sunday through Friday, so a gate in Sun Valley, Mission Hills, or North Hills East is usually reached within the same day. Arleta calls, Pacoima calls, and the communities around Hansen Dam are all short drives for our crews. The exact arrival window is set when you call, and the dispatcher will tell you where you are in the queue before you hang up.

Yes. We stand behind the work we do in Arleta and across the Valley. If a repair we made fails on the same part within the stated warranty period, we come back and make it right. Warranty terms vary by the type of work, because a welded steel hinge and a rebuilt circuit board carry different realities. The warranty you get is written on your estimate and invoice, not hidden in fine print, and it starts the day the job is finished.

Most opener motors, control boards, and safety accessories from brands like DoorKing, Elite, Ghost Controls, and Mighty Mule carry a manufacturer warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship. The length depends on the part and the brand. We honor every manufacturer warranty on parts we install, and we will handle the paperwork and the replacement labor if a covered part fails. Ask about the specific warranty before the install is quoted.

It covers the work itself. If the gate is not functioning as agreed when the repair is done, or if the repair fails within the warranty window, we fix it at no charge for the failed work. The guarantee does not cover new damage from impact, weather events, or someone driving into the gate, which is a separate repair with its own written estimate. The honest standard is simple: the gate works when we leave, and you have it in writing.

Written by the team at Gate Repair Arleta, serving Arleta since 2018.