AGM Blog · Gate Care Insights
Gate tips, buyer guides and Bay Area projects
Troubleshooting guides, safety standards, access control comparisons, and real completed gate projects, written by the licensed technicians at Automatic Gate Masters.
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Latest post
Published Aug 3, 2026
Recent projects
Custom Powder-Coated Dual-Swing Gate Installation in Danville, CA
A custom arched dual-swing driveway gate in powder-coated black steel, engineered to open outward on a sloped Danville driveway and automated with two LiftMaster LA500 operators.
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Showing 28 articles.
Guides and troubleshooting
Field tested fixes, buyer guides, and safety standards.
Troubleshooting
Gate Opener Won't Respond to the Remote? What to Check
When one remote stops working and the others still do, the problem is usually the remote. When none of them work, look at the receiver. Here is the order we check things in the field.
Troubleshooting
FAAC Gate Opener Troubleshooting: E024S and E124 Board Guide
Two separate diagnostic paths, one for the E024S LED board and one for the E124 display board, with the real Er codes taken from the official FAAC manuals.
Access Control
Best Gated Community Access Control Systems (2026)
The three access control systems that actually work for gated communities: video intercoms, keypads, and cloud entry, compared on security, convenience, and cost.
Access Control
Residential Gate Access Control Systems: The Complete 2026 Guide
Six residential access systems compared, from keypads and telephone entry to video intercoms, cards, app control, and license plate reading, with real 2026 costs.
Troubleshooting
Gate Won't Open or Close? Causes and Fixes
A step by step way to diagnose a gate that will not move, from power, remotes, and photo eyes to limits and the motor, plus a clear line for when to call a technician.
Troubleshooting
LiftMaster Gate Opener Troubleshooting Guide
Decode LiftMaster diagnostic display codes and work through Error Code 70, remote, myQ, battery, and limit problems on LA400, LA500, and CSW or CSL operators.
Troubleshooting
Gate Opener Beep Codes: What Every Code Means and How to Fix It
What every gate opener beep and diagnostic code means across LiftMaster, DoorKing, FAAC, and Linear, plus how to clear the most common fault patterns.
Troubleshooting
LiftMaster Error Code 70: What It Means and How to Fix It
Error Code 70 means a photo eye fault. Here is what triggers it and the exact steps to clean, realign, and rewire the safety sensors so the gate closes again.
Safety & Compliance
Electric Gate Safety: UL 325 Compliance Explained (2026 Guide)
Gate operator classes, entrapment zones, the violations we see most often in the field, and a checklist you can use before your next install or repair.
Troubleshooting
Mighty Mule Gate Opener Troubleshooting Guide
The most common Mighty Mule problems, including a gate that will not open, beeping, and remote or battery faults, with clear model specific steps.
Buyer Guides
Automatic Driveway Gates: Types, Costs and Buyer's Guide 2026
Swing versus sliding, materials and openers, real installed costs, and a simple way to choose the right gate for the shape of your driveway.
Buyer Guides
Solar Powered Gate Systems: 2026 Guide to Solar Gate Openers
How solar powered gates work, what they cost, how to size the panel and battery, and whether a solar gate opener suits your driveway.
Troubleshooting
Elite Gate Motor Repair: Complete Troubleshooting Guide 2026
Common Elite gate motor faults, reset steps, and how to tell when a worn operator should be serviced rather than replaced.
Buyer Guides
Driveway Gate Ideas: 25+ Automatic Gate Designs
Design ideas for every property, including swing, sliding, wrought iron, and modern styles, with materials, automation options, and curb appeal notes.
Troubleshooting
Best Ways to Fix Electric Gates: Troubleshooting Guide 2026
The most common electric gate problems and how to work through them, from dead remotes and misaligned sensors to motor, hinge, and control board faults.
Start here
Four quick doors into the library, pick the one that matches your situation.
Gate will not open
Power, remotes, photo eyes, limits, motor. Work the list in order.Start diagnosing → Opener error codes
Beeps and display codes decoded for LiftMaster, DoorKing, FAAC, and Linear.Look up a code → Choosing a gate
Swing or sliding, materials, openers, and what a real install costs.Read the guide →
See our projects
Real Bay Area gates we designed, built, and automated.Browse the gallery →Recent projects
Gates we designed, built, and automated across the Bay Area.
Custom Powder-Coated Dual-Swing Gate in Danville, CA
Cedar Dual Swing Gate with Hidden Operators, San Rafael
Custom Cedar Dual Swing Driveway Gate in Alamo, CA
Custom Steel Grid Gate in Campbell, CA
Custom Horizontal Slat Dual Swing Gate in Burlingame, CA
Custom Ipe Wood Dual Swing Gate in Emerald Hills, CA
Modern Acrylic Dual Swing Driveway Gate in Atherton, CA
15 ft Custom Steel Swing Gate and LiftMaster LA500, Burlingame
Custom Sliding Gate Project in Los Altos Hills, CA
Custom Driveway Gate Project in Lafayette, CA
Custom Driveway Gate Project in Atherton, CA
Custom Driveway Gate Project in Palo Alto, CA
Automatic Gate Installation Completed in Los Altos Hills, CA
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Need help with your gate?
If the guide did not solve it, talk to a technician who works on these systems every day. We will tell you what it needs before anyone drives out.