Garage Door & Gate Motor Questions — Answered

Hi Thabo — this is very common after extended outages. Most gate motors have a backup battery that keeps the gate running when Eskom is off. After long load shedding that battery often goes flat.

First thing to try: hold the manual release lever (usually a red cord or metal lever on the motor) to unlock the gate and open it by hand. This gets you moving while we sort out the motor.

If the battery is more than 2 years old it's probably cooked. A replacement is R300–R500 and takes about 30 minutes to fit. Alternatively the surge from power returning may have tripped the motor's circuit board — that's a bit more involved but we can diagnose it same day.

4 years is definitely overdue — most lead-acid gate batteries last 2–3 years. Give us a call on 072 079 7084 and we'll get a technician out to you. We carry stock of the common 7Ah and 12Ah batteries so it'll be sorted on the first visit.

Hi Sandra — grinding is usually one of three things:

1. Dry rollers or hinges — the cheapest fix. A good silicone lubricant (NOT WD-40, which attracts dust) on all rollers, hinges and the track usually stops it immediately.

2. Worn rollers — nylon rollers degrade after 5–7 years and the bearings fail. Replacing the full set costs R800–R1 400 fitted.

3. Worn or broken spring — if the grinding is accompanied by the door feeling heavier than normal or jerking when it moves, the spring may be failing. This one is urgent — a broken spring can cause the door to drop suddenly. Don't keep using it until we've had a look.

Yes, we cover all of Pretoria including East, Centurion, Midrand and surrounding areas. If the door is feeling heavier I'd strongly recommend not running the motor until we've checked the spring — you could damage the motor trying to lift a door with a failing spring. Call us on 072 079 7084 and we'll prioritise it.

Hi Pieter — for a standard single (2.4m x 2.1m) you're looking at roughly:

Economy steel door + motor: R8 500 – R11 000 fitted
Mid-range sectional door + motor: R12 000 – R16 000 fitted
Meranti (wood) door + motor: R16 000 – R22 000 fitted

Price includes supply, delivery, installation and 1 year workmanship warranty. Motor brand options include Centurion, Merlin and Gemini. We'll advise on the best fit based on your door weight. Want us to send a technician to measure and quote?

For residential garage doors we recommend Centurion or Gemini — both are South African brands with excellent local support and parts availability. Centurion has the edge on smart home integration; Gemini is a solid workhorse at a slightly lower price point.

Avoid cheap no-name imports — spare parts become impossible to find after 2 years and the electronics don't handle our power surges well.

Hi Lerato — good news, you almost certainly don't need a new motor. Remotes fail for a few reasons:

1. Remote needs reprogramming — sometimes remotes lose their coding, especially after a power surge. Most motors have a "learn" button; you hold it and press the remote to re-sync. Your motor manual will have the exact steps.

2. Remote circuit board failure — if the LED on the remote doesn't flash when you press a button (even with fresh batteries), the remote itself is dead. A replacement remote is R250–R450 and we program it on the spot.

3. Motor receiver board fault — less common. Test by using the wall button (if you have one). If the wall button works but no remotes do, the receiver needs attention.

Which motor brand do you have?

Both remotes failing at once on a D5 Evo usually means the motor lost its memory — this can happen after a power surge or if someone accidentally held the reset button. The fix is easy: hold the "PROG" button on the motor head until the light flashes, then press each remote button once to recode. The Centurion manual has full instructions on pages 8–9. If that doesn't sort it, bring the remotes in and we'll recode them for free.

Hi Mpho — yes, older tilt-up doors can often be motorised, but we need to assess the condition first. Key things we check:

Spring mechanism: Tilt-up doors use either a centre spring or side springs. If these are worn or incorrectly tensioned the motor will struggle and burn out fast.

Door weight and balance: We manually lift the door and release it at waist height. A balanced door stays put; a heavy or unbalanced one indicates spring problems that need fixing before fitting a motor.

Panel condition: Rust, warping or cracked panels mean the door isn't worth spending money on — better to replace it.

If it passes the inspection, a motor can be fitted for R3 500–R5 500 depending on the drive mechanism needed. We'll tell you honestly if it's not worth it.

"Heavy" is usually a spring tension issue — easy to sort. Give us a call on 072 079 7084 (Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00, Sat mornings). We'll schedule a free assessment and quote. If the springs just need adjusting and the door is solid, you could have a motor running within a few days.

Hi Karen — great question to be asking at build stage. Here's the honest breakdown:

Sectional (panel-by-panel, lifts up and back):
✔ Better insulation and weather seal
✔ Cleaner look, more design options
✔ Slightly quieter operation
✖ Needs at least 300mm ceiling space behind the opening for tracks
✖ More expensive: R18 000–R28 000 fitted for a double

Roll-up / Roller shutter:
✔ Takes almost no ceiling space
✔ Lower cost: R12 000–R18 000 fitted for a double
✔ Faster to operate
✖ Less insulated — cold air, noise and dust get in more easily
✖ Industrial appearance (though modern options look much better)

For a new home build I'd lean sectional unless you have ceiling height or budget constraints. What does your ceiling height look like?

2.5m is workable if the door opening height is no more than 2.1m — that leaves 400mm headroom, which is enough for a standard sectional track. Worth confirming with us at the quoting stage so we can specify the right track profile. We can come out and measure before your builder closes up the ceiling if you want to plan properly. Call 072 079 7084 and ask for a new build consultation.

Hi Danie — 12 years on a NICE is a good run, well done. We supply and install the following:

Centurion — SA brand, outstanding reliability, excellent local warranty and parts support. Our top recommendation for residential sliding gates. Expect 10–15 years with annual service.

ET (ET Systems) — another solid SA brand, slightly more affordable, very popular for swing gates.

FAAC — Italian, premium build quality, suits heavier or high-use gates (apartment blocks, businesses).

BFT — Italian, excellent electronics, good for smart-home integration.

For a residential property in Bronkhorstspruit I'd go Centurion — parts are available everywhere and any gate technician in SA can service it. What size is your gate (weight and length)?

Perfect — the Centurion SWIFT would be ideal for that gate. It's rated for gates up to 500kg and 8m length, so 90kg is well within its comfort zone. Price is around R6 500–R8 000 fitted including a 4-button remote and full installation. We can also fit a battery backup while we're there so load shedding doesn't leave you stranded again. Do you want us to book a visit?

Hi Nomsa — yes, absolutely. We install video intercoms that connect to your phone via Wi-Fi so you can see, speak to and let in visitors from anywhere in the world. Two popular options:

Budget option (R2 500–R3 500 fitted): A basic Wi-Fi video doorbell (Tuya-compatible) linked to your gate motor relay. Works well, easy to use, no subscription.

Full system (R5 000–R8 500 fitted): A proper gate-mounted colour video intercom with night vision, two-way audio, and electric strike or relay to open the gate. Can link to multiple phones.

Since you're renting, the budget option is easier to remove when you leave. What gate motor do you currently have?