Subjective overview of gate operators

There comes a point when people start to invest in luxuries that we couldn't afford in the initial phases of construction or the first months of housing. We start to look around at how to make our lives easier and what to invest in. The choice falls on improving our gate and installing a gate operatorso that you no longer have to get out of the car in the rain and struggle with it. Luxury great, convenience also, so get on with it. For the purposes of researching the subject, I assume that I am a layman when it comes to gates, drives etc. If you are a layman, your first steps will be on the Internet in search of information related to the subject. gate operators and automation itself, and to educate ourselves on the subject on various forums and professional portals. After studying a number of websites, you may feel that you have more knowledge, but I'm not convinced that this knowledge is enough to choose the right drive on your own. Everything seems clear, but there are a few things you need to know before you buy, and since the price is not insignificant, you start to wonder.

Firstly what you need to know:

• type of gate - there are operators for sliding gates and swing gates (of course I know what type of gate I have and here the matter is simple);
• Power supply - they can be powered by 230V or 24V (here I am starting to wonder which to choose and what the differences are in these drives);
• the efficiency of the drive (I want the best gate, one that can be opened frequently, but is it worth overpaying for higher efficiency if I open the gate in the morning when I leave for work and then when I come back - even adding the fact that I open and close it an extra time a day, it's still not much);
• weight and size of the door - this is also not difficult - this is usually provided by the door manufacturer - just do a search;
• entry light - very important - it would be good for the gate to be able to close and not leave a clearance;
• the design of the gate, which must allow for the installation of an operator (it seems to me, but this is of course my subjective opinion, that the gate is robust and an automation can be installed on it) - with the design it is also important whether the sliding gate is suspended or rides on a rail;
• Smoothness of the door - my source of knowledge, i.e. the internet, states that the door must walk smoothly and independently, we must be able to move the leaf without too much trouble, especially when starting and closing.

Having analysed all the above parameters, I find that you also have to take into account that the weight of the gate is not only the gate itself with its infill, but you also have to take into account that, for example, in winter the gate may be heavier, in autumn a strong wind may blow and the operator will have a problem to move the gate and move it. Having read this information, I conclude that there are some things that need to be dealt with by professionals and that I don't want to risk what I feel is a lot of money and the savings may be illusory. Given the time I've already spent looking for the right drive and the time I'll have to spend selecting and buying a particular drive and then still installing it I think I'd be better off doing what I know how to do and leaving the selection and installation of the drive to a professional company.