Access Control and Intercoms for Gates
We set up keypads, intercoms and remote entry for gated properties, on new gates and on gates that already have an opener. The aim is simple: the right people get in without leaving the car, visitors can reach the house, and the gate stays closed the rest of the time.
Access control is wired to the gate opener, so it works best when the two are planned together. An entry device needs power and a signal path to the opener, a post at the right height and distance for a driver’s window, and a way out for cars leaving, which is often a sensor or a button on the inside.
Ways to Open a Gate
| Entry option | How it works | Suits which property |
|---|---|---|
| Remote control | A handheld button in each car opens the gate | Homes with a few regular drivers |
| Keypad | A code entered at a post by the driveway opens the gate | Homes and small businesses with family, staff or regular visitors |
| Audio intercom | A visitor presses a button and talks to someone inside, who opens the gate | Homes where visitors arrive unannounced |
| Video intercom | As an intercom, with a camera so you can see who is at the gate | Properties where you want to see visitors first |
| Card or fob reader | A card or key fob held to a reader opens the gate | Shared entrances and businesses with changing users |
| Exit sensor or button | Opens the gate for cars leaving the property | Any gate with entry control on the outside |
Decisions to Make Before a Visit
None of these need a final answer before we come out, but thinking them through makes the visit more useful:
- Who needs to get in, and how many people that is
- Whether visitors should call the house or use a code
- Whether you want to see visitors on a screen or phone
- Where the entry post should stand, and on which side of the driveway
- How cars will leave: an exit sensor, a button or a remote
- Whether delivery drivers or service staff need their own codes
- What should happen when the power is out
Codes, Remotes and Changes Later
Most keypads have a master code that adds and removes entry codes, so a code can be changed when a tenant moves or a contractor finishes a job. Remotes can be added or cleared from the opener’s receiver. On a shared entrance such as a condo drive, it helps if one person keeps the master code and a list of who has which code.
Answers to the questions we hear most are under access control and intercoms. To plan entry for your gate, call (857) 371-3783 or use the request form.