Quick Tips on Maintaining Your Home Lift Elevator

Homes with residential elevators are a class apart regarding luxury and accessibility. Lifts and elevators offered by lift companies can make the entire property accessible, grander in looks and feel and, as mentioned above, a class apart. However, the performance of these machines relies a lot on how they are maintained and what steps are taken for their upkeep. This post gives us an idea of how to maintain the home elevator with some straightforward steps.

How to maintain the home elevator - Oldmateelevators

MAINTAINING HOME ELEVATORS – RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY LIFT COMPANIES

MAINTAIN THE WEIGHT LIMIT

The first step involves maintaining the elevator's weight, which is essential because most elevators break down due to overload. Experts from every elevator service company will recommend respecting the weight limit of the elevator and making multiple trips rather than one single trip with an overweight lift.

Experts from every elevator service company - Oldmateelevators

GIVE SOME ROOM TO YOUR ELEVATOR

Experts from lift companies want you to ensure that shelves, stands, and other items are at least two feet away from your residential elevator. This is recommended to eliminate the chances of the elevator getting damaged due to random objects falling on it.

KEEP DOORS SHUT

Home elevators are for personal use and tempt people to keep the doors half open and closed. This is a serious concern for any elevator services company, as this habit can damage the mechanics and put users at risk. Experts recommend keeping the door closed even when the lift is stationary to prevent damage and accidents caused to children playing around them.

Experts recommend keeping the door closed - Oldmateelevators

INSPECT THE DOOR LOCK CAREFULLY

You must also check the door lock before leaving the elevator unattended, and if it is not in sound working condition, it must be attended to and repaired immediately. The door lock not working is a serious problem and should not be left unattended.

UNUSUAL SOUNDS

If your elevator generates strange and unusual sounds while moving, you should assume it has a serious issue that needs immediate intervention from an elevator service company. These sounds are basically due to the lack of lubrication, and bumpy rides are also a huge concern. In both these situations, professionals from top lift companies can visit your home to inspect the lift and take necessary actions.

 

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Different Residential Lifts Recommended By Elevator Companies

Convenience, mobility, and comfort—all three can be achieved very easily with high-quality residential lifts offered by top lift companies. However, you must be aware of certain factors, as every residential lift will not gel with your property's overall structure. This can be done by understanding different types of residential lifts and how they operate.

Here are some quick details of different residential elevators offered by an elevator service company. Based on their operation and mechanism, there are four different types of elevators.

Details of different residential elevators - Oldmateelevators

WHAT ARE HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS?

Hydraulic elevators are available in three types: conventional, roped, and hole-less. They can achieve a maximum speed of 150 ft per minute and can be used for residential buildings lifts with a maximum of eight storeys.

WHAT ARE TRACTION ELEVATORS?

Traction elevators are available in geared and gearless form, and they use ropes, wheels and electric motors for operation. Traction elevators are easier to control, manage and maintain than hydraulic elevators. They will work well in high-rise and medium-sized buildings. They are faster and more convenient.

Manage and maintain than hydraulic elevators - Oldmateelevators

WHAT ARE SHAFTLESS ELEVATORS?

Shaftless elevators are available in multiple types, and the maximum speed they can achieve is 20 feet per minute. Lift companies offer shaftless elevators for residential properties as they consume very less space and are economical as well. Shaftless elevators are space efficient, as they don't require any space and you can easily fit them in your existing property without any major structural change or renovation. Lift companies can install them simply by cutting a small part of your floor to retrofit the mechanism.

WHAT ARE VACUUM ELEVATORS?

Vacuum elevators are stylish, elegant, and functional. They are used in properties with a maximum of six floors. They are ideal for residential use as they run on suction technology. They are versatile and quite identical to shaftless elevators. They require more maintenance than traction or hydraulic elevators.

Require more maintenance than traction 

WHAT ARE PITLESS ELEVATORS?

Pitless elevators are used for two-storey or mid-rise buildings and travel at the speed of 80 feet per minute maximum. The name clearly signifies that they don't have a pit and the elevator sits on the ground at your home. Yes, they are ideal for residential use and have a small motor and ropes for ascending and descending.

 

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Features and Benefits of Elevator Annual Maintenance Contract or AMC

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Elevator maintenance is very important and AMC or an annual maintenance contract, is as vital as getting maintenance done by one of the best lift companies. Experts tag AMC as an assurance of a long-term service that will ensure your lift or elevator performs better for extended periods. You will experience less common breakdowns, and the best part of AMC is that it will cover all parts of the elevator, mainly those wearing out quickly.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ANNUAL MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR LIFTS AND ELEVATORS?

INCREASE THE LIFE OF YOUR MACHINE

One of the best features of an annual maintenance contract for a lift or elevator is that it will increase the elevator's life significantly. Timely maintenance and lookafter guarantees that your lift will work fine for more than 20 years. However, it is a fact that AMC can enhance its life by five years. Remember, preventive maintenance is the key to a nicely performing lift, and this is where skilled technicians come in very practical. In the AMC contract, they will visit your facility several times a year for inspection and to ensure that the machine is operating at its peak.

CHANCES OF THE ELEVATOR COLLAPSING AND BREAKDOWN ARE ELIMINATED

Annual maintenance contracts offered by lift companies are very instrumental in keeping all kinds of lifts and elevators, including wheelchair platform lifts, in perfect condition. This contract also promises that the chances of elevator breakdown and collapsing will be meagre compared to a lift that is not maintained annually. The professionals will inspect your elevator's significant components, including the braking magnet coil and all other essential parts required to operate flawlessly. They will assess the condition of several crucial parts like hoist ropes, drive motors, brake magnet coil, etc. As a part of an annual maintenance contract, these professionals will also repair and replace several parts of your elevator.

This will include the following steps. 

MONTHLY ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

• Checking the controller accessories 
• Cleaning adjustment and replacement of necessary items
• Checking the car and hall buttons
• Checking indicators and their replacement
• Checking safety points, such as emergency switch, emergency alarm bell, safety show
• Car gate, switch break tapes, switch safety operation and landing gate locks. 
• Checking the levelling, and it should be adjusted to 0mm
• Checking the gear oil level and lubricant of the main motor bearing motor
• Checking the brake spending and brake drum
• Lubricating the governor's pulley
• Checking the car gate and landing gate
• Cleaning of the primary motor
• Checking of leakage of oil
• Checking of elevators on UPS mode

QUARTERLY MAINTENANCE

• Lubricating the deflector pulley, selector pulley, and supporting bearing of the primary pulley
• Cleaning and adjusting carbon brushes of the generator and the primary motor
• Cleaning the ventilating dust
• Checking work gear alignment
• Adjusting the speed of the door operator motor
• Checking the main ropes, governor ropes, selector tape and landing and car gate ropes
• Checking the brake lining
• Adjusting the car gate and landing gate safety shoes
• Checking the over-speed switch of the governor
• Lubricating guide rails and guide shoes and adjusting the guide shoes
• Checking the emergency key
• Checking the slowing switches and final switches
• Lubricating the lowers of the break assemble

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Why Are Traction Elevators Considered Safer Than Other Types?

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The technology used for vertical transportation is advancing and evolving rapidly. Traction elevators are the outcome of this advanced technology, and they have emerged as the key player that allows older people and people with mobility issues to access the upper floors of a high-rise building. This post discusses the main functionality of these traction elevators, and we will also go through the pros and cons.

WHAT IS A TRACTION ELEVATOR?

The traction lift offered by any elevator service company is also referred to as a cable lift, counterweight lift, or rope lift. The main components of a traction elevator are – 

• Cables or ropes

• A sheave or pulley

• Counterweight

• Motor

Some traction lifts also have gears between the motor and the sheave, while some lifts are directly connecting the motor and the sheave. The cable ropes are made from solid stainless steel for enhanced safety. These cables ensure that even if the strand breaks fail, the cable will be there to hold the cab.

WHAT IS THE FUNCTIONING OF A TRACTION ELEVATOR?

The overall functioning is effortless to understand as the motor is attached to a sheave with the help of a rope or cable. This rope is attached to the lift on one end and the counterweight on the other end. Upon getting a call, the motor turns the sheave, and this motor can move in both directions to move the cab up and down. The cab rises upwards, and the counterweight goes downwards, and vice versa. This counterweight is present to lower the pressure or strain on the motor. This translates into lesser power consumption and better stability. These elevators also come with an overspeeding governor to monitor the speed of your traction elevator.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING TRACTION ELEVATORS?

The traction lifts offered by an elevator service company will come with several benefits or advantages over other types. For example – they are more reliable compared to hydraulic lifts as they come with fewer mechanical parts. There is no fluid system involved in traction lifts, and this means fewer chances of any breakdowns or faults. They are also less space-consuming than hydraulic lifts and require additional space to store oil in reserve. Moreover, traction elevators are faster than hydraulic lifts, and this makes them ideal for high-rise buildings. Safety systems are also believed to be better in traction lifts than hydraulic lifts. They come with an overspeeding governor to prevent the cab from overspeeding or falling.

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What Features Make Hydraulic Platform Lifts So Versatile?

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In manufacturing houses, warehouses, construction sites, and other similar industrial environments, people face a significant challenge of lifting heavy equipment and products. In this situation, hydraulic lifts come in very handy, as they enhance the speed, safety and efficiency of your project site incredibly. These hydraulic lifts come in various forms, and one of them is the hydraulic platform lift. This blog post focuses on this version of hydraulic lifts to understand how they benefit us.

WHAT IS A HYDRAULIC PLATFORM LIFT?

Hydraulic platform lifts are mainly high-capacity lifts equipped with several safety features. The top safety feature that deserves mention here is dual safety restraint maintenance bars and positive stops on all four corners. Another safety feature that will never go ignored is the dual safety restraint maintenance bars and cylinder rods and protectors. All hydraulic lifts function using the same essential components:

• A Hydraulic Cylinder Enclosing A Piston

• A Reservoir For Oil Storage

• A Pump For Generating Fluid Energy

• A Motor For Generating Mechanical Power

• Valves For Manipulating Fluid Flow

WHAT IS THE CAPACITY OF HYDRAULIC PLATFORM LIFTS?

These models come in various capacities ranging from 30000 to 60000 lbs. With an evenly distributed weight, the ability and weight-carrying capacity enhances further. There is also a supportive platform that raises and loads using criss cross braces. An inclined platform lift can be incredibly beneficial at industrial sites, construction sites, and automotive industry, marine and aerospace sectors. These hydraulic platform lifts are also ideal for ceiling construction, cable wiring and other tasks performed at elevated levels.

Hydraulic platform lifts and inclined platform lifts help a lot at our homes by allowing accessibility for individuals with mobility issues. An inclined wheelchair lift is the most valuable tool for a person with disabilities, and they offer many benefits. Let us quickly understand the benefits of installing hydraulic platform lifts or inclined wheelchair lifts at home.

ENHANCED MOBILITY

The critical advantage of adding a lift to a home's structure is that it will enhance mobility significantly for people with mobility issues and disabilities. They are much better than ramps that require a lot of space, and liberty is compromised. On the other hand, inclined wheelchair lifts and inclined platform lifts don't consume too much space and, at the same time, provide smooth and convenient vertical travel.

VERSATILITY IN APPLICATIONS

The versatility of these hydraulic platform lifts and inclined wheelchair lifts is another benefit for the users. They come with a wide range of features, and they can be used in settings like homes, public buildings, schools and even vehicles. In any environment, the lift will only enhance mobility and make life easier for people with disabilities and wheelchair users.

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What Is the Cost of Different Types of Lifts and Elevators?

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 Limited mobility is a curse for anyone, and people with disabilities have it attached to their lives forever. They find it impossible to access areas with stairs, and situations become even worse when no arrangements are there to mitigate the problem. In this situation, platform lifts and other kinds of lifts can be very useful. Before getting one installed at your home or office, it is vital to be aware of the options available in the markets along with their cost. This is what we have come up with in this blog post.

HOW MANY TYPES OF LIFTS AND ELEVATORS ARE THERE?

These lifts and elevators are divided into three categories – home elevators, vertical platform lifts and stair lifts.

WHAT ARE HOME ELEVATORS?

Compared to hydraulic platform lifts that we see at shopping malls and commercial complexes, home elevators are small and installed at your home or a small office to enhance accessibility. They are further divided into three different types.

HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS 

They require more space for operation, hence ideal for homes that are being constructed as a dedicated space can be allotted for installation. 

The next is the traction elevator, which uses steel ropes and a pulley system. The benefit is that it can be retrofitted into your home very quickly. 

The last name of the pneumatic residential elevators that use air pressure and lower the elevator.

WHAT IS THE COST OF HOME ELEVATOR INSTALLATION?

The primary residential elevator cost can be between $15000 and $25000, apart from the cost to build a shaft or a machine room and any other renovation. A fancy or custom-designed home elevator can cost up to $100,000.

WHAT ARE VERTICAL PLATFORM LIFTS?

These lifts are also called wheelchair platform lifts or porch lifts. They are designed to give independence to wheelchair users to move from one level to another. According to the vendors of hydraulic lift table trolley systems, they allow users to easily roll into the lift before ascending or descending.

WHAT IS THE COST OF VERTICAL PLATFORM LIFT INSTALLATION?

Some structural modification will be required, but it is less expensive than residential elevators. Any company offering lift installation services will install them for anywhere between $10000 and $15000, apart from renovation costs.

WHAT ARE CHAIR LIFTS?

Apart from platform lifts, one of the most versatile solutions is the stair lifts that allow people with mobility issues to move up and down the stairs quickly. They are also called chair lifts, as a chair is installed on a track that runs along the stairs to move up and down. No additional renovation or remodelling is required, and no separate equipment will be needed. You can plug in to keep the battery charged, and even if the power outage is there, you can use these lifts easily.

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Elevator Inspection Steps Taken By an Elevator Service Company

 An elevator is a complex assembly of several machines, components and equipment. All of them sync together and work together to perform the movement that an elevator is intended to. Regular usage can wear these parts, and in such situations, maintenance becomes a mandatory process. For this, an elevator service company is an ideal choice rather than DIY. 

The lift technicians from these companies take several steps during the inspection process to ensure that the lift is performing optically. Let us go through the actions taken by them here.

INSIDE THE CABIN

• The lift technicians from lift companies will examine the interior for damages to walls, ceilings and handrails

• They will also investigate the position of indicator lights and replace those that are not working

• They will ensure that the elevator is going up and down and that levelling accuracy is also checked

• They will also inspect the acceleration and deceleration and make adjustments accordingly

• The inspection would be done to ensure that the doors are moving smoothly and they are not slamming or bouncing

OUTSIDE THE CABIN

• They will check for hall stations and lights and replace those that are not working

• They will also inspect the door panels and clearance and test the phase 1 firefighter service

INSIDE THE MACHINE ROOM

• The professionals from the elevator service company will inspect the machine room and remove everything not related to the functioning of the elevator.

• They will inspect every component for leaks, unusual vibrations or wear and tear.

• They will ensure that no overheating or premature damage is there in any electrical component.

• Lubrication would be done on the necessary components, and they will also inspect the oil level.

ON THE TOP OF THE CABIN

• Firstly, they will check that the ‘stop’ switch and other components are functioning properly

• They will clean the debris present on the top of the cable

• They will inspect for visible features like rollers, guidance and levelling devices

• Travelling cables will be inspected for wear and tear, and they will also go through the connections

• They will also check the door operator and its components

• Lastly, they will inspect the hoistway for the best fire safety and any vandalism

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LIFT MAINTENANCE STEPS TO HELP YOU SAVE MONEY IN SYDNEY

Timely lift modernisation assures that the safety related to its usage is of the highest quality all the time. Similarly, experts say that timely lift maintenance too has a huge role in this and in fact, this will make sure that the usage of electricity by this installation is kept on the lower side. 

As far as lowering the electricity usage in concerned, the best tip to follow or the best steps to take is to find the best lift company with these tips. 

Only then, you will be able to take the steps discussed below in this post.

Hardware Improvements

• During lift maintenance Sydney, upgrading or modernisation, it is very important to consider the type of lift, i.e. hydraulic or traction.

• The steps to be taken would vary a lot in these two options because the hydraulic elevators have a piston inside a cylinder, which lifts the cab when an electric motor pumps in oil.

• On the other hand, there are traction elevators that ascend and descend because of iron ropes that have counter weight on the other side. 

• This means that replacing hydraulic with traction could help you save a lot and moreover, they would also help you save money from the operational coast.

• There is another reason to switch to this version is that there is no requirement as such of the machine room and this means that they are space-saving entity as well.

• According to lift maintenance experts , the absence of any kind of bulky machine means it will create more usable space, less heat and consumes less energy.

Other hardware improvements you could make include – 

• Motors – Replacing old obsolete DC motors with AC motors can produce energy savings of up to 50%. 

• Lighting – Replacing fluorescent tubes, incandescent and halogen lights with high-efficiency, low-heat LED lighting

• Doors – Using door drive motors that can go into standby mode when not in use and then recover efficiently when needed.

• Starters – Replacing old starters with new ones for greater energy efficiency

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FEATURES OF LIFT MODERNISATION SERVICES

Lift modernization and adding new components become extremely important to keep the machine running in a perfect condition for a long time. 

For lift modernisation as well as lift maintenance, there is a requirement of a highly established company. 

This presentation focusses on what you can expect from such a lift maintenance company. 

Cabins:

• You can choose from a wide range of cabins distinguished for the modern design

• They are all available with high-quality finishing's and anti-vandal contraction

• A wide variety of interior options are present to satisfy even the most demanding clients

Doors:

Lift modernization experts offer a complete range of doors for residential houses, commercial centers, offices, malls, and industrial lifts.

All Doors Are Delivered With:

• Complete installation manuals

• Certificates for lock and fire execution

• Guarantee for the motor and electronics

Highlighted Characteristics Of The Doors Offered To You: 

• They will be stiff construction with detailed finish

• You will be offered basic models with plenty design options and color options

• There will be wood, glass and vitro coating options

Automatic Doors Highlighted Characteristics: 

• They will come with high quality and brand name mechanisms

• you can pick from a complete range of door types from 2 to 8 panels center opening, up to 4 panels telescopic

Lift Control:

In terms of lift control, the lift modernization experts will offer a complete range lift control products from the most complex ones.

A Brief List Of Electrical Components: 

• You will get lift controllers up to 32 stops

• You will also door detectors from one point photocell to 3D light barriers

• You will also overload systems for ropes or strain link

• You also get safety supervision components from door locks

• You will also get all types of limit switches, shaft switches

You will also get Communication Systems: lift intercom, Dialers, GSM adaptors, LAN Hub for web monitoring and access

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Tips on Finding a Reliable Lift Maintenance Sydney Company

When it comes to lift maintenance Sydney, the first requirement is of a highly reputed company that has years of experience in the field. As far as finding one such company is concerned, you can do this with the help of the tips discussed in this post.

• You need to first determine, if the shortlisted companies are locally based or belonging to your region.

• The second thing tho look for is whether the company have a specialised department for lift maintenance Sydney and even lift modernisation, if you want this to be done.

• The next thing to inquire about is whether the company uses genuine and authentic spare parts in terms of repair and servicing.

• You need to find the source from where the lift maintenance Sydney company sources its spare parts and products.

• If yes, you need to determine if the sources are genuine, authentic and approved.

• The next question to inquire about is if the company installs using Australian qualified lift installer and electricians.

• One more thing to be concerned about is if the company installs according to a recognized lift code and AS3000.

• You also need to ask as to for how long the company has been offering lift maintenance Sydney and lift modernisation services in the area. 

• Here, you need to shortlist only the companies that are in this field for over 5 years. 

• Does the company have its installations checked by someone not associated with the installation to check workmanship?

• Also ask if the company could supply references? 

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