Passenger Lifts and Lift maintenance

Passenger lifts refer to any lifts (also known as elevators) that are routinely used by people in a building. Whether you are looking to modernise an existing lift setup or to install a completely new set of lifts you will need to be aware of both the range of options available out there and the ongoing maintenance requirements of each installation.



If a passenger lift needs to have a standalone load-bearing shaft it will require both more time, cash investment and more frequent maintenance. Lifts which are built into the structure of a website (that is to say they are structure-supported) are a common sight in shopping centres, business parks and public buildings. Generally speaking a structure-supported lift will have a lower installation fee because the building structure bears some of the weight of the lift. That being said, lifts built with a load-bearing lift-shaft are still quite popular and tend to be more popular in the construction industry in general. These sorts of lifts will be powered by either a pulley system or a hydraulic system.



One of the most recent products to be released by manufacturers is the 'machine-room-less' lift. The product is born from the development of smaller electric motors used with traction equipment. These compact solutions allow the elevator/lift motor to be fitted above the shaft in the hoistway. This means that a separate room to house the motors for the lift will not be required with such an installation. While initial units showed weaker performance than the traditional room based motors the Machine-room-less motor technology has been developed to the point where it has become increasingly popular, especially in Europe where building projects face tight space restrictions.



Apart from the function/mechanics behind a lift there are an increasing range of passenger cars to choose from suppliers in this day and age which allows each building engineer to integrate the lifts into the overall design and purpose of the interiors. For example: two-way entry lifts, panoramic lifts or fire lifts.



Unfortunately installing the lift is not the end of the costs involved. Safety is a prime concern when it comes to lift maintenance. All machinery in a building needs to be maintained according to the manufacturer's directions and lifts have an added dimension of necessity in that people could be put directly in harm's way if it malfunctions.



Discuss how often you will need to routinely maintain a lift with your supplier before purchasing or committing to one solution. Legal documentation will also outline minimum allowable time periods between services and should be adhered to so that the building owners reduce their liability in the case of an accident. While adhering to minimum time periods for routine servicing of the lift it is also a good idea to keep an eye on the general ongoing performance to try and identify any potential breakdown/repair issues that may occur before the servicing period comes around. Small anomalies now could result in costly damage in the future and should never be 'downplayed'.



Accel lifts Ireland provides bespoke passenger lifts and professional Lift maintenance services. http://www.accel.ie