A lift in your home can be an incredible luxury – in addition to increasing the value of your property it can make life easier when you have a lot of stairs, especially for elderly or injured friends, family and visitors,
If you’re responsible for a multi-storied apartment building or manage the lifts at your commercial premises, you’ll know how essential it is for smooth, efficient daily operations. When elevators break down, it can severely hamper your productivity and amenity.
But how often do you need to undertake lift maintenance to ensure it’s working at optimal capacity and safety? The short answer is: the more regularly you can, the better.
It pays to commit to a routine lift service schedule for everyone's peace of mind. Like any mechanical device that's in constant use, moving parts need to be regularly serviced so you can keep on top of any small issues before they become more significant, more expensive repair problems. Some of the tasks your lift service professional should perform include:
- Making sure all moving parts are well oiled and lubricated to keep machinery working smoothly.
- Risk assessments to ascertain whether the lift poses any danger to the public or your family.
- Equipment condition checks or on-site service reports so you can check that everything is working as it should and highlight any potential issues that might rear their ugly head in the near future.
How often you'll need to get this done depends on many factors, including the lift model you've chosen and where it's located. Some types of lifts require more maintenance than others and many states have their elevator code regulations about when maintenance work must be done, so make sure you check the requirements for your area.
However, the standard rule of thumb suggests booking a major maintenance service every 6 or 12 months, and routine inspections on a monthly basis if your lift gets extensive traffic – such as in an apartment or office buildings.
Another factor to consider is the age of your lift. Worn out, obsolete parts can play havoc with your lift’s performance and pose serious safety risks for those using it. There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in a dark, enclosed lift for hours on end waiting for a maintenance guy to fix the problem!
Generally, you’ll receive information about tailoring a mechanical maintenance plan for your equipment when you install a lift. If you’ve moved into a home with an elevator, it might be confusing at first to work out who to call – if in doubt, go with a provider with extensive experience in your lift’s model and usage pattern. You’ll also want to hire a lift maintenance company that can demonstrate the skill of its technicians and has a reputation for reliable, fast service when you need it most.
Most lifts are designed to last for around 20 to 25 years. After this time, it can be more difficult to repair them or find appropriate parts. If your elevator seems to be breaking down more often, or you require emergency repairs between regular maintenance calls, it might be worth weighing up whether the cost of on-call services is higher than replacing or modernising your lift.