3" & 5" Residential Elevator Hoistway and cab gate clearance.

I made the statement over a year a go that the resolution to this Gap issue would not be a quick or short term answered solution. I was right.

The industry is creating solutions and verifying the existing units in the field, code Committees are hashing out specific Performance and Prescriptive language to allow design and Inspection to a common Standard. These Rules are not as simple to define in words alone without diagrams and Engineering data.

The Industry Peers are working towards Consensus.  

Dumb Dumbwaiters that Can Kill

Dumb Dumbwaiters can KILL!

Consumer Product caution!!!

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/10/09/61878.htm
Do it your self Dumbwaiter may be cheap, but at what cost?

CAUTION Consumers...Protection of Dumbwaiter doors can not be done with magnets and cabinet latches.

While Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating Residential elevators installed under the current 5.3 ASME Code, They are missing far greater Dangers in DIY lifting products like Dumbwaiters & Stair Lifts.

While there have been cases of Child entrapment in residential elevators it is my opinion, based on industry facts, that the Much larger danger to the public is Do It Yourself - DIY Dumbwaiters & Stair Lifts and Soon to be DIY Home Elevators.

The case listed above identify what has been happening in greater frequency with Dumbwaiters,Stair Lifts and Wheelchair Lifts being sold online via the LOW Cost Online Marketers. A simple Goolge search will identify what looks to be the only way to buy a Lift of Elevator....DIY. 

There are 10 - 20 websites that appear to be real elevator companies with real experts who say the Sell Nationwide or Factory Direct to Home owners and builders.

Many of them have no Installers and are not insured to install elevators and have no Completed Operations Insurance to cover defective claims on installed equipment. 

Please take caution when dealing with any ONLINE company that you can not actually go to their showroom and test ride their equipment or one of their customers installations in you area.

Try Before you buy! Verify Actual installations. Anyone can create their own customer references that make them sound legit.

Let the buyer be aware!  

www.elevatorsafety.com

If you have never installed one of these before you can't know the dangers of an improper installation. And the guy selling them to you on the phone in his living room in his underwear does not care if you are competent to install it. He is just selling it and taking your money with NO recourse.

Child Safe Elevators

Child Safe Elevators

Getting a grip on the 3" & 5" Rule for Residential Elevators.

A recent Consumer Products Safety Commission Investigation was launched to determine the risk and solutions to any potential for Small children to become entrapped in a 5" space. Country Home
Elevators and Stair Lifts has been providing better solutions well in advance of this investigation.

The issue relates to the following:
1. Installation of Standard Residential door frames with 2"x4" jambs vs 2"x6" jambs.
2. The added cost and design criteria needed to offer flush frame door jambs & locking systems.
3. The development of new locking systems that can be installed in the frames or other locations that would no longer exist when the 3" gap is removed.
4. The use of Accordion fold & Scissors gates as a car door for the residential elevator
5. The potential for light curtains to be used as a Safety limit to assure that the gap was not blocked.
6. The use of Space guards to fill the gap on existing applications.
7. The requirement for Gate re-opening when a car arrives at a landing.
8. Meeting the new .75" & 4" rule. National standard for stair rail baluster spacing is to reject a 4" ball

9. Gate Deflection and rigidity requirements

Basis for 4" rule:

4.  Baluster Spacing (Sphere Rule):  The general rule is to install balusters and newel posts between the handrail and flooring materials so that a 4” sphere (the head of an infant) cannot pass through. 

With the decrease from 6" to 4" in the Sphere Rule, many installations of two  balusters per tread will not pass the new, stricter building codes. When the 4"  Sphere Rule is combined with the new 10" Tread Run Rule, most stair  installations will require three balusters per tread.

More to come on our Child Safe Elevator systems from Symmetry Elevating Solutions

--
Craig S. Jones, CET-S, Owner
Country Home Elevator
800-898-5090
craigjones.che@gmail.com
www.countryhomeelevator.com

Exterior home elevator additions

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Accessories And Decor on Houzz- For Example:

Books · Candles And Candle Holders · Fireplaces · Magazine Racks · Pet Accessories · Pillows · Rugs · Vases ·

Stair Lifts looking for the Cheap Deal

If you are looking for the cheapest deal on a Stair Lift Online, you have many options....Or at least it looks that way. Their are actually only Two Primary models sold online: Acorn and Harmar. (Others may sell some but not in any volume)

When one searches, it may look like there are 40 different manufacturer's:
Ameirglide, Stairlifts 101, 101 mobility, Jameson, The Scooter Store, A1 Mobility, SilverCross and 50 more...

All of these sites are Middleman sites. They only offer 2 Lifts or a version of these  2. All Cable winding drum lifts are made by Harmar. No one else makes this old technology because they consistently set the slack safety and must be manually reset by pulling up on the Steel cable wedged between the aluminum track and hope you do not get your hand trapped by the weight of the lift after the safety releases. Not something your Grandma should do!
3. The others is Acorn a long standing Foreign Manufacturer who tried to sell to dealers, but ran into too many difficulties producing a solid consistent product. Now they primarily sell DIY because it is the most profitable for them. They are a Foreign Manufacturer who can sell at a bottom of the barrel price, but typically sell DIY at the same price any local Stair lift company sells at. $3,000-3,400.

i post these to reveal the schemes of the Internet Middleman who only host a website and never intend to show up to your home or offer a showroom to test out a unit.

Please be cautious when dealing with Cyber Retailers claiming to offer a CHEAP Deal. If it sounds too good to be true...It likely is.

www.access2parts.com

www.access2parts.com
So we got the second load of National Wheelovator parts today. 
We have a large volume of CDE Hydro Pump/Tank combination one piece. Both Steel tank & plastic tank. LEV motor Gear combination sets.

www.countryhomeelvator.com

So many parts in inventory now it will take some time to add all the ThyssenKrupp Access parts and National Wheelvoator parts all in one searchable Parts database. 

Please visit www.access2parts.com

DIY Home Elevators?

DIY HOME ELEVATORS????

Recently I called out a website who was offering DIY Home elevators that could also be used in commercial applications. This obviously was not a Legal or Code compliant offer. They had the nerve to say that they were "Elevator Experts". I challenged this and it was taken down and revised. This company has sold No Elevators that I can tell. Their supplier has shipped only a few in over a year. Now they offer another drive system having never built or shipped one.

As always, do your home work and ask to see other installations or a SHOW
ROOM with real product. would you really pay 100% of $16,000-19,000 before you ever looked at or road an elevator product from an online Retailer who has NO history of selling an elevator and makes claims that are not Safe or Code compliant, just to  save a few dollars?

Please choose wisely.

www.countryhomeelevator.com offers real LOCAL professionals to assist with your project start to finish.

Elevatorexpert

DIY Stair Lifts - Real Customer Comments

Wow time flies and new scams pop up every day. Too much work to list all the inaccurate web information or shady offers for Stair Lifts online.

This is a posting from a real customer of Ameriglide. It is good that real customers are allowed to post. The reality is that this unit was not likely a Used unit. It could have been a unit that was shipped out and the customer could not complete the install and it was shipped back. I also see some offering Factory Re-manufactured Stair Lifts. I have been to the Factories and have been told that they do NO Re-manufacturing. Be careful with sending cash to an online DIY Retailer. You paid 100% before it shipped and have no way to drive to their House and get your money back. As always be aware of who you are buying from.

AmeriGlide Cable-Driven Stair Lift
Jul 12, 2012 3:23 PM
Lake Guy from Wisconsin would not recommend this to a friend.
A Little About Myself	Healthy 72-Year Old Male
Pros	Reasonably priced, used unit, in fair-to-good condition.
Cons	Heavy. Installation instructions are confusing in places. The "slack cable" safety device is overly sensitive. Track alignment, cleanliness, and lubrication must be perfect to allow the chair to go downstairs without having the "slack cable" device engage. This then requires an able-person to disengage the "slack cable" device.
Service & Delivery	Shipment came quickly.
Buy a rack & pinion powered stair lift instead of this cable powered lift! The lift came with three track sections. The links for the middle section were in the wrong end of the track, and the instructions do not explain that there is a left & right side to the track. Thus, I put the track together wrong, and had to reassemble the track after completely installing the lift. I had to call AmeriGlide & the lift manufacturer to get help with the "slack cable" safety device problem.
52 of 55 people found this review helpful Did you find this review helpful? Yes / No

Need more Garage Space? Attic Lifts from Spacelift

www.atticlift.net

When you can no longer park your car in the garage, then you need a SpaceLift Attic storage lift to move your boxes to the extra space over the garage.

Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas & Oklahoma Home Elevators & Stair lifts

The Mid-West leader in home Elevators & Lifts.
www.countryhomeelevator.com

Symmetry Home Elevators
www.symmetryelevator.com

www.access2parts.com New site for Home Elevator & Lift parts

Located a great site for replacement parts for American Stair Glide, Access Industries, ThyssenKrupp Access, National Wheelovator, Cheney, Concord, Savaria, Porch-Lift, Carrier Lift, LEV, Windsor, Inclinator, Elevette, Waupaca & More..www.access2parts.com

Relays, PLC, Solenoids, locks, lunar Keys, Safetey switches, Safety Pan switches, Call Sends, Remote controllers, light bulbs, Position Indicators, GAL locks, Accordion Gates, Scissor Gates, Limit Switches and more
www.access2parts.com Really saved me time and money searching for parts. UPS shipped right to your door.

2012 New Stai Lifts & Home Elevators

I am looking forward to 2012 and all the new and exciting industry changes. We at Country Home Elevator will be offering some new Stair Lifts to meet our demanding lift applications. The increase in Realtor meetings and review of existing homes for retrofit of elevators offers some great prospects for this year. Our "Get an Elevator Price in 5 Minutes" is really generating a consistent volume of good leads. www.access2parts.com site is up and running and growing. If you are looking for parts and repair for your old ThyssenKrupp Access, American Stair-Glide or National Wheelovator Lifts, just let us know. We will be happy to locate the right NOS or replacement parts.

As always, if you have a question about Elevators, Lifts or Dumbwaiters call us or email or post your question here. this Post if for the public to get answers about their equipment to make for a safer installation.

New Elevator Site For your Home Elevator

Symmetry Elevating Solutions is now Live online. Please visit www.symmetryelevator.com to see how you can get the best price on the highest quality home elevator on the market. Two drive systems to select from - In-Line Gear drive and Hydraulic. Why Symmetry? More Space for Living, Quality you can feel, pricing you can afford.

Many multi-story homes are setting vacant and "FOR SALE" because they are limited to a much smaller buying population. Give your property more opportuntiy - Add a Residential elevator and see how much easier it is to market.

Symmetry Elevating Sloutions
800-898-5090 - Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas
www.home-residentialelevators.com

Symmetry Elevating Sloutions

If you are looking for a Home Elevator, please visit Symmetry Elevating Solutions at http://www.symmetryelevators.com/

Choice of In-Line Gear Drive systems and Roped Hydraulic. 4 Standard cab interiors with real Hardwood wall panels. Not photo laminate. Custom cab design also available. 950 lb. Capacity roomy cabs with inviting look and clean modern designs.

Call 800-898-5090 to learn more.

countryhomeelev@cs.com

Home Elevators

Why it is improtant to know about the 3" & 5" rule for Home elevator doors. Home elevators are a bit different from commercial in that the hoistway doors do not slide together. Most Residential elevators have a swinging hoistway door installed at each landing to protect the user from any moving hazards.

The elevator cab will have either an accordian style gate or a scissors sytle gate to protect against the user being caught near the top of the door header. The 3' - 5" rule prohibits a smaller person fron getting trapped between the hoistway door and the car gate.

Kansas City Home Elevators

Kansas City has a new Home Elevator Contractor. Country Home Elevator & Stair Lift has re-entered this market to offer High quality Residential elevators for Townhomes, Single family homes and condos.

Please contact Bill Filer at 888-869-8883 or email bfiler.che@gmail.com

www.kcelevators.com

Area Access Home Elevators Virginia

Area Access Virginia's Premier Residential elevator contractor.

When you want an experienced Elevator contractor, Call Scott Hobson at 800-333-2732.
CAT certified Technicians, Virginia licensed contractor. Wheelchair Lifts and Stair Lifts for the DC Metro area.

Email to: stacy.richard@areaaccess.com

Ride Before You Buy

Country Home Elevators has introduced a New "Ride Before You Buy" program. There are now online marketers who are offering Lowest / Cheapest home elevators online. They look pretty slick on the web page. But with anything that seems too good to be true, there are always corners cut to cheapen the product.

This sad story is being repeated just like with Stair Lifts and the DIY Self install scammers. Companies that exist only online offer a nice looking elevator website with all the features of the other units, so they say, and upon delivery the product in not nearly what the customer thought the were buying.

Country Home Elevator has installed a Demo elevator in their showroom in the Brighton Corporate office to allow customers the chance to "Ride Before You Buy". It has become increasingly more necessary to pre-qualify your suppliers, due to the get rich online over night DIY marketers.

Anyone could sell a $12,000 product if they knew that the customer had little recourse or limited ability to them after the sale, it would be tempting. However, Reputable companies choose to live by much higher standards. When a customer is investing $200,000 to several Million in a home, They expect a certain level of quality and reliability in a company and a prodcut.

That is why the "Ride Before You Buy" plan is so important when considering a home elevator. You can visit the Showroom or a recently completed project and see the strength and durability of the Residential Elevators Country Home Elevator installs.

You will be seeing a lot about the newest line home elevators Symmetry Elevating Solutions. The products were design to last. Built to easily adapt to any construction plan, any home application. The choices in cab interiors are without limits and wonderfully hand crafted in the United States.

You can choose Cheap and pay later or invest a little bit more for a product that will last.

Ride Before You Buy - it only makes Sense.

Residential Elevator Installers - Certified???

In my searching of internet sites, I came across a new trick you should be aware of. Some Residential Elevator Installer companies are trying to bait you into thinking that they have offices all over the conutry. Be sure you go visit their office or Goolge Earth the address they give you. If the location is not in a commercial building with some warehouse space, you might want to be concerned if they will be around when you need them.

They also have a new trick to only ask for a small deposits on equipment. But you still pay 100% of the unit price before you see the unit at your door. Deposits are a normal part of custom ordered products. The real issue is what guarntee do you have that the unit shipped to you will fit or be a working unit, if the guy installing it has no connection to the sale of the unit.

The guy who is only getting paid to install the unit only cares that he gets paid for the completion of the install. He may be mad when all the parts don't arrive, but has no connection to the Mfg. guy. The guy who shipped it across the country only cares that he got your money before it shipped and really does not have time for finding missing or bad parts, because he really didn't make it to begin with. He just bought parts and put them on a skid.

Most real elevator companies want you to be a satisfied customer for life. Buying the Residential Elevator al la Carte may sound cheaper, but you must look at all the components of the sale.

Manufacturer:

Did the Manufacturer have completed operations or product liability insurance to cover any serious faults unseen when they quickly packaged the elevator parts and shipped them?

Did the maunfacturer actually manufacter anything? Some Low price Home Elevator suppliers offer a low starting price because they only push the order paperwork. Having no real stake in the maunfacturing process at all, or a very limited role.

Will that low price leader be in business to fund replacement parts? Currently a large manuacturer is requireing all controllers to be completely replaced if they go bad. To the tune of $5,000-6,000 per unit plus labor. If a smaller company has this issue they will not likely be able offer any replacemnt controllers.

Installer:

Does the installer do this on a daily basis.

Is this their 1st or 2nd home elevator installation?

Do they have referances that can be checked and can you see a recent installation they completed?

How old is their oldest working home elevator installation?

Do they have a contractors license?

Are they insured to install elevators? Some companies have been insured to install roofing or build houses, but their insurance company does not recognize their GL or completed operations or Work Comp for Elevator installations.

Country Home Elevator & Stair Lifts - Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma & Kansas offers a complete manufactured product, working installations since 1990, Elevator Insurance, Certified Installers from the Maufacturer and an NAEC CET-s certified Technician, Licensed where required in Arkansas & Oklahoma.

800-898-5090
countryhomeelev@cs.com

Total disreguard for safety. But they are complete!

Dear 4-medical supplies. I would like to point out a few safety hazards you just created by turning this unit over to the home owner to do it their self.

1. The top landing has no protection to prevent the user from rolling off the porch if the lift is down.
2. the opening under the porch creates a shear hazard. The disable user may not notice there feet being sheared off while the lift s going up, becuase they can't feel their feet.
3. the neighborhod kids may think it is a cool toy until they are entrapped in the opening.

These are the 3 quick things that concern me about your video and photos.


I will also send a message to your office. This should be corrected ASAP.

Sincerely,

Elevator Expert.blogspot.com