As new manufacturers come into the elevator marketplace, the need to sell units will begin to outweight the functional safety and strict requirements for certified installers. The pressure will drive the lower end manufactrurers to offer home elevators to just about anyone. While there are capable contractors, there are also many more incompetent ones.
Having installed over 500 elevators, I have a good understanding of contractors and their lack of focus on specifics. If I had only 50% of the expenses that contractor spent re-doing hoistways because they could not read the plans, I'd be rich.
While I hope that direct sales of residential elevators never happens, I know the need and greed of companies when they get in a bind. They will make short term decisions that sell units in spite of the long term liabilities.
Keep this in mind. You would not trust a roofer or a carpenter to repair the brakes on your childrens school bus. Right? Why would you allow a plumber to install your home elevator?
Just like the (No name elevator company) guy; He did not know if his unit had a line rupture valve or what would happen if the line did rupture and cause the uncontrolled decent of the car and your family and remember the zip tie on the slack safety?
Elevators are not furniture in a box that only require a screw driver to assemble. Although I would guess there will be an internet salesman selling elevators in his underwear in india or North Carolina who will convincingly market just this application.
Be safe and think about what could happen.
Elevator Expert
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Home elevators - Maintenence required
Unlike many home appliances, residential elevators are designed to be serviced. Like any mechanical device, elevators have moving parts the new to be clean and have proper lubricants on the frictions spots.
As units are worn in, the limits and stop switches may need to be adjusted. Many home owners never learn the proper operation of the elevator and therefore assume that errors in operation are signs of a bad installation. If your installer does not provide an operational turn over and explain the diagnostic tools to operate your elevator, ask for an operational turn over and review your owners manual.
Each manufacturer has a diffrent type of diagnostic tool to deterimne errors in operation. Learn about your elevator and be sure all safeties are in working order.
Keep your home safe - maintain your elevator every six months.
As units are worn in, the limits and stop switches may need to be adjusted. Many home owners never learn the proper operation of the elevator and therefore assume that errors in operation are signs of a bad installation. If your installer does not provide an operational turn over and explain the diagnostic tools to operate your elevator, ask for an operational turn over and review your owners manual.
Each manufacturer has a diffrent type of diagnostic tool to deterimne errors in operation. Learn about your elevator and be sure all safeties are in working order.
Keep your home safe - maintain your elevator every six months.
Friday, December 21, 2007
GCE Elevator repaired
We made the corrections and got the GCE working safely. We found another safety left disconnected. Both Car gate safeties were not operational. We corrected the slack rope safety and connected the gate safeties, made rope adjustments, installed the missing slack rope switch and wired it in as designed.
After many adjustments to get a good ride and consistant ride, we turned over a working elevator. We will be doing follow up visits to assure the unit is in good working order.
No matter how much your company name and website say that you are residential elevator experts, you are still Amatures if your units are not safe!
Buyers Be Aware! Not everyone who claims to know elevators really does!
After many adjustments to get a good ride and consistant ride, we turned over a working elevator. We will be doing follow up visits to assure the unit is in good working order.
No matter how much your company name and website say that you are residential elevator experts, you are still Amatures if your units are not safe!
Buyers Be Aware! Not everyone who claims to know elevators really does!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Elevators are just parts
We Americans are truly ingenious. We fix our own cars, program our own computers, design our own houses. Why can't we just design and build our own elevator? I have seen some very excellent concept elevators made from garage door openers, forklift masts & Screw jacks.
We go to engineering school to learn applied hydraulics or electrical system design. Then 20 years later we begin to build our dream home and think that our vast knowledge of engineering certifies us to build our personal home elevator.
While there have been successful attempts at this science project and the applied science is good, the practical applications are missing some very crucial concepts that we in the industry take for granted.
SAFETY, SAFETY,SAFETY!
I asked a would be elevator expert today if he had a line rupture valve on his project. He kept saying he had seen other units and his was much safer. The answer was devoid of real understanding. "It will just slowly drop down".
I know his understanding of reaction = opposite reaction may not be felt till his knees buckle as the cab slams into concrete. But it will have worked for some time and he will have only spent 120 hours finding all the parts, 60 hours troubleshooting why his first unit would not stop at the top floor and put a hole in the roof, 40 hours making the call button light stay on when pushed, 200 hours making the cab pretty and 5 minutes to consider what he will say to his son when his grandchild is caught between the 8 inch space between the car and the hoistway door.
Take time to consider your family's safety over your educational pride.
We go to engineering school to learn applied hydraulics or electrical system design. Then 20 years later we begin to build our dream home and think that our vast knowledge of engineering certifies us to build our personal home elevator.
While there have been successful attempts at this science project and the applied science is good, the practical applications are missing some very crucial concepts that we in the industry take for granted.
SAFETY, SAFETY,SAFETY!
I asked a would be elevator expert today if he had a line rupture valve on his project. He kept saying he had seen other units and his was much safer. The answer was devoid of real understanding. "It will just slowly drop down".
I know his understanding of reaction = opposite reaction may not be felt till his knees buckle as the cab slams into concrete. But it will have worked for some time and he will have only spent 120 hours finding all the parts, 60 hours troubleshooting why his first unit would not stop at the top floor and put a hole in the roof, 40 hours making the call button light stay on when pushed, 200 hours making the cab pretty and 5 minutes to consider what he will say to his son when his grandchild is caught between the 8 inch space between the car and the hoistway door.
Take time to consider your family's safety over your educational pride.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Elevator Professionals ????
Having been in this industry for 20 years, little amazes me. This one did. I was called by a builder in Branson, Missouri who had an elevator installed by a company who advertises that they are "Residential Elevator Professionals". The elevator was roped hydraulic assembled by GCE from a montage of elevator components. The GCE unit looks very solid, but the installation was neither complete or professional.
In the photos attached are the slack rope safety and the door interlock. The slack rope safety has a plastic zip tie securing it to the mounting bracket so that it was rendered inoperable.
Even had the zip tie been omitted, there was not an electric switch to shut off the unit in a slack condition.
The door lock was mounted upside down so the solenoid operates in the downward/ gravity direction with a spring to push the lock up into the locked position. The stranger part on the lock installation was the lack of emergency lunar key holes in the doors. We were able to jumper the lock solenoid to open the door, but a home owner trapped in the elevator could not be removed by emergency crews without distroying the door lock.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Stairlifts on the web
Many websites are offering cheaper and cheaper prices for stairlifts. I have seen prices go from $2,495 to a low of $1,595. The online stairlift market has pushed the lift into a commodity product; lowest profitable price. Online marketers are surviving by the bait and switch policy. Offering the lowest price for a non-existent product, hoping to up sell the most expensive unit.
Caveat Emptor - Buyer beware.
Caveat Emptor - Buyer beware.
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