Lifts make a building more accessible and easier to navigate. They’re convenient and, if they’re regularly maintained, can be relied upon to work consistently for many years. As with anything, however, time will eventually take its toll on even the most diligently maintained and repaired elevator.
Replacing a lift completely can be costly and isn’t always necessary. A lift can be given a comprehensive refurbishment or modernisation that can give it a new lease of life, ensuring it remains in good working order for years to come.
Refurbishment versus modernisation
Lift refurbishment and modernisation are both designed to give a new lease of life to a lift in a building where it might not be possible or appropriate to install a new lift entirely. In many cases, a new lift won’t be necessary. Instead, either refurbishment or modernisation might be the best way to proceed.
The two approaches are slightly different. A refurbishment will be less comprehensive than a full modernisation. It might include the travel speed, automatic re-levelling, and replacement of some components. It may also involve some general aesthetic improvements.
Modernisation, on the other hand, is where obsolete parts are replaced and will usually be a more extensive undertaking.
Here are 6 indications that it might be time to start thinking about refurbishing or modernising your lift.
Regular breakdowns
The most pressing reason that an organisation might opt to have their lift either refurbished or modernised is because your lift is breaking down regularly. The call-out, repairs and parts costs can all add up as well as being inconvenient. If your lift is regularly breaking down then it makes sense to book a detailed survey to find out what might be the best way to proceed.
Looking tired and worn out
Lifts take a lot of punishment and daily wear and tear, particularly in busy buildings. It’s not surprising therefore that the finish in the car itself can soon look tired and dated. Refurbishment might be appropriate to give your lift a modern, fresh feel making it a better experience to use.
No longer complies with current safety regulations
The safety regulations surrounding lifts are complicated and continuously evolving. Lifts and elevators are complex pieces of machinery that need to be operating safely to ensure the wellbeing of those that use them. Many of the safety requirements also help to ensure that the lift itself can be relied upon.
Regular maintenance can flag up areas where your installation is no longer compliant. It’s illegal to operate a lift that doesn’t comply with safety regulations so you risk not only endangering the safety of users but also facing prosecution.
The lift is noisy
Given a proper installation, regular servicing and maintenance, lift operation should be reasonably silent. If a lift has become noisy when it’s operating but otherwise has no other problems it shouldn’t be ignored. Not only can it be distracting, it can suggest that there’s other problems that may need to be addressed. A maintenance visit from a qualified lift engineer should be booked as soon as possible to get to the bottom of the issue.
Problematic operation
If the lift is operating but is presenting problems, such as stopping at the wrong floor or otherwise failing to work as was intended, then a survey should be booked as soon as possible. It may be that a refurbishment is more appropriate and will ultimately prove more cost-effective than a basic repair.
It’s reached the end of its life expectancy
Even the best maintained lifts will ultimately reach the end of their life expectancy. For a hydraulic passenger lift this will usually be around 15-18 years, a traction passenger lift will last around 20-25 years.
With modernisation these life spans can be extended considerably. A detailed lift survey will give you some idea about the life expectancy of your lift, how it might be modernised and the impact this will have on its future lifespan.
Concept Elevators offer a complete maintenance, refurbishment and modernising service for your lift.
At Concept Elevators, we have over 25 years’ experience installing, maintaining, refurbishing and modernising lifts. We can conduct a detailed survey of your lift and advise whether refurbishment or full modernisation might be appropriate.
Call 01543 273673 or email helpdesk@conceptelevators.co.uk to find out more.
