Knowing When to Modernize Your Elevator

An Elevator Guide: When to Modernize Your Elevator

After many years of faithful service, it may be time to modernize your elevator. Regular use will eventually impact its performance and efficiency, and it may no longer be as aesthetically pleasing or cost-effective as it was upon its installation years (or decades) ago. Typically, industry experts recommend modernization services at the end of an elevator system’s lifespan, ranging from 20 to 25 years.

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Is a Commercial Elevator Right for Your Building?

Our May 2020 blog clarified the specific differences between freight vs. service elevators. Today’s blog serves to explain the difference between residential passenger elevators and commercial passenger elevators.

While both a residential passenger elevator and a commercial elevator move people between floors in a building, the ‘devil is in the details’ — meaning that if you do not understand the details, you will encounter difficulties and problems.

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What is a Hydraulic Elevator?

In past blogs, we have written primarily of the ‘ups and downs’ of sustaining and maintaining the high-rise elevator systems found in condos, apartments, and office buildings in NYC and surrounding boroughs, providing passengers with approximately 35 million rides daily. Today, we’ll dive into hydraulic vs. traction elevator systems and compare each type.

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The Elevator Door Lock Monitoring Code

Everything You Need to Know About the Door Lock Monitoring Code

A myriad of city codes can boggle the mind of responsible NYC building and property owners maintaining safe building operations. According to the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB), there are mechanical codes, electrical codes, housing maintenance codes, plumbing codes, fire codes, energy codes, and fuel-gas codes to consider every day. Elevators are not exempt from such DOB compliance codes. As of January 1, 2020, all NYC building elevators needed to comply with the DOB elevator door lock monitoring code.

Champion Elevator, with OWNER, Donald Gelestino, has 34+ years of expertise servicing building elevators in NYC, its five boroughs, Long Island, and Connecticut, feel that it’s our responsibility to bring clarity to the recent elevator code regulation.

Elevator door lock monitoring is a safety feature that prevents the elevator from moving when the elevator doors do not close properly.

The specific details of the regulations of elevator lock monitoring

  • The official code number, ASME A17.3, is in accord with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recommendations of 2002.
  • NYC fire officials added an appendix to the code to allow for fire service bypass of the locking mechanism to alleviate firefighting concerns.
  • Elevator monitoring locks should be a part of all automatic passenger and freight elevators as of January 1, 2020.
  • Automatic elevators installed before 2009 will most likely require an update to a monitor lock system. Any lifts installed after 2009 will usually have a monitoring system that stops the elevator when door contacts are open.
  • Elevators systems installed before 1996 will definitely require updating to be in compliance with the 2020 door lock monitoring code.
  • Changes made to elevators to meet the monitoring lock code will require a permit from the NYC DOB.
  • Building owners or managers should also keep in mind that in addition to the 
January 1, 202O elevator upgrade, there will be an update to the code requiring compliance by January 2027. The update requires protection against unintentional car movement (UCM) and ascending car over-speed (ACO) motion by converting to a dual-plunger brake assembly or an emergency braking system.

The consequences of non-compliance to the new code regulations include taking the elevator out of service, substantial fines, canceled insurance coverage for the building, and inconvenience to the building tenants that may bring about their decision to find a new base of operation for their business.

To avoid the costly consequences of elevator violations of any type, contact the expert technicians of Champion Elevator for elevator inspections and elevator modernization.

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Elevator Preventative Maintenance

How Preventative Maintenance Can Help Keep Your Elevator Costs Low

Property taxes, liability insurance, a mortgage — Oh My! These are the three fixed costs of owning or managing an office building, condo, or apartment building. There are also the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual operating expenses included in every business budget, such as snow removal, landscaping, trash removal, and recycling. Indeed, owning or managing a commercial building takes a keen sense for business budgeting, which falls under the general category of property management.

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Stay on Top of Cleaning and Disinfecting Elevators

Why Disinfecting Elevators is Essential During COVID-19

Disinfecting Elevators During COVID-19

The quandary of building owners and managers during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is how to keep their elevators running safely while adhering to state orders to maintain ‘social distance’ within the typically tight confines of an elevator cabin. Elevator passengers, also, ponder how to safely ride the vertical transportation devices, shoulder-to-shoulder with neighbors, and work colleagues.

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