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In our January blog, 4 Best Practices For Winterizing Elevators, we described the best practices for sustaining the proper functioning of an elevator in winter. A 2018 NYC Department of Buildings Elevator Report indicated there were over 84,000 vertical transportation devices in New York City, with 63,000 of these devices being passenger elevators carrying over 100,000 riders on 35 million trips DAILY! 

As an elevator transports riders’ up and down to their daily destinations, the passengers are often unaware the reason for their calm and contented demeanor has as much to do with the soothing sounds of the elevator etiquette-approved piped-in music, commonly referred to as elevator ‘muzak.’ Elevator ‘muzak’ was the brainchild of a World War I U.S. Army Chief Signal Officer, Major General George O. Squier. Since radio was still only a promising innovation in the 1920s, Squier would transmit radio signals across electrical wires.

For the majority of Americans, the daily elevator ride is a simple matter of pushing a button and waiting until the elevator brings you to your desired floor. Consequently, for those in the elevator industry, there’s a little more to it. Very few elevator riders contemplate the complicated mechanics that are at work within that metal box-like structure, such as the counterweights that balance the elevator cars, the electric motor, the braking system, and the system of strong cables and sheaves running between the cars and the machines.

If looking for brief elevator banter while shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow travelers, keep today’s blog handy and share information regarding the oldest operating elevators in the U.S! Who doesn’t love a snippet of history?

Pardon this one ‘pun,’ but the elevator sector is ‘on the rise’ and Champion Elevator, one of the leaders in elevator maintenance, repair, and modernization, believes it is time to ride the growth of the elevator sector ‘to the top.’

WANTED: responsible, detail-minded, customer service oriented, analytical, and mechanical-minded to troubleshoot malfunctions quickly.  The above job description is for the vocational profession of an elevator mechanic. The position requires a high-school diploma and a commitment to a five-year apprenticeship program, which includes a mix of both classroom work and paid on-the-job training. The standard workweek is 40 hours with some overtime hours. There may also be times of being on 24-hour call to handle sudden emergencies.

OATH is the acronym for the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. When there is a violation of NYC building codes, such as improper functioning of an elevator, the offense needs to be corrected before the building can be sold, refinanced, a new certificate of occupancy obtained, or letter of completion obtained for the fixed violation.

There are an estimated 71,000 high-rise skyscraping buildings in New York City and surrounding boroughs, most possessing elevators and escalators providing an approximated 35 million rides daily. The NYC Department of Buildings’ (DOB) elevator unit, is the agency responsible for the annual inspection of elevators, escalators, and related devices.

The elevator ride is taken in stride by many to get to their subjective destinations, located in towering offices and apartment buildings across America. Champion Elevator understands that the proper functioning and safety of these elevators takes the dedication of routine of skilled maintenance behind-the-scenes, especially in winter, when the thermometer temperatures plunge.