If you own a commercial building that has several levels, elevator maintenance services should be part of your overhead. Elevators make it easy for people to travel up and down several floors. In the case of skyscrapers, staircases would stay packed if they were the only way to get from floor to floor. If your home space allows for it, you can also install an elevator in a residence. Whatever type of building you have, if you plan on installing an elevator, here's what you should expect during the installation process.

They Will Ask About Purpose and Give You a Timeline

Make sure you understand the purpose of your elevator. Is it just to transport employees and customers to different floors? Or is it a freight elevator meant to hold heavy equipment and cargo? According to Elevator World, the average office elevator makes about 400,000 trips annually and runs about 10 hours daily. During a typical five-day work week, elevators operate about 260 working days per year, or 2600 hours annually. The intention behind investing in the elevator will be important to the installation process.

Also, consider the timeline of the project. There is no one set time for an elevator installation. The timeline depends on the type of building it'll operate in, as well as the design of the elevator. According to The New York Times, installation may take one week to several months, so plan accordingly.

They Will Perform a Pre-Installation Inspection

Before any installation begins, elevator contractors must thoroughly inspect the building to ensure it can hold an elevator and has space for a shaft. They'll check the building layout to see where an elevator can fit the best, and make sure that there are no safety concerns or potential areas that may cause hiccups during installation.

They Will Calculate Load Capacity

Getting back to the topic of purpose, the lift capacity must be determined before the elevator can go into operation. If an elevator has too much weight beyond its capacity, it may not be able to move at all or can malfunction. Your elevator maintenance services workers will label all elevators with the weight capacity so that everyone who uses them will know the restrictions.

They Will Build the Shaft

After the inspection has been completed and the weight capacity has been determined, elevator maintenance services can now begin building the shaft. The constructed elevator car must fit inside the shaft well, as it will move up and down it all day long.

They Will Complete Electrical Work

There's a lot of electrical work that goes into operating an elevator. Workers have to construct wiring and fixtures strong enough to pull the car up and down the shaft safely. The taller the building is, the more complex and intense this process will be. Plus, when there's more than one elevator in the works, there are more elevator shafts to consider. Some of the electrical work is inside the shaft and the car itself, while other electrical work will have to be completed on each floor the elevator stops on.

Consider the height of a building when you want an elevator. For example, a very tall skyscraper with 50 floors will need several elevators to get everybody where they need to be within a reasonable amount of time. There's a lot of work that has to be done on each floor and within the shafts themselves. For that type of project, expect the project timeline to last several months for elevators to get clearance to operate.

They Will Perform a Post-Installation Inspection

Once your elevators have been installed and are up and running, expect to have regular inspections to maintain safety. The number of elevator inspections needed will depend on its age and the amount of traffic it sees. According to Property Manager Insider, you may need to schedule your elevator inspections every six months or per quarter if your business is in a high-traffic area like high office buildings and shopping centers. At the very least, you should call elevator maintenance services to do an annual inspection.

Elevators can make life easier, especially when you move around tall buildings. Thanks to elevators and escalators, people don't have to overexert themselves walking up tens of flights of stairs to get to and from work or run errands. Plus, elevators are ideal for people with mobility issues as they can always make places accessible for them. If you own a business or are a homeowner who needs an elevator in your space, call the right professionals for the installation. Contact Carlsen Elevator Service today for elevator maintenance services.