How To Understand When An Elevator Needs To Be Repaired

An elevator is an essential and mandatory requirement for all high-rises and multi-storeyed buildings. The presence of elevators ensures that no person faces any difficulty in negotiating the different floor levels irrespective of whether:

• He stays in it and is absolutely healthy,
• He is a guest visiting someone staying there,
• He is differently abled either from birth or due to some injury or
• He is currently indisposed for a short period of time due to an accident or sickness.

There are several advantages attached to installing an elevator in a building. These advantages relate to a number of things other than the people involved. In fact, the elevator can be said to be the most important means of transportation in a building. Thus its advantages and benefits are also spread across a number of avenues like:

• Efficiency: It helps in the quick transportation of a number of people at the same time to different storeys of a building. This not only helps them save time but the energy which would otherwise be spent in climbing stairs is also saved. This energy conserved will help people to do their jobs better thereby making them efficient and punctual.
• Space saving: While stairs are pretty cumbersome and take up a lot of space, the installation of the elevator just needs the presence of a shaft. This saves up valuable space which can be utilized for other purposes. The installation of an elevator also makes the building interior look crisp and clean.
• Safety: A rush of people hurrying up and down the stairs is a sure recipe for disaster. But elevators are able to transport a number of people at the same time in between floors thereby preventing any tragedy from taking place. Thus elevators are a safer option than stairs.

Hence it becomes mandatory for the elevator to be functional at all times. This requires timely maintenance and upkeep to ensure that all parts are working well. While an annual maintenance contract suffices for the proper functioning of the lift for the period of the contract, daily wear and tear that it encounters during its operation gradually tend to wear it down. Thus comes a time when the elevator starts to give warning signals which signify that the elevator needs either a total overhaul and repairs or in worst cases it needs to be replaced. Some of the important warning signals given out by the elevator are:

• Change in speed: Elevators which are not able to pull through properly and are in need of urgent repairs tend to show a perceptible slowdown of speed. Thus the wait time as well as the travelling time becomes longer thereby giving rise to dissatisfaction and irritation among its users. This slowdown of speed is primarily due to the frictional resistance which it faces due to the malfunctioning of its parts.
• Mid-Levelling: Elevators in need of repair also have a tendency to stop either a few inches above or below the floor level. This mid-leveling occurs due to the wearing away of the brakes and is a very serious problem which needs to be taken care of immediately to prevent any disaster from taking place.
• Frequent break-down: Frequent breakdown or problems cropping up frequently regarding the day to day functioning of the elevator is also an indication that the elevator needs to be repaired thoroughly. Hence this too should be taken seriously so that the required repair work can be carried out and the frequent hassle of breakdown can be taken care of.
• Strange noises: An elevator in good working condition is almost soundless. In fact the only sounds that are heard come from the recorded messages saved within the elevator to inform the passengers about the floor number. But sometimes abnormal sounds can be heard when the elevator is in action. This is a clear indication that something is definitely wrong with the elevator and it needs the expertise of the lift mechanic immediately.
• Jerky movements: When the elevator starts to move up and down with jerky movements, it means that something is technically wrong with the elevator. Thus calling a mechanic and getting it checked should be a priority since it can hamper the safety of the passengers going up or down using the elevator.

The presence of either or all of the above warning systems demands that the elevator be immediately shut down and it be either replaced or repaired depending on the intensity of the damage incurred by the elevator. Thus during this period, it is best for people using the elevator to opt for alternate arrangements so that they face no health hazard.