Whether it’s a small dumbwaiter delivering meals between floors or a high-speed passenger lift carrying dozens daily, one thing is certain — safety and reliability are non-negotiable.
Lifts are an indispensable part of everyday modern life. They help people freely ascend and descend buildings, and enterprises transport goods. There are many different types of such systems in use today.
However, in the absence of regular maintenance, these lifts can break down and cause problems. That’s why you need to hire a reliable lift maintenance company to inspect your lift.
Continue reading to learn about the types of lifts, the importance of maintenance, and how to choose an organization below.
What are the Different Types of Lift Systems?
The different types of lift systems are dumbwaiters, passenger lifts and freight lifts.
Dumbwaiters
Dumbwaiters or dumb waiters are freight lifts that carry small loads to heavy loads. These lifts are powered by electric motors. They were initially used to transport food from the lower levels of restaurants to dining rooms above.
Nowadays, dumbwaiters are used in hotels, hostels, the catering industry, and the medical industry.
| Places | Use of Dumbwaiters |
| Catering industry | Transport dishes for catering or washing; using dumbwaiters prevents these dishes from breaking |
| Hotels and hostels | Transport laundry, and occasionally dishes, between floors |
| Medical industry | Transport medical equipment and supplies between floors |
Table 1: Uses of dumbwaiters
The cables of these lift systems often fray over time due to prolonged use. Apart from that, the electrical circuits of these lift systems can be damaged due to a lack of proper maintenance.
These circuits help ensure the dumbwaiters’ safety or interlocks function normally.
That’s why you need to hire a well lift maintenance company for regular dumbwaiter maintenance.
Passenger Lifts
Passenger lifts are the lifts that we use in our daily lives to ascend and descend buildings. These lifts are found in commercial spaces, homes, and public buildings.
Freight Lifts
Freight lifts are used to transport heavy-duty goods like vehicles or other equipment in factories and warehouses. These lifts are not bound by the same standard that governs passenger elevators.
They do not need humans to accompany them when they transport the goods. These elevators can suffer from improperly functioning doors, malfunctioning motors, and worn cables. That’s why you need to hire a reliable lift maintenance company to service them.
Why Maintenance Matters for Every Lift Type?
You need to maintain your lifts regularly for the following reasons.
Safety
Safety is one of the primary reasons for maintaining your lifts. That’s because not maintaining your lifts can lead to unwanted accidents. For instance, consider a passenger lift with worn cables or improperly functioning call buttons or doors.
The strain on the cables could cause them to snap and drop the elevator frame in the shaft, leading to disastrous consequences. Improperly functioning doors or call buttons could lead to you falling down the shaft.
That’s because the doors open at the wrong time. As per available data, more than 200 elevator accidents were recorded in 2022 in UK and France.
Using a reliable lift maintenance company to carry our regular maintenance also ensures that you are prepared for any emergencies.
Compliance with Regulations
Elevator maintenance is also important to comply with regulations by local bodies like LOLER in the UK. It governs all safety regulations related to lifts and is mandated by UK’s Health and Safety Executive.
The Health and Safety Executive governs all regulations related to workplace health and safety. LOLER regulations are applicable for people who operate lifts or buildings where these lifts are used are liable.
The basic provisions of these regulations state that all lifts must function properly, do not have any issues, and must be regularly inspected. For instance, a passenger lift should be inspected on a bi-annual basis.
Take a look at the table below to understand the frequency of maintenance of such lifts.
| Type of lift systems | Frequency of maintenance |
| Dumbwaiters | Once a year or more, as per the advice of a reliable lift maintenance company |
| Passenger lifts | Every six months or biannually |
| Freight lifts | Daily before use and once a year |
Table 2: Types of lift systems and frequency of maintenance
Maximising Operational Lifespan
When you regularly maintain a lift, you prolong its lifespan by preventing unnecessary breakdowns. For instance, some common issues detected across these lifts involve frayed cables, and control panels.
Frayed cables are caused due to the heavy loads that these lifts bear. The door sensors of the lift systems can malfunction due to dirt or other obstructions, like wrappers or stones.
The control panels of your lift system can malfunction due to humidity, dirt, or short-circuiting electrical panels.
You can minimize the risk of all these issues by maintaining your elevator in a timely manner.
How to Choose the Right Lift Maintenance Provider?
You can choose a reliable lift maintenance company by considering the following parameters mentioned below.
Experience and Expertise
You should choose a lift maintenance company that has prior experience in maintaining different types of lifts. This will ensure that they can fix your lift system without any issues.
For instance, a company with ten years of experience will doubtless have handled more lifts than one with two years.
The Necessary Qualifications
The lift maintenance company you choose should have professionals who have the necessary qualifications. These include being UKAS-credited, LEEA diplomas, NEBOSH, and IOSH-certified, along with an engineering degree.
All these qualifications will ensure that the company has LOLER-compliant professionals
24×7 Emergency Response
Ideally, a should have 24×7 emergency services. This will ensure that they can respond to a call for help at any time. For instance, they will be able to help rescue people stuck in lifts at night. Their availability will prevent unwanted stress.
Availability of Spare Parts & Tools
Finally, a reliable lift maintenance company should have the necessary spare parts and tools. This will allow them to carry out maintenance checks and easily replace any parts if necessary.
Wrapping Up
Maintaining your lift is a good way to increase its lifespan, comply with regulations and ensure your safety.
Get A Professional Maintenance Done Today!
Schedule a professional maintenance check today by connecting with a reputed lift maintenance service provider.
