How To Reduce Your Lift Maintenance Costs

To put it mildly, poor lift maintenance can have a significant negative impact on safety, productivity, customer satisfaction, and production.

There are approximately 325 million elevator rides every day, which means a lift owner will have a lot of people’s safety in their hands when the public use passenger lifts.

Lift engineers and lift maintenance companies are the only group that has a thorough understanding of lift maintenance, and they are the best people to ask for advice on how to maintain a lift in the best shape.

In light of this, we’ve compiled the best maintenance advice from lift specialists. Read our practical guide below to learn how you can reduce your lift maintenance costs.

What is lift maintenance?

Keeping the exterior clean is typically a must for maintaining passenger lifts, especially if you have external platform lifts. This procedure stops the doors from becoming stuck while they are open. Another essential maintenance procedure is the proper operation of passenger lifts. 

The way that lifts were intended to be used should be followed which means it is best to avoid overcrowding because it accelerates component wear. Similar to how it causes rapid lift failure, it endangers user safety and reduces the life expectancy of the lift.

All moveable parts of a lift must be lubricated, and adjustments must be made to ensure peak performance. It is advisable to use a lift maintenance service provider for the job since they have the knowledge to identify and document any flaws in the system and to provide the appropriate advice.

How to reduce lift maintenance costs

Unexpected lift repairs are a burden on any facility’s budget. If a failure does occur, businesses require repairs to be made as soon as possible to get them back up and running. If the time lift systems aren’t working, it could wind up costing the company a lot of money. Here are a few pointers for reducing elevator maintenance costs:

Inspections

Regular lift inspections are crucial to avoid expensive breakdowns that could wind up costing your company money and valuable time, as well as to ensure the safety of your staff and guests by complying to LOLER lifting regulations.

Companies who skip lift inspections or their lift service in an effort to save money may end up paying significantly more for repairs and safety fines. Plan ahead a year in advance for these checks to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

These inspections will cover things like emergency phone lights and communications, machine room and pit housing, signage, GFCI outlets and more.

Lift modernisation

Due to the architecture of the current installation or surrounding environment, building work requirements, and associated expenses, complete replacement of a lift is frequently impractical. In these situations, modernization could be able to take advantage of the most recent technological advancements and update the design of your lift with less hassle and at a lower cost.

The most frequent reasons for lift breakdowns are outdated and unstable lift components, which may require costly repairs and downtime. However, replacing these parts along with routine maintenance will reduce lift downtime and, more crucially, deliver improved reliability and lower operating costs.

Lift service contract

Most lift providers offer various levels of service contracts, and your unique requirements can be explored before signing a service contract.

An elevator service contract is extremely useful if you own a lift in residential or commercial buildings, as problems can be identified before they inevitably get worse and need costly repairs.

Every contract should stipulate frequent maintenance visits, during which a lift engineer will check, lubricate, clean and tune all pertinent parts for best operation. Any time a site visit occurs, a report detailing the work done is given to the lift owner.

Self-diagnosis

It’s not necessary to be a lift technician to perform routine visual inspections of your lift systems. Your facilities manager may give your lift systems routine weekly lift maintenance checks to avoid costly service calls and serious damage with a little guidance from your lift company.

How much maintenance will a lift require?

The level of maintenance needed for each lift varies, just like for a car. It will rely on a number of variables, such as:

• the quality of the original lift equipment e.g. lift car, lift shaft.
• age
• level of use
• type of use

Due to the more durable nature of its components, a well-installed strongly engineered lift will often require less preventative maintenance than a value engineered installation in a similar operating environment. Similar to how a lift gets older and its parts start to wear out and age, an older lift is likely to need a little more maintenance than a new lift to prevent breakdowns and reliability problems.

An electric traction passenger lift that is brand-new can last for about 20 years. But maintaining it at a reasonable level over the course of its whole working life is what will make sure it is dependable for that long.

Weekly Lift Checklist To Avoid Costly Breakdowns

Regular weekly checks, covering functional, visual, and audio elements, are essential to keep your lift operating safely and efficiently. These routine inspections can help prevent costly breakdowns and reduce the need for emergency repairs. As a property manager, ensuring these checks are carried out in line with your lift maintenance contract helps you stay compliant with passenger lift safety regulations and minimises disruption for building users.

If any faults or damage are identified during your weekly inspection, report them immediately to your lift maintenance provider and take appropriate remedial action without delay.

Weekly Lift Inspection Checklist

• Levelling: Check that the lift stops level with each floor. The lift threshold should be flush to avoid any trip hazards.
• Car lighting: Ensure all lighting inside the lift car is working. Replace any blown lamps as soon as possible.
• Doors and door tracks: Inspect the door tracks to confirm they are clean and free from obstruction. Include vacuuming and cleaning of these tracks in the building’s routine cleaning schedule. Malfunctioning lift doors are a leading cause of breakdowns.
• Button functionality: Test that all landing and car operating buttons respond correctly and that the lift travels to the selected floor without error.
• Auditory checks: Listen for any unusual or irregular noises while the lift is in motion. Report any anomalies to your lift maintenance provider, as they may indicate underlying issues.
• Safety devices: Confirm that all door safety features are working correctly. These systems are vital in preventing injury by causing the doors to reopen if an obstruction is detected.
• Communication systems: Test the emergency alarm and intercom to ensure they function properly. These are critical in the event of a breakdown, especially if the lift is located far from the motor room or other support areas.

Carrying out these weekly checks, alongside a comprehensive lift maintenance contract, supports compliance with safety regulations and can significantly reduce the risk of unexpected failures. Partnering with a reliable lift maintenance provider ensures that any issues identified are swiftly addressed, keeping your lift safe, compliant, and operational.

Looking for expert lift maintenance and lift installation to reduce your costs?

If you need expert lift upgrading, installation, or maintenance services, the professionals at Future Lift Services in Essex and London can help.

Our expert lift engineers have years of experience in the field, and we offer a comprehensive range of lift services to meet your specific needs.

We can help you maintain the efficiency and smooth operation of your lifts while also assisting you in making the most cost-effective possible servicing cost savings.

This includes lift modernisation & refurbishment , installation, servicing, and maintenance.

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