In today’s modern world, buildings cannot exist without vertical transportation. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are invested by building owners on elevators to ensure that that there is a fully functioning system to transport tenants and their clients. To ensure that the investment is properly taken care of, maintenance is frequently outsourced to a professional elevator installer in Toronto. Proper installation will ensure that the elevator functions properly as designed while preventing excessive wear and repairs.
How elevator installation is carried out
An elevator requires at least 2 hours of maintenance work every month and most building managers outsource the job to elevator services. There are many companies operating as an elevator installer in Toronto, but building managers understand the need to employ qualified and skilled mechanics who will do a good job. While safety is the major consideration of a maintenance program, it can also extend the lifespan of the elevator. An elevator installer in Toronto ensures that all components of the elevator are inspected and tested so that it complies with ASME’s Safety Codes for Elevators and Escalators. Elevator components that need undergo preventive maintenance include:
- Elevator machine room – houses the elevator hoisting machines, motor generator sets and control equipment. The control equipment is one of the critical parts of the elevator system because it is the operating mechanism for acceleration, deceleration and leveling of the car at each floor. Preventive maintenance through elevator services is almost always focused on this room for the inspection and tests on motors, generators, switches, brakes and controls.
- Hoistway – includes the guide rails where the elevator car and counterweights run. Preventive maintenance on the hoistways includes the buffers, corridor door hangers and locks, switches and safety devices. Most of the maintenance work on the hoistways occurs inside the hoistway and outside of the elevator car making it an extremely dangerous responsibility for elevator services. This is the reason why competent and professional elevator mechanics should be employed for the task.
- Elevator car – preventive maintenance work on the elevator car involves the door operating equipment, safety equipment and ventilation system. This task is usually performed from within the hoistway. However, some aspects of elevator car maintenance can be handled by the building staff like ensuring its cleanliness and aesthetics.
In most cases, performance review and maintenance goes hand in hand. Lack of proper maintenance is very evident through longer waiting time and increased floor-to-floor elevator operation. It is part of the responsibility of the facility manager to evaluate the system performance whether it still meets the manufacturer’s specifications. On the other hand, elevator services will confirm whether it can still resolve the issues on elevator performance or if the system has to be modernized. There are instances wherein several components have to be replaced while retaining the rest. Usually data is collected from the maintenance program because it will provide the proper information on what defects have been uncovered during regular maintenance. From the performance review, the building manager will have a basis to make an informed decision.