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Elevator Door Upgrade

If you have recently received a large proposal for your elevator doors, you may be asking yourself what is an elevator door upgrade or elevator modernization? Why is it so expensive? Is it worth doing?

What is an Elevator Door Upgrade

Depending on who you are working with an elevator door upgrade can mean many things. It can mean:

  • Replacing or recladding the elevator and hoist way doors
  • Upgrading the door “eyes” (safety edge)
  • Upgrading the door operator
  • Replacing the door locks, interlocks and clutches
  • Replacing the hoist way interlocks and clutches

For purposes of this post, an elevator door upgrade is replacing the elevator door operator, door locks, door cluctches and interlocks, and elevator doors (not hoist way doors).

Timing for a door elevator upgrade

Elevator doors are often the most abused part of an elevator. People crash into them, stop them from closing, and stick things in them. Furthermore, doors operate twice as many times as the elevator. For each run of an elevator the doors are opening and closing twice. Therefore, the door equipment tends to run out in half the amount of time that the rest of the elevator parts wear out. You can expect a door upgrade may be required after 10 – 15 years of elevator life.

How much is a door elevator modernization (upgrade)

A door elevator upgrade can be expensive. Broken down by major part average costs are as follows:

  • Door operator: $12,000 – $25,000
  • Door locks and clutches: $5,000 – $15,000
  • New Doors: $5,000

You can see the total cost can range from $22,000 -$45,000. If you need to replace the hoist way equipment as well the costs can run much higher.

Should You Have the Elevator Door Upgrade

If your elevator are shut downs and callbacks are related to the doors it may be worthwhile to look into an upgrade. First, check if the calls are related to elevator vandalism. You may have tenants who are knocking the doors out of place. This causes callbacks, and it isn’t solved by upgrading your elevator door equipment. If you find that a majority of your shutdowns and callbacks are related to the doors call your elevator maintenance company and get a quote.

If you need help getting a quote or reviewing the quote, consider hiring an elevator consultant.

Please feel free to drop my a line and I can connect you with a vetted elevator consultant.

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Elevator Inspections

Elevator inspections are part of your building routines. Depending on the state, inspections can be multiple times a year. How should you prepare for these inspections? What is your responsibility versus your elevator maintenance companies responsibility?

What is an elevator inspection?

Elevator inspections are required by most state laws. A state inspector or third party agent will inspect the elevator on an annual or bi-annual basis. Typically, they will perform a pressure test on hydraulic elevator or a no load/full load test on your traction elevator.

They are also checking for various failures. If you fail you will have a period of time for you (or your elevator company) to correct any deficiencies. If you do not correct these or ask for an extension your elevators could be shut down by the state.

Elevator inspection failures

Typically, elevator inspectors can fail your elevator for any number of reasons. Besides failing a pressure test or no load/full load test, most inspectors will go after the visible items. Your doors could be in terrible condition, but if they don’t present a safety issue, the inspector will not write them up.

Typical failures are no phone connection inside the elevator to an outside monitoring company, alarm bell not functioning, fire testing log up to date, and elevator certificates not located on premises. These are all preventable, and mostly under the buildings control.

How to prepare for your elevator inspections

There are a few things any building can do to ensure they don’t fail an inspection.

Elevator Fire Testing Log

Make sure that your fire testing log is being tracked, up to date and in the machine room for the inspector to view. 95% of the time this is not the responsibility of the elevator maintenance company. If you are not sure how to do the fire testing, let your elevator company know and they can help you out.

Check your elevators phone connection and alarm bells

It is good practice for building owners to consistently check that the emergency phone is connected to an outside operating system. If you know an elevator inspection is coming up, check the phones and alarm bells. If either are not working, let your elevator maintenance company know. This could be a serious safety issue in case of elevator entrapments.

Elevator certificates located on the premise

Typically, a buildings elevator certificates need to be located in the elevator, or at least on the building premises. These are often easy to lose, so make sure their is a consistent place you store them (if not in the elevator). You do not want to lose these and have to wait for your local jurisdiction to mail you new certificates.

The day of the elevator inspection

On the actual day of the inspection, your elevator company will need to be present (depending on the jurisdiction). If you have a good relationship with them, you can have them correct minor deficiencies on the spot and pass your inspection. For example if an alarm bell is not working, they could fix it on the spot if they come prepared.

If you fail the inspection you will need to make sure to send a copy of the violation report to your elevator maintenance company. Make sure to get a quick response with what is your responsibility, like maintaining the fire log, versus their responsibility. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to fix all the violations on the report.

If you are having any trouble with your inspections or maintenance company, please feel free to fill out the form below.

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Elevator Jack Replacement

Elevator Jack Replacement

Before we dive into why and how you would need to replace the elevator jack, let’s discuss what the jack is.

What is the elevator jack (or cylinder)

The elevator jack is what moves a hydraulic elevator up and down. For the elevator to move up the jack becomes pressurized with oil. When the elevator comes down the hydraulic oil de-pressurizes the jack.

Single Bottom Jack’s vs. Double Bottom Jack’s

Single bottom jack’s (SBJ) were produced prior to 1971. As the name indicates, SBJ’s have only one bottom while double bottom jacks have an extra bottom. Double Bottom Jack’s were manufactured after 1971 until about 1989. Take a look at a diagram of the differences of a single bottom jack vs. a double bottom jack.

Why have a jack with two bottoms?

Hydraulic Elevator Cylinder Failure 

Most Jacks are made of metals that can corrode. Since jacks are often underground they are exposed to dirt, debris and water that can corrode them over time. For a building owner this can be a disaster. Not only will your elevator be out of order for 6+ weeks, but also it is a major safety issue.

If the jack has a major failure, the elevator could free fall and cause harm to any passengers. Furthermore, there could major environmental impacts as well, especially with single bottom jack. The loss of oil can seep into the ground and water table. The building owner could be liable for environmental damages from the EPA.

A double bottom cylinder can still fail and need to be replaced. However, most of the time the double bottom will protect against some corrosion and prevent major oil seepage.

Elevator Jacks after 1989 have PVC lining

After 1989 elevator jacks were manufactured with a PVC lining. This protects the jack from corrosion and prevents the majority of hydraulic elevator cylinder failures.

Should I replace my elevator jack?

Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to predict or prevent an elevator cylinder failure. Since the jack is underground there is no preventative maintenance procedures that can be done. if you start to notice excessive oil loss, you should be concerned.

If you have the budget for it and your elevator cylinder was made pre-1989 it may be worthwhile to proactively replace the elevator jack. Instead of having unexpected downtime of your elevator, you can have your elevator maintenance company proactively order the materials. Furthermore, you can warn your tenants and schedule the repair in an off season.

Elevator Jack Replacement Cost

The cost of your elevator jack replacement will vary by how many stops the elevator is. A two story elevator will require less materials and less labor than a six story elevator. A good rule of thumb is the cost can be anywhere from $30,000 – $70,000.

Beware of the hole collapsing

Although infrequent, when the elevator repair team removes the failed jack, the hole can collapse. This will extend the time of the repair and cost you more money. Unfortunately, there is nothing to be done about this, besides preparing for the worst. I recommend you get a budget range from your elevator maintenance company in case this happens.

If you are looking for help in determining if you should have an elevator jack replacement, or you need help reviewing a jack replacement proposal, shoot me a line and I can connect you with a vetted elevator consultants.

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Elevator consulting firms

Have you decided to hire an elevator consultant? Which elevator consulting firms should you evaluate and select?

Elevator consulting firms

Similar to elevator maintenance companies, their are both local and national (even international) consulting firms.

National Elevator consulting firms

Lerch Bates is the oldest and largest elevator consulting firms in the world, with over 35 offices internationally and over 50 years of experience. Lerch Bates designed the elevator specifications for the Freedom Tower and Burj Khalifa. If you want a name brand, Lerch Bates is your choice.

Van Deusen and Associates (VDA) is another large consulting firm that is approaching 40 years old and has offices in the United States and Canada. VDA is another name brand that people recognize.

The BOCA Group is another large consulting firm with over 20 years experience and a national presence. Founded in NYC they have expanded across the country, and have an office in Los Angeles.

Michael Blades and Associates is the youngest of the national firms I will mention. MBA has over a decades experience. MBA is located in the Washington DC area. Recently, they expanded their presence to cover elevator consulting jobs across the country. They have added multiple consultants over the past 5 years and are expanding quickly.

How do the large elevator consulting firms operate?

Most of the firms I mentioned above have primary consultants. The primary consultants design elevator maintenance specifications, elevator modernization bids, host walkthroughs with elevator vendors, and review elevator maintenance agreements/elevator repair proposals.

However, outside contractors perform most elevator inspections. These contractors are usually retired elevator mechanics. They write reports that highlight the performance of the elevator and assess the elevator maintenance companies performance. These reports are then passed onto the primary consultants who send the report to building management.

Local elevator consulting firms

Local elevator consulting firms are a challenge to find. They won’t appear on the first page of Google, like the national firms do.

Most local firms are run by one or two retired elevator mechanics who want to offer their expertise to their local community. To locate them, talk to the elevator mechanic who works on your elevator. The local mechanics have a tight knit community, and can point you in the right direction.

The benefit of a local elevator consulting firm is that the same person who actually inspects your elevators will likely be the consultant you work with throughout the process. The downside of a local consulting company, is that if the consultant has limited knowledge about your type of elevator they may have limited resources to help you.

Finding an elevator consultant is challenging. If you would like me to connect with you with my vetted elevator consultant send me a line.

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Elevator Service: What should I Expect?

If you have owned a building for a decade or two you will remember the days when you used to see your elevator mechanic monthly or more.  Your building engineers were friends with him and whenever there was a problem he was there that same day.  Unfortunately, times have changed and in a lot of cities this is no longer the case.

I won’t get into the history now of why that has changed, but how much elevator service should you expect from your maintenance provider?  Well, you probably signed a contract that does not specify how many visits or hours of preventive maintenance needs to be performed, but instead alludes to systematic and routine maintenance.  Vague right?  Well that is on purpose.  Perhaps when you signed your contract your sales rep told you a certain amount of visits. That sales rep is probably long gone.

Expectations for your elevator preventative maintenance

  • 4 maintenance visits per year for hydraulic elevators.
  • 12 maintenance visits per year for traction elevators.

Are these amount of visits designed to extend the longevity of your equipment as some elevator service companies promise?  Well, it depends. If you have a brand new hydraulic elevator there is not much to do. Your mechanic should check the operation of the doors, make sure all the lights are working, and do some basic cleaning.  In this case, 4 visits are year are probably satisfactory.

Now if you have a traction elevator that is 30+ years old you probably need at least 12 visits a year if not more, or consider an elevator modernization.  Depending on the number of stops of your elevator, your technician could easily spend a whole day performing maintenance.  But, here is the problem.

The major elevator companies determine how many elevators each mechanic can have on his route based upon hydraulic versus traction elevators.  Not, based on average age.  That means you are probably not getting the appropriate amount of service, but legally your elevator company is meeting the terms of your agreement.

Your elevator service company is not honoring their contact

In my career I have seen plenty of times that contracts were not honored because of lack of maintenance visits.  So what should you do if you feel this is the case?

Immediately ask your elevator service company for your records for the past 2-3 years.  Legally, according to ASME A17.1-2013, they must keep a maintenance record in your machine room.  Take a look and see if they have been keeping up their end of the bargain.  You might see visits to your building that you do not recall. Can those records be manipulated? Unfortunately, yes they can.

Handshake for Elevator Services

Elevator mechanics typically will have a PDA, tablet or phone that they record their visits in that are verified by GPS.  Some mechanics (in my experience this was extremely rare), may do “drive-bys”.  This means they are next to your building and mark a visit, so it shows up in the records.  If you can prove this is the case (camera footage, the building was closed that day, etc.), you should bring this to the attention of your account manager or service manager.  This may be a disciplinary situation.

More than likely though, your mechanic is stretched thin with too many units on his route. You should ask for a partial refund on your contract.  Your elevator service provider will put up a hell of a fight, but legally they do owe you money. They likely won’t give you a full refund because they will say the contract still covered your insurance, callbacks and annual testing. This is true, but if you really put up a fight they might refund you the full amount.

If you are stuck in a long term contract this may be a way out if you are very unsatisfied with your service. They broke their contract by not fulfilling “systematic and periodic maintenance” which should allow you to end your relationship.  Unless you are very unsatisfied I don’t necessarily recommend terminating your relationship without giving them a second chance. Your mechanic likely has historic knowledge of your elevator that is invaluable.

Be the squeaky wheel

You may face another situation which is much more common.  Your mechanic shows up the required amount of times but is only there for half an hour before he rushes off for another call.  Some mechanics will ride the elevator and your elevator company will say that is their preventative maintenance for the month! Here is where it gets tricky and frustrating. Legally, they could claim they have satisfied their contractual requirements.  But they are not really honoring the spirit of the contract.  In essence, they are not extending the life of the elevator with preventative maintenance.

If this is the case, you or your building engineer will likely have to be the squeaky wheel.  Your elevator service provider is terrified of losing customers. Send an email to your account manager or service manager asking that from now on your mechanic must sign in and out of a log book, and let you or someone on your staff know what he did.  This will be a frustrating process as in my experience after the first visit or two the process breaks down and the mechanic stops checking in.  If your provider still can’t meet these expectations it may be time to look for another service provider, or hire an elevator consultant.

 

 

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Elevator Modernization Cost

Elevator modernization cost

You have an old elevator that needs a modernization or your elevator consultant is telling you its time to modernize.

Now your question is, how much will this elevator modernization cost?

Hydraulic elevator modernization cost

Depending on where your building is located and the amount of work you need done, a typical modernization cost will range from $50,000 to $150,000. Typical hydraulic elevator modernizations include new controllers, door equipment, control operating panels, and tank units. However, if your in ground cylinder need replacing this can add a significant cost. Finally, many jurisdictions around the country require additional building work during an elevator modernization to bring the rest of the elevator up to code. Please note that most hydraulic elevator modernization costs do no include re-doing the elevator interiors.

Traction elevator modernization cost

Again, depending on where your building is located and the amount of work you need done a traction elevator modernization cost can range from $100,000 – $250,000 +.  Typical traction elevator modernizations include the controller, door equipment, control operating panels, and ropes. The range can be so large because replacing door equipment for a 5 story traction elevator versus a 60 story traction elevator clearly adds a lot of costs in parts and labor.   Another large traction elevator modernization cost is replacing the machines. This is often optional and depends on the condition of your current machines. The machines contain the motor.

Old traction elevators had DC drive systems which would convert AC building power to DC power for the drive. New elevators have AC drives meaning there is no need to convert power saving your building money. However. changing the drive is an added expense. Just like with hydraulic elevator modernizations your building may need to be brought up to code and elevator interiors are an extra charge.

Is the cost of my elevator modernization to much?

If you receive a proposal for a modernization, its hard to know if you are being given a fair price. Often times, especially with traction elevator modernizations, building owners will hire an elevator consultant. The consultants can help walk you through the process and issue a formal specifications and request for proposal.

Finding an elevator consultant is challenging. If you would like me to connect with you with my vetted elevator consultant send me a line.

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Preparing your Elevator for a Storm

A big storm is approaching your building. You need to prepare your elevator for the storm to mitigate any damage. By completing some of these preventative measures you can save thousands of dollars and hours of your time dealing with your insurance company.

Preventing elevator water damage for the season

Before the rainy season arrives or depending on where you live complete the following twice a year:

  • Ensure elevator have a surge protection system
  • Make sure the standby power generator is functioning
  • Check emergency lighting and phones
  • Inspect vents, windows and doors near the elevator for any leaks
  • Add weather stripping to doors near the elevator
  • Purchase sump pumps for the elevator pit or if you have them test them
  • Install a float switch will prevent elevators from going to the bottom floor if the pit is flooded

Elevator water damage

Before a big storm

Before a significant storm or hurricane make sure to:

  • Don’t ride the elevators during a major storm
  • Shut down escalators
  • Keep one elevator functioning for emergency personnel
  • Run the rest of the elevators to the highest floor
  • Turn off the main disconnects on the remaining elevators
  • Place sandbags around the elevator machine room to prevent flooding

After the storm

Once the storm has passed:

  • Ensure no one is stuck in the elevator. If so call your elevator maintenance company. Keep in mind they may be overwhelmed so you may need to call 911
  • If you suspect any water damage do not resume normal elevator operation until it has been inspected by your elevator maintenance company
  • Check the machine room for any water exposure

Elevator water damage has been found!

Unfortunately, you have found parts of the elevator that are damaged by water. Complete the following:

  • Call your elevator maintenance company immediately to notify them
  • Record as much information as possible about what parts of the elevator have been touched by water
  • Take photographs of all affected part
  • Save all damaged components in case your insurance company requests them

For major damage, you may want to call an elevator consultant to help with the rep[air, and insurance process.