How do you think a client, customer or resident feels when they walk into your well maintained high rise building, move to use the elevator and it either doesn’t work or traps them somewhere along their journey?
Obviously, the would not be too impressed with your management skills and they will make their opinions known and very loudly too.
Some elevator problems are easier to detect than others. Downtime and slow movement are the usual signs of a more serious problem.
Here are a few telltale signs your elevator is about to fail:
Slow Movement / Longer Wait Time
This is usually the most common indication that the control system is developing problems. The elevator speed should be checked regularly and at intervals even outside of routine servicing schedules. Compare the time it takes the elevator to move from the ground floor to the top floor to the manufacturer’s specifications. Note that the older the elevator, the more likelihood of slowing down as time goes by. A more permanent and proactive solution would be to change from a relay-based system to a microprocessor-based control system.
Poor Quality Power Supply
Modern elevators are filled with pieces of equipment that are sensitive to power supplied. If the quality of power is poor or fluctuates rapidly it will interfere with performance and eventually cause expensive to repair the damage.
Check your records to detect if there have been past frequent incidents of motor burnouts and overheating of other electronic equipment on the premises. If that has been the case you should quickly arrange for a power quality audit.
Tell-tale-signs-your-elevator-is-about-to-fail
Repeated Breakdowns
This is a fairly common indicator of an impending major downtime and service failure. It points to the aging of the essential components of the elevator system. An elevator that is having repeated breakdown may require overhauling or outright modernization.
One of the most common symptoms of a system in need of overhaul or modernization is increasing service call frequencies. As components wear and age, they more readily go out of adjustment, either shutting down the system or interfering with its operation.
All things considered, a wise facility manager will ensure he/she keeps track of the frequency of all problems. A periodic review of the records will help foresee bigger problems before they occur.