Home Elevators and Cold Weather

Seasonal tips from your home elevator supplier - Residential Elevators, Inc. (REI)

Cold weather can affect us all in many ways.  Freezing rain and snow can make driving treacherous for many areas of the country.  While cold fronts in the south send farmers and citrus growers scurrying to protect their precious crops.  Very few of us escape those high energy bills that often accompany frigid temperatures.  Even a home elevator can be affected by cold weather.  Here are some helpful tips and things to consider now that winter is upon us.

• Cold Hydraulic Oil – Probably the biggest issue attributed to cold weather are the affects of large fluctuations in temperature of the hydraulic oil that lifts your hydraulic home elevator.  Optimal temperature for the hydraulic system is between 85 – 95 degrees Fahrenheit.  If your machine room containing your hydraulic equipment is located in a “climate controlled” room this probably is not an issue; however, if your equipment is in the garage, attic, or in any other area that is NOT “climate controlled” you may be experiencing sporadic leveling of the elevator if not a “shut down” in the system.
• Options – You have two options to try to eliminate this problem: one option is to control the temperature in the Machine Room/Area to keep the hydraulic oil from experiencing large temperature fluctuations.  The other option is to install a “Tank Heater” in the hydraulic oil reservoir to control the temperature of the oil.  A Tank Heater can be installed relatively quickly by a trained elevator technician and usually proves to be a much less costly avenue vs. controlling the temperature of the room itself. 

• Dry Rails – If your elevator is making a funny noise from the elevator shaft and you can’t figure out what it is….it might be that the main elevator steel guide rails need lubrication.  The lubricant on these rails can some times dry out in cold weather causing the amount of friction between the guide rails and the moving elevator to increase thus causing a noise.  Remember, an elevator shaft is a dangerous place to be and should only be entered by a trained elevator professional familiar with the safety features and the mechanical operation of an elevator.

• Temperature inside the elevator – If your elevator serves a level that is not “Climate Controlled” such as a garage or the ground level of a home on stilts, try parking your elevator on one of the floors that is “Climate Controlled” and even leave the swinging door open on one of these floors if you are not using the elevator.  This will keep your next trip on the elevator from being a “chilling experience”!!!  Also, consider installing a Parking or Homing feature to your elevator that can automatically be programmed to park at a “Climate Controlled” floor.  This is a relatively inexpensive way to do this and insures the elevator is always at the floor you expect it to be.

• Batteries – All REI home elevators come with a battery back up system to provide emergency lowering the event of power failure.  Blizzards, freezing rain, ice storms, and even high energy demands on a grid can all cause a loss of power.  ALWAYS make sure your back up system is in good shape, fully charged, and ready to go in that unlikely event that you are in the elevator when there is a loss of power.

• Consider a check up or schedule maintenance on your home elevator.  We recommend at least once a year and perhaps more often depending on your use and need.  We have several different maintenance programs for you to consider.

REI can help you with all of your Home Elevator needs and answer any questions you might have.  Give us a call at 1-800-832-2004. 

As always – Thank you for your purchase and business.   Residential Elevators, Inc.

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