Having a residential elevator in your home is certainly a convenience and a privilege. But you have to understand how to safely operate it and educate everyone in the household about proper usage.
Safety Tips For Standard Residential Elevators
If you have a standard passenger elevator for your home, heed these safety tips.
- Choose experienced elevator installation companies: Elevators installed by inexperienced companies will probably have more mechanical problems than elevators installed by experienced and reputable companies. Poorly installed elevators will also require more visits from repair technicians. Investing in a high-quality product by professionals will make all the difference.
- Address maintenance issues immediately: You should have regular maintenance and inspections done to your elevator at least a couple of times a year. But if you notice something off before then, such as squealing noises or sticking doors, don’t hesitate to call the repair technician.
- Know the emergency features: Read the instruction manual and make sure your whole family understands the emergency features, such as what to do in the event of a power outage.
- Heed weight requirements: While commercial elevators can hold between 1,500 and 6,000 pounds, home elevators only hold between 400 and 1,000 pounds.
- Enter and exit carefully: Use caution when entering or exiting the elevator, especially for those who have mobility concerns. Move away from the doors when opening and closing, and hold the handrails when traveling.
Safety For Dumbwaiters
Dumbwaiters bring many conveniences to the average homeowner, such as assisting with transportation of food, laundry and sports equipment. Here are some ways to safely use a dumbwaiter:
- Read the owner’s manual before you operate it.
- Stick to regular maintenance schedules, or risk premature failure and multiple unnecessary repairs.
- Use the dumbwaiter strictly for objects it was designed to carry. Follow weight limits carefully. For small dumbwaiters, stick to small trays of food and drink. For large dumbwaiters, you can use bags of groceries, luggage, laundry, and sports equipment.
- Call for a repair as soon as you are aware of an issue.
- Wait for doors to open fully before taking out or putting in objects. Don’t pry the doors open and do not force them together.
- Give the dumbwaiter sufficient time to arrive safely at the right floor.
- Tell children not to play with the unit, ride it or climb in it.
- Get an annual inspection.
- Lubricate pulleys and tracks when needed.
- Do not use it during a storm if you think you will lose power.
- Don’t climb into the shaft or hoistway. Call for a repair professional, who will arrive with the proper equipment.
- When cleaning the interior of your dumbwaiter, gently clean up spills and crumbs with a damp cloth.
- Be careful when putting hot plates into the dumbwaiter.
- Follow all safety and usage codes.
Contact Mowrey Elevator
When you do need a repair or a new part, just call Mowrey Elevator’s repair hotline at 800-441-4449.