If you’re in the market for a new residential lift, then you have a lot to think about.
Where exactly will the lift go? How will it blend in with the existing décor of your home? What kind of safety and accessibility features do you need? And what kind of guarantee or warranty should you expect?
To help you answer these questions, here are 5 things to consider when purchasing your new residential lift.
Decide where the lift will go:
Have your lift installer assess your home and a detailed floorplan.
This will help your installer better understand how you are currently going upstairs and downstairs, how much effort this requires, and where the most suitable placement would be for a new lift. Plus, this will also give your installer some insight into any structural considerations they should be aware of.
This way, your installer will be able to install the new lift in a location that is seamless with the rest of the layout, while taking up as little space as up.
For advice on things to consider when purchasing a residential lift, contact Old Mate Elevators today.
Interior and exterior décor:
A well-designed and visually appealing lift will greatly enhance the enjoyment of your new lift.
Your installer will guide you through the process of designing your new lift. There are many decorative and functional aspects to a residential lift cabin that can influence the look and feel of the unit itself.
Some of the most common features include:
Your choice of glass, metal, or even wooden elevator door or cabin
- Different types of elevator button interfaces
- Interior wallpaper colour and design
- Room width and ceiling height
- By taking into account your home’s existing décor, your installer will ensure the design of your residential lift is in perfect harmony with the look and feel of your home.
Have plenty of safety features:
In the unlikely event of an accident, you want total peace of mind knowing that your residential lift will keep you safe.
These days, modern elevators are equipped with a variety of safety features. These features are designed to keep the riders safe, respond accordingly to different emergency situations, and reduce the risk of injury and further technical failure. Some safety features are automated so they require no intervention by the user, while other features require manual input.
Regardless of your accessibility needs, consider these safety features when purchasing a residential lift:
- Emergency phone: In an emergency situation, a residential lift phone will enable you to seek assistance. Whether or not your residential lift phone will work during a power outage depends on if you have a battery back-up. Make sure your residential lift phone is compliant with the nbn™ network, as all previous services will soon be permanently disconnected.
- Smoke and fire alarm: Having these alarms in your residential lift will quickly alert you to emergency fires.
- Self-evacuation: In the event of power failure, the residential lift will gently travel down to the lowest level, and open the doors so that the passengers can safely exit the lift.
- Motion sensors: As the residential lift travels down, if the unit detects the presence of an obstructive object, the lift will then stop and only resume travel away from the object.
- Fall prevention: Most modern lifts have an in-built Fall Arrest Mechanism (grippers), which prevents the lift from falling if the ropes or hoist shaft breaks
Have a guarantee:
Purchasing a residential lift is a major financial investment. So you want to be sure that your investment will last. For this reason, choose a residential lift provider who stands by the quality of their work with a workmanship guarantee.
Warranty periods may vary from provider to provider. Although most providers offer at least one year of free, no-obligation call outs and maintenance. Once this period ends, the provider will charge a fixed fee for each visit.
Ensure the residential lift meets relevant industry standards:
All residential lifts installed in Australia must comply with various codes and regulations.
The official standard your lift should comply with is he As 1735.1 regulation. This standard clearly outlines the minimum requirements a residential or commercial lift must have. Some examples include the minimum requirements for the cabin size, interior accessories, safety features, accessibility, and hand rails.
Any reputable installer will be happy to explain this standard to you in greater detail, and how your residential lift complies with the standard. Avoid any installer who does not have exceptional knowledge and experience in this field.
Old Mate Elevators is one of Sydney’s most trusted lift companies. Our lift technicians are highly skilled in the design, installation, and maintenance of a variety of residential and commercial lift systems.
To request a quote from Old Mate Elevators, call (02) 9576 5999 or send your online enquiry.
One of our friendly technicians will let you know what things to consider when purchasing a residential lift, and they will recommend a safe, reliable, and cost-efficient solution for you.