Elevator maintenance

In the last few weeks we have gone to a number of buildings who have maintenance contracts with elevator companies and found

1.    The maintenance contractor does not show up

2.    There are no maintenance records

3.    Testing is over due

4.    No maintenance is being performed

5.    Building management or ownership have no idea what is going on with the elevator

As a building owner you pay your elevator contractor every month, every quarter or whatever interval they bill you.  As a building owner you should know what you are getting for the payments.  While typically everything should be ok at a building if the elevator contractor misses a monthly or quarterly visit.  We visited a building who was paying for “monthly” inspections and found this.

[This elevator pit filled with 30" of water which looks like it has been there for some time]

You depend on the elevator contractor to not only inspect the elevator equipment but to let you know about these conditions.  While the elevator contractor does not pump water out of elevator pits, we are the only personnel that should be reviewing the elevator pit so it is up to the elevator company to let the building owner know about these conditions. 

Larger OEM or multi national firms and independent companies such as Colley Elevator have much different product offerings.  Recently I have spoken to people at different OEM’s and they let me know about the expectations of the companies they work for

1.    4 minute maintenance stops each quarter

2.    15 minute maintenance stops each quarter

3.    500 elevators on a maintenance routes[team maintenance w/2 mechanics]

Take away - The take away from this is to make sure you know what you are getting from the elevator maintenance agreement you have.  Is the elevator contractor supposed to be there once a month, once a quarter, twice a year, etc.  There isn't much you can do on an elevator if you are only given 4 to 15 minutes each quarter.  Talk to your elevator contractor, find out what you are getting, if you don’t like what you hear.  Call a responsible independent elevator contractor.

If you have an questions or would like information from Colley Elevator you can go to www.colleyelevator.com, email Craigz@colleyelevator.com or call 630-766-7230.