Buildings flood and elevator damage

This last two weeks in the Chicago area saw a lot of rain, and consequently a lot of building’s flooded.  What to do when you building floods?

If possible shut your elevator off before water gets into the machine room – Do not shut the elevator off or go in the machine room if there is water in the machine room.

What to do after a building floods

           

            Get the water pumped out of the areas that are accessible and have water

            Put ventilation/fans in the area that flooded to move air around

            Have your elevator contractor assess the equipment

            Have elevator contractor assist in hoistway access to pump out water in elevator pit

            Make required equipment replacements

Hydraulic elevators – Hydraulic elevators may have damage to rails, cylinder, piston, packing, hydraulic line, switches, pit equipment & buffers, victolics, etc.

 [one of the pictures of a building we walked in on last week]

[The elevator pit after the water was pumped out of the basement]

[A photo of a building down the streets elevator pit]

Traction elevators – Traction elevators may have damage to rails, switches, pit equipment & buffers, compensation chain, tension sheave, governor cable, etc.

Each water damage situation is different in the affects to the elevator system so you should follow the lead of the elevator contractor to remedy.  Be aware that once a piece of elevator equipment gets wet it will not function the same, it may work but there will be lingering affects. Cables will begin to rust, contacts get corroded, pipes will get rusty, rubber will deteriorate and/or get hard and not perform the way they are intended.  All items should be addressed sooner than later or the lingering issues will become larger and create larger problems.

Take away – Consult your elevator contractor and follow their direction on how to properly repair the elevator correctly and complete the work quickly.

As always feel free to contact us at www.colleyelevator.com, email Craigz@colleyelevator.com or call 630-766-7230.