Water damage in elevator pits

In the Chicago area we just got hit with a weekend of storms that compounded our already wet spring.  For most buildings we take care of the elevator pit which is the lowest point in most buildings.  This translates to being the point in the building that water is most likely going to accumulate.  One of the reasons elevator maintenance contractors are proponents of having monthly maintenance visits is so we can check to see if your elevator pit is dry.

[This is a bad pit that has water exposure]

[This elevator's muffler is about to let loose after years of water exposure]

[Years of humidity pitting the piston which will in turn damage any packing you put in]

[Years of humidity rusting the top of the piston]

[If the water gets too high it will go into the packing and contaminate the hydrualic fluid]

[Dormant building that had water]

[Water got so high it got through the platform and started rusting the car station]

[Rusty platform - this is what you stand on]

[The hydraulic line may have been compromised]

[Something useful once was in the electrical boxes]

[This didn't happen overnight - water entry point]

[Sill support angle is in bad shape]

Take away – A few things to pay mind to

1.    Make sure your elevator contractor is coming on a regular basis

2.    If you hear strange noises underneath your elevator like water, call your elevator contractor

3.    If your elevator contractor notices water have them do an analysis of your elevator pit equipment.

4.    Work with your elevator contractor to ensure your sump pump is working properly

5.    There are sealing solutions available through a few different vendors with a few different methods; membrane & injection are two.

6. Make sure your elevator contractor is coming on a regular basis

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

Associa Cares – Casino Night 6/8/18

On Friday June 8^th, 2018 Associa Property Management had their annual casino night to benefit their charitable arm Associa Cares.  Colley Elevator was a proud partner of this event sponsoring a gaming table and attending the event.  It was a great event with table games, music, silent auction & raffle.  As the night went on the stakes got higher and the more fun was had.

Associa Cares provides charitable support to those people and communities that have been struck by natural and man-made disasters.

This is also a time where we get to mix with property managers and board members.  It is always great to see the property managers who we communicate with over the phone and email in person every now and then to see there is an actual person behind the name or the phone number.   I heard “I know you”, “Oh! You’re Craig”, “you guys take care of these building’s for me”, etc.  With today’s technology we are speaking on the phone less and less and relying on technology for communication so it is always great to see everyone!

This was a great evening and I’m glad we participated.  Had some fun, played some games and connected with existing relationships and made some new ones.  I won some silent auctions and the money is going to great cause.  

For more information - http://www.associacares.com/

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

Chicago elevator maintenance, service, modernization & new construction

After doing this blog for the last 4 years it is hard to come up with new material.  This I’m kind of excited about because it was a busy week and these are only a few things we did as a company, reflecting back as a whole it was a interesting week!  It is so easy to document almost everything we do, this is some of the action this week.

This is a photo of the temperature dropping 30[90+ to 60] degrees during the evening and driving into the City in the mid morning for a meeting.

A picture of a new machine we are installing on a 1920’s elevator system that is being modernized.  It was modernized sometime in the 1980’s we are doing it a 2^nd time this year with replacing everything but the rails and platform/cab.   It is always great to see a HWEC machine with the Colley name on it, it will never get old.

The motor went on the west elevator, you cannot see the motor placement, but it is a dry unit with the motor obstructed by the hydraulic line.

I have grown to have a deep appreciation for the data tags on cross heads when doing engineering on modernization.  I have also grown a deep distaste for people who do not pay attention and change the equipment without updating the tag or removing the tag.  Every time I see one of these tags it is a beautiful thing!  This building we are replacing the cylinder.

This was a special delivery from one of our hydraulic cylinder vendors.  It appears that the shipping company dragged this head across the entire shipping facility to get it ground down this much.

This is from a basement machine we are working that is 2:1 and we are scratching our heads trying to find a home for the rope gripper.

Parking garage elevator that smelled like a parking garage elevator but has significant deterioration on the hatch doors.

New construction hoistway waiting for a well driller to put a hole down.

This is a picture of a project where we are installing a new cylinder and power unit on a freight elevator.  4th out of 4 cars we have to do.  Lots of drums of sand!

This is only some of the things that I was a part of this week.  We had a crazy week with projects, overtime calls, service calls, etc.  It was a wild one!  Here is to everyone who helped make it a success!!!

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