What do you need to know before adding a residential lift to your home? Read on for more info on the different types of lifts, the main regulations governing the installation of residential lifts, and what to look out for when hiring a lift contractor.
What is a residential lift?
Residential lifts are designed to be placed in private residences and sometimes small commercial buildings. If you are searching for a home trend to add in your house, a home elevator might just exactly what you need.
These are not comprehensive and as expensive as those lifts found in commercial buildings. Usually, they are small and can fit up to four (4) occupants, with the ability to go up and down two to five (2-5) floors.
They are often easier to maintain and easier to install and construct.
Why should you install a lift in your residence?
Residential lifts can serve several purposes. Below we have listed a few.
Do you foresee yourself climbing flights of stairs over and over just to get from your kitchen to your bedroom? Not only will that impact how you feel physically, but it’s simply a waste of time.
Imagine the stress and work it will be to do all of that while walking up flights of stairs.
Also, they will be quick to buy it too because of the beauty the lift will add to your home.
You do not want to own a house that you are not able to access because your body cannot manage climbing and descending flights of stairs. Maybe you have a disability that affects your mobility - a residential lift will be a good decision to install because then you will have the chance to have full access to your home.
Let’s say someone in your house is pregnant, climbing flights of stairs will impact the health of that person’s body. Having a residential lift can help in this regard.
Of course, problems can occur with a lift, but more issues exist with a staircase. For example, you could slip and fall down flights of stairs.
When you eliminate that space, you have added that added space that could be used for storage space, a small office, an indoor garden, etc.
What are the different types of residential lifts?
You choose the type based on the type of residence and space you have. Here are a few to consider.
With hydraulic lifts, every floor must have a full hoist-way enclosure; a pit with a low landing, and it needs to be in a separate machine room.
This is great for those homeowners who do not have the space to accommodate a machine room but desire to have large cabs.
Winding drum lifts can be configured in a variety of ways. If you have the space, it is recommended to have a machine room for easy servicing and maintaining.
Shaftless lifts can be purchased from several manufacturers and can be positioned almost anywhere in a residential space. If you’re looking for convenience; have a small space and want simplicity, this is the lift for you.
These, too, are perfect for homes that have a small space - no machine room is needed. Construction is kept to a minimum and they can serve as many as five (5) landings.
What codes or regulations are there for me to know?
Once you start considering installing a home elevator, you must know the lift codes or main regulations for the country you live in, and you must adhere to them. Let us look at a few of these codes.
Please remember this is not the full list of requirements, so make sure to check it out before doing anything. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
What to consider when hiring a contractor to install my residential lift?
You do not want to hire someone who will do a terrible job, so here are a few guidelines to follow when hiring a contractor to install your residential lift.
Author Bio: Matthew Thomas is the partnership associate at Platinum Elevators. He works with multiple B2C and B2B connection for the company and handles content creation for the business. Matt is also active in various construction events in WA and across Australia.
Publisher Website: https://platinumelevators.com.au/
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