Elevator Doors a Key Part of Preventive Maintenance
November 30, 2015
Regular, on-site preventive maintenance is essential in sustaining the performance and improving the lifespan of a building's elevator systems. One of the key areas to look at is elevator doors, which are some of the most used and mistreated components of a commercial building.
They are the only part of an elevator system that moves twice each time a car reaches a desired floor. In addition, riders pry the doors open, stop them from closing to allow additional passengers, prop them open when loading and unloading cargo, and bang up against them with luggage and carts.
Abuse as well as wear and tear of elevator doors can cause them to not open or close properly. An inadequate alignment of the doors can become severe enough that a shutdown is inevitable and an entrapment becomes possible.
Many times damage to a lift's doors, including knocking them off alignment, is above and beyond what is covered by a standard elevator maintenance contract and repair is at the building owner's expense.
Elevator doors and rollers require routine maintenance and adjustments to ensure that they open and close evenly. An obvious warning sign that an elevator system's doors are out of alignment are scratches on the inside of the doors as a result of the panels dragging along the car. Refinishing costs of the doors — which could have been avoided with proper routine maintenance — will then have to be incurred by the building owner, as they are not covered in service contracts. Other door components that can cause performance issues include door gibs, hanger rollers, and hoistway door interlocks.
Today’s tip comes from Eric Rupe.
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