When people first enquire about buying a home lift the most common questions are usually about how safe they are. To make life a bit easier for those interested in domestic lifts we have put together a list of the top five questions we get asked and provided the answers.
1) What happens in the event of a power cut?
This is a naturally a frequently asked question and the answer is quite simple. Most home lifts are equipped with a battery back-up facility as standard. This means that if a power cut occurs and the user is in the lift it just descends to the lower level of the house until the mains power comes back on again.
2) What happens if something obstructs the lift while it is moving?
Most lifts for the home include top and bottom safety pans. These two pans work continuously and are located above and below the lift. If an object was to obstruct the lift during transit it simply stops. It only starts moving again once the obstruction has been removed. A full height light curtain, which is located at the entrance to the lift, also acts as a sensor so that nothing crosses in or out of the lift as it ascends. If the light curtain is crossed, again, the lift will stop until the obstruction is removed.
3) How in control of the lift are you?
Domestic lifts are fitted with ‘hold to run’ controls so that the user is always in total control of the lift at all times when it is moving.
4) Can I fall out of the lift?
The short answer is no. Home lifts are fitted with a standard self-closing hinged door which acts as a barrier when the lift is in operation. The door locks only release when the lift arrives safely at the floor of the choice.
5) Do home lifts have a weight limit?
Yes they do. Most domestic lifts can carry a capacity of 170kg – that is 27 stone or 375 pounds and are fitted with weight limit sensors. If this weight is exceeded, the lift will not move. In addition, the lift has sensors that can detect if it is out of balance or not. If it is, these will prevent the lift from moving. In the unlikely event the lift travels too fast, an over speed sensor will stop the lift from travelling.
The Stiltz Team.