The Importance of Elevator and Lift Inspections When Purchasing a Home

When purchasing a new home in South Carolina, everyone knows to get your potential home inspected before you sign on the dotted line, but did you know that home inspectors are not qualified to inspect your elevators or lifts? 

  Purchasing a home with an elevator or lift is super convenient and even necessary for some friends and family to visit and some love the opportunity to get their elderly pets up and down, so when it comes to inspecting this machine, leave it to the professionals to ensure you and your family are safe.

South Carolina is lacking regulation for residential home lifts, so there are many lifts that are installed onto decks or in homes that are not even rated for passengers, or even worse, not tested by the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) or have components on it that are not UL Listed!  UL Listed parts ensure safety for all consumers. You may have seen this logo on light bulbs or other electronics, but who thinks of looking at an elevator controller to ensure it has been manufactured and tested for safety? Many fly-by-night companies have even installed them without permits or necessary safety protocol such as top interlocking gates at the top landing.  This could cause catastrophic events to occur.  As an elevator contractor, I have seen some scary things that people have done that were unspeakably dangerous. There are companies who are installing unsafe elevators and lifts to this day, so be careful!

                There also are many elevators that are over 20 years old in the Grand Strand and soon will need a lot of work or even need to be replaced.  Knowing what you are getting into ahead of time can help you to talk down on the asking price so that you can afford to replace the necessary parts or even replace the lift with a new one to ensure the safety of your family and friends. Many existing elevators are in violation of the "3/4 x 4 rule" that the National Association of Elevator Contractors has deemed to be an entrapment issue. There is a slim chance, but there have been times when small children or pets get stuck between the elevator landing door and gate. Door spacers have been created to eliminate this issue, but who would even think of looking for this when you are in awe of the beautiful new home you are purchasing?

Rusted Base Plate & Rails on a Residential Elevator

                When purchasing a home with a vertical platform lift, there is usually at least some rust from the salty beach air in this area if the lift is a few years old.  These need to be taken care of at least twice a year, but they often get neglected, so it is imperative to get a professional to verify these are safe to use.

                Ultimately, homeowners need to take safety into their own hands when purchasing a home with an existing lift or elevator for now.  Hopefully, this will shed some light on the necessary changes that need to be made in this state.