While we all look forward to the arrival of summer, it tends to pose some unwelcome weather conditions that can make the summer months less enjoyable. In areas prone to humidity and high temperatures, elevators are at risk for damage and malfunctions. If you manage a building, it makes sense to take some precautions to avoid elevator issues when the heat spikes.
This is the best way to protect your tenants from getting caught on the elevator while avoiding elevator break downs. Here are some tips to protect your elevator from the summer heat as well as severe summer rainstorms.
Heat Regulation in the Elevator Motor Room
Elevator motor rooms can change temperatures quickly leading to potential breakdowns. Your motor room should always remain between 15.5° and 32°degrees Celsius. Humidity is also a factor and should not go above 85 percent. When temperatures rise above these levels, it can lead to equipment failure interfering with operational efficiencies in your building. It can also cause breakdowns requiring repairs.
This can put elevators out of service for hours or even days, causing a great inconvenience for tenants. Breakdowns also endanger those trapped in the elevators as prolonged exposure to heat can lead to health risks including neurological dysfunction, nausea, disorientation, delirium, and seizures.
Consider a Dedicated Cooling System
To keep your elevator motor room cool, a dedicated cooling system can do the job nicely. Something as simple as a portable air conditioner is fine in smaller buildings as it allows you to control heat when temperatures rise.
Elevator Shaft Ventilation
Effective ventilation in your elevator shaft is a must in warm weather. If you don’t have someone on your team available to check air shaft ventilation, arrange an appointment with your Calgary elevator repair company to do a check in the spring.
Be Prepared for Failures
Although your priority is to prevent equipment failure, being prepared for breakdowns is always a good course of action. Your security team and maintenance crew should have easy access to a diagram with elevator locations, car numbers, and emergency elevator phone numbers. They should also have your Calgary elevator maintenance and repair company’s phone number on the diagram so people can reach them in case of emergencies. If reference or account numbers are required, include that information with the emergency phone number.
Springtime Inspections
Arrange for regular spring inspections of your elevator machine room’s:
- Ventilation openings
- Windows, hatches, and doors exposed to the outdoors
Everything should be secured to keep the heat and rain out. This is the best way to avoid water leakage from reaching electrical panels. Your elevator repair company can install metal splash guards and weather stripping to protect ventilation openings as well as exterior windows and doors.
Use Surge Protection or Power Backup
Blackouts often occur when the demand for electricity rises during heat waves. As tenants turn up the air conditioning demand can lead to building specific shortages as well. To avoid issues, use a surge protection system for your elevators. Many buildings have an emergency power generation system backup or an emergency return system. This is common for hydraulic, machine room-less, or traction elevators. It is important that these backups are reliable as they help keep your elevators operable during emergencies.
These tips will help prepare you for summer heatwaves and the often-violent storms that follow. For information on our Calgary elevator installer, repair, and maintenance services, reach out to us today.
