Elevators in commercial buildings have service lives that range from 20 to 40 years. Eventually, the owner or facility executive of a building will have to decide when to modernize those elevators. Since it is a costly undertaking, the decision to carry out Elevator Modernization in Washington DC is one that must take many factors into account before the determination is made to go ahead with the modernization program. It’s a financial decision that takes cost-benefit analysis into account more than actual elevator technology since that is fairly straightforward.
Recognizing the Need
Wear and tear are normal with any piece of equipment but, with elevators, you have to be extra careful with their maintenance due to the number of people they need to safely transport every day. Some of the factors that will lead you to modernize an elevator are accidents involving the elevator, the elevator is over ten years old, complaints about the elevator from customers, new safety standards need to be met, or the traffic flow has increased significantly.
The Modernization Process
The first thing that needs to be done is to hire an elevator service company to oversee the modernization. They will develop an elevator modernization plan that fits your needs. The modernization plan will identify what parts of the elevator system need to be upgraded based on a detailed analysis of the elevator equipment. Also, anything that is out of compliance with current standards will be identified and marked to be fixed to ensure compliance.
After the modernization plan has been completed, a price and timetable will be calculated. Modernization will usually be around $150,000 per elevator for buildings up to ten stories but can come in at double that for a high-rise. Modernizations will take two to three months to carry out and while the work is being done, the owner must make sure to effectively manage the extra traffic resulting from the elevator being modernized.
Benefits of Modernization
An elevator modernization will lead to increased safety and greater efficiency. Waiting times will be reduced while comfort and reliability will be increased. Also, an upgrade to an elevator’s appearance is appreciated by the customers. Modernization will lead to significant financial savings, in the long run.
If a building is in need of Elevator Modernization in Washington DC, Elevator Technologies Inc. of Washington DC provides excellent elevator maintenance and modernization services.
