An elevator is by no means a marvel of engineering, but few inventions have shaped the modern world quite as much as elevators have. Before elevators were widely used, buildings were rarely above five stories tall. But with elevators it was easier for building tenants and employees to reach much higher floors without a grueling trip up dozens of flights of stairs. Watch this video to get an inside look at how elevators work.

If you think you understand elevators after watching this short three minute video, imagine how much you would know about elevators if you had worked on them for 30 years. That’s how long Carson Elevator has been in business, and it’s why we’re one of the premier residential and commercial elevator contractors in Salt Lake City . For all of your elevator installation, maintenance, and repair needs in Utah, call Carson Elevator toll-free at (888) 371-1948.

Modern-day elevators are incredibly safe themselves, but that doesn’t mean they are incapable of causing injury to individuals who improperly use them. Whether you have an elevator in your home or business in Salt Lake City, understanding the basics of safe elevator use and sharing them with your family and/or staff can help prevent injuries or worse. Here are some of the essentials of proper elevator use, and also a few words about the importance of elevator repair and maintenance.

Entering/Exiting an Elevator

When entering and exiting an elevator, watch your step and be mindful of the gap between the floor and the elevator shaft, especially if wearing heels or open-toed shoes. If wearing a dress, long jacket, or other long item of loose clothing, make sure it is pulled back from the doors so it doesn’t get stuck when the elevator shuts and begins to move up or down.

Children and Elevator Use

Children should always be accompanied by an adult when using an elevator, even if just going up or down a single story in a residential property. Children should never be allowed to play inside or around an elevator, especially when unsupervised. Explain to your children the dangers that elevator pose so they are dissuaded from exploring them alone.

Passenger/Weight Capacity

Never exceed the posted passenger and/or weight capacity listed inside the elevator. This represent the maximum number of passengers and/or total weight an elevator can safely handle. Exceeding the posted limits increases the risk of the cables snapping (although there are numerous safety devices in place to prevent elevator free fall in the event of a snapped cable).

Elevator Maintenance and Repair

Another crucial element of elevator safety is keeping your elevator is good working order. Sign up for a regular elevator maintenance plan with a residential or commercial elevator company in Salt Lake City. And be sure to schedule elevator repair at the first sign of a problem, regardless of how minor it may seem at first. Elevator problems will only get worse over time, so the sooner your elevator is repaired the safer it will be for your family, employees, tenants, or anyone else who uses your residential or commercial elevator.

If stairs pose a problem for you, a member of your family, your customers, residents, or employees, Carson Elevator of Salt Lake City can help. In addition to residential and commercial elevators, Carson Elevator also installs wheelchair lifts, stair lifts, and package lifts. All accessibility systems installed by Carson Elevator are designed to meet each customer’s unique and specific accessibility needs.

To learn how Caron Elevator can make your home or business safer and more easily accessible, call (888) 371-1948 and schedule your free consultation . A member of Carson Elevator’s residential or commercial elevator and lift installation team will come out and review your project in order to provide you with a detailed and accurate quote. Carson Elevator also offers elevator maintenance and repair services so you can keep your accessibility lift or elevator running great for years and years to come.

There was a time in America when home elevators were reserved for only the super wealthy. Although residential elevators today are by no means cheap, they are much more affordable than they once were, and elevator installation companies in Salt Lake City are building beautiful and functional elevators for all sorts of clientele. Today you can find elevators inside homes of all sizes throughout the country, and there are plenty of good reasons to consider adding one inside of yours. Here are some of the top reasons to install an elevator inside your home:

Never Take the Stairs Again

One of the best reasons to have a home elevator is that it eliminates the need to take the stairs. This is great for many reasons, including the fact that stairs can be dangerous for the elderly or anyone who has limited mobility. Being able to take the elevator up to the second story can also be a source of comfort after a long day at work or when your legs are tired and sore from a long run or heavy leg day at the gym.

Add Value to Your Home

Installing an elevator can add tremendous value to your home. When designed and installed by a residential elevator company in Salt Lake City with decades of experience, you can rest assured that your beautiful and practical new elevator will add to the aesthetic of your home. A residential elevator installer can provide you with a detailed quote so you can estimate your anticipated ROI in the long run.

Make Your Home Stand Out

There aren’t many home features more unique than an elevator. Although elevators don’t do much for your home in terms of curb appeal, anyone who gets a look at the elevator inside your home will not be able to forget about it. Word will also spread among your neighbors, friends, and family that you have an elevator inside your home, so be prepared to entertain a lot more guests in the days and weeks following the installation.

Ever wondered how an elevator works? You might be surprised to learn that inside the elevator shaft inside your home or business are components based on a design that’s more than a hundred years old. The basic principles behind an elevator lift are surprisingly simple, but together they perform a feat that wasn’t even imaginable not too long ago. Watch this video to get an inside look at how elevators work.

Elevators aren’t very complicated, but that doesn’t mean elevator maintenance and repairs should be performed by just anyone. In Salt Lake City, Carson Elevators is your trusted source for all your elevator servicing needs. Whether your residential elevator isn’t working or you need to have a commercial elevator worked on, the elevator maintenance and repair experts at Carson Elevators do it all. Call toll-free at (888) 371-1948 to schedule elevator service today.

Unless your building is less than three stories tall or has fewer than 3,000 square feet per floor, your elevators must meet guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Failure to comply with ADA elevator accessibility requirements can result in hefty fines and may even be the basis of a discrimination lawsuit. Whether you are planning a new elevator installation or need to renovate an old existing elevator, make sure your elevators are ADA compliant. A commercial elevator installation company in Salt Lake City will make sure your elevators are compliant with all state and federal requirements.

Car Buttons

ADA-compliant elevators must have hall and car buttons mounted at 42 inches. Call buttons must also be a minimum of 0.75 inches in diameter, and ADA regulations call for certain illumination levels for all elevator buttons. Additionally, braille plates must be installed next to buttons as well as at the entrance jambs.

Cab Room

The inside of the elevator must be large enough to accommodate a wheelchair and allow a wheelchair to complete a 360-degree turn. The U.S. Access Board can provide you with specific elevator cab dimensions, as can a commercial elevator installer in Salt Lake City that is familiar with ADA regulations.

Handrails

ADA-compliant elevators must also have handrails located at specific heights. Again, the U.S. Access Board or your elevator installer can provide you with specific dimensions for handrail height requirements. Your elevator installer can also help you select handrails that meet ADA regulations and also add a stylish look and feel to the inside of your elevator, if that’s something that you are concerned with.

Reopening Devices

Another ADA requirements of certain elevators is that reopening devices activate without physical contact. A commercial elevator installer can retrofit your existing elevator with an appropriate reopening device, or make sure that your new elevator features an ADA-compliant reopening device to make sure your elevator meets federal guidelines.

Dumbwaiters can be found inside luxury estates throughout the country. Although dumbwaiters have been around for over a century, they are still being installed in homes to this day. In this short clip, Bob Vila takes a look at a dumbwaiter installation to learn more about the function, operation, and design of a dumbwaiter as well as different considerations that need to be taken into account when planning a dumbwaiter installation.

If you would like a dumbwaiter installed in your home , contact a residential elevator installation company in Salt Lake City. The team at Carson Elevator provides free consultations and can discuss all of your dumbwaiter options. Carson Elevator also offers elevator and dumbwaiter maintenance and repair for both commercial and residential customers. For dumbwaiter installation, maintenance, or repair, call Carson Elevator toll-free at (888) 371-1948.

Whether you have an elevator in your office building or inside your home, Carson Elevator of Salt Lake City can provide you with peace of mind knowing that your lifts are safe. We provide regularly scheduled elevator maintenance plans that include thorough inspections of your equipment to make sure all of the elevator components are in tip-top shape. Not only does this ensure the safety and reliability of your elevators, but it can also save you money in the long run by preventing major elevator repairs.

All of the elevator service technicians at Carson Elevator are highly skilled and bring years of experience to the team. You can cancel your elevator maintenance plan at any time with no additional costs or fees. And should your elevator ever need to be repaired, we use the highest quality parts and promise speedy repairs to get your elevator back up and running as quickly as possible. To learn more about elevator maintenance plans in Salt Lake City, contact Carson Elevator toll-free at (888) 371-1948.

Although elevators are common in offices and gaining popularity in homes, it wasn’t that long ago that the elevator was one of the most magical and mysterious machines people had ever encountered. Invented by a man named Elisha Graves Otis in 1861, the elevator played an important role in the rising height of buildings around the world. After all, do you think anyone would want to climb 102 stories to reach the top of the Empire State Building? Although commercial and residential elevators might not appear as magical today as they did in the 19 ^th century, they might be just as mysterious. That’s why we’ve devoted this short blog post to looking at elevators and how they work.

Counterweight

One of the most important components that helps an elevator do its job is the counterweight. The elevator car is balanced by a heavy counterweight that weighs roughly the same amount as the car when it’s loaded half-full. This makes it easier for the motor to lift and lower the car since less force is needed to move the car up or down. The counterweight also makes elevators safer since it reduces the amount of braking the elevator needs to use.

Safety Brake

Speaking of brakes, elevators are equipped with a safety brake system that prevents the car from crashing to the floor should the main cable snap. This was one of the breakthrough innovations Elisha Graves Otis made when he invented the modern elevator more than 150 years ago. Elevator cars run between two vertical guide rails with sturdy teeth embedded all the way up. In the event that the cable snaps, a spring-loaded mechanism shoots out hooks which ham into the metal teeth and lock the car safely in position.

Speed Governors

Another important safety feature that is also critical to the operation of an elevator is the speed governor. A heavy flywheel with massive mechanical arms built inside it, the governor ensures that the elevator car doesn’t rise or fall too quickly. In the event that the car accelerates past a safe speed on its way up or down, the governor activates and trips one or more braking system to slow down or stop the car altogether.

Although home elevators had long been considered a medical necessity, the perception has changed in recent years. Now, residential elevators are among the most desired of all luxury home additions—and for good reason. If you’re weighing your options and considering whether or not to have an elevator installed in your home, consider these benefits of a home elevator and then contact a residential elevator company in Salt Lake City .

Functionality and Accessibility

One of the best reasons to install a residential elevator is that it greatly improves the accessibility to the upper levels of your home. This is particularly beneficial if you have older family members living in the home or if you yourself have mobility problems. An elevator can eliminate the risk of falling down stairs for family members and guests who might otherwise have a hard time climbing up a staircase.

Space-Saving Design

If you’re building a new multi-storied home, an elevator can help you save a considerable amount of space that might otherwise be reserved for a stairwell. In some cases, the elevator can be installed outside the home on an external wall, freeing up even more floor space inside your home for other features you want to include.

Unmatched Luxury

Residential elevators are still seen as one of the ultimate symbols of luxury, which means your home will instantly be the envy of guests, friends, and neighbors after you have a residential elevator installed. And unlike some other status symbols, an elevator is actually practical and highly functional.

Increased Home Value

A home elevator is a profitable investment as it can considerably increase the resale value of your home. Not only that, but a feature as unique as a residential elevator will help your home stand out and appear more desirable to potential homeowners. Talk to a residential elevator installation company in Salt Lake City to learn more about the ROI of a home elevator.