Best Home Elevators ranked for the new year.
In 2023, a continued growing trend for owners of homes will be home elevators as a necessity to maintain their standard of living. For homeowners in 2023, home elevators will provide more mobility and accessibility to their homes. The benefits of “Aging in Place” are significant, both for your health and lifestyle. This guide will assist you in determining which home elevator solution is best suited to your project and needs.
Home Elevator Benefits
CDC analysis shows that 13.7% of American adults have mobility difficulties, while 16.9% of those over 65 have difficulty walking. Not only for the elderly, homeowners recovering from a serious injury, those with mobility issues or those looking to have loved ones such as parents moving in to their homes see home elevators as a safe and effective solution to gaining additional accessibility between floors.
Home elevators add value to your home and are elegant and long-lasting, unlike stair lifts that are unattractive and unpractical. An elevator can also enhance the aesthetics of your home if it’s designed well based on its technology and style. In short, homeowners who purchase a home elevator have not only elevated their standard of living but made a calculated investment towards the value of their home.
The installation of a home elevator increases the value of your home, and if you’re planning to sell your property in the future, it can increase the interest of potential buyers. In order to ensure climbing the stairs is no longer a tiring experience, installing a home elevator is the most engaging choice for both current and future homeowners.
With the vast benefits of installing a home elevator in your residence, it can be difficult for homeowners to choose the right elevator solution for their project and needs. To find out which elevator solution is best suited for your project and needs, read this guide to learn more about the different elevator solutions available.
Solutions For Home Elevators
It is important for homeowners to understand the mechanics and technology of each lift solution they are looking to purchase in order to choose the right one for their project.
Vacuum Elevators – When you’re not using the vacuum elevator, it only consumes a small amount of power. What’s more, its innovative design means that there’s no pre-construction shaft needed. This makes it great for homes with limited space. Plus, you’ll need less maintenance since oils, gas and lubricants aren’t required for operation. These units can also switch from ascending to descending at the touch of a button.
Hydraulic Elevators – In addition to a fully enclosed hoist way and pit on the ground floor, hydraulic elevators require another machine room for them to operate. This type of elevator needs more maintenance because it uses oils that can cost you additional service fees. As a result, it might be necessary to make more changes to your home in order to have this type of elevator installed.
Winding Drum Elevators – Winding drum elevators require a hoistway, pit and machine-room to operate. The drive may be located in an alternate room. Configurations are available so that the motor with its assembly may be placed easily for maintenance or service in the future. Hoistways should be provided, but tracks can be added if necessary on either side if a hoistway is unavailable. This increases costs during preconstruction and space requirements for installation.
Chain Drive Counterweight Elevators – Using a chain, like an enlarged bike chain, to torque the motor, Chain Drive Counterweight Elevators are a system of gears. A counterweight elevator requires an enclosed shaft and pit to operate, taking up more space in the home. Chains are more maintenance-friendly than cables because they don’t stretch so easily.
Traction Elevators – This elevator typically uses a pulley, counterweight or chain system, which rotates over a sheave to move passengers between floors, and requires a hoist way and pit for operation. Motors and operational components are usually located in the engine room rather than above the elevator cabin. It is the most common elevator solution in commercial buildings and requires annual maintenance to ensure proper operation.
Machine Room-Less Elevators (MRL) – For this system, the controller and elevator components are located inside the building. This eliminates the need for a separate machine room. This can work with traditional styles of elevators in small spaces where a separate machine room isn’t possible; however, entry into the elevator shaft is required to service the elevator which can be time-consuming. Still, the tower construction is necessary and adds time and cost to your project.
Shaftless Lift – A stairlift is a seat that is attached to a railing that serves as a track and takes the user up the stairs using a motorized gear. It is not visually appealing to own a stairlift because it travels much slower than a home elevator and its tracks are mounted on a wall, and homeowners often get rid of them when they decide to sell their house. Consequently, stair lifts aren’t the best long-term investment for your home.
Stairway Chair Lifts – A stairlift is a seat that is attached to a railing that serves as a track and takes the user up the stairs using a motorized gear. It is not visually appealing to own a stairlift because it travels much slower than a home elevator and its tracks are mounted on a wall, and homeowners often get rid of them when they decide to sell their house. Consequently, stair lifts aren’t the best long-term investment for your home.
Dumbwaiters – A dumbwaiter is a small freight elevator or lift used to transport food or clothing between floors. A dumbwaiter is much smaller in size than a certified elevator, so it is unsuitable for transporting passengers.
Vertical Platform Lift – Vertical Platform Lifts, also known as a VPL, are the perfect mobility solution for people who need to get from one floor to another. Its raised platform carries passengers up and down to their designated floor. These lifts sometimes can’t be installed if a ramp isn’t possible/ permitted by code. If you don’t know about this type of equipment, it should go without saying that it can only be installed inside or on the exterior of your home. And VPLs are not new construction accessible systems because budgeting for installation, annual maintenance and safety checks is often necessary.
Best Home Elevator: Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators
Vacuum elevators are the most innovative home elevators on the market–they revolutionized the way people and goods are transported vertically in home buildings. These self-supporting elevators have been installed in both new and existing structures all over the world. Vacuum technology, which draws power from clean, renewable air, is used to generate lift. This results in a system that offers an elegant design while being powered by the most abundant resource available.
30″ and 37″ options are perfect for smaller homes and condos. The PE30 goes up to 450 lbs, so you can take passengers on it as well. Its’ eco-friendly design has a minimal impact on your home, plus the operating cost is about $0.025 per ride!
Made in the USA and certified in all 50 states, Vacuum Elevators are manufactured at our factory located in Miami, FL. We have installed them in more than 90+ countries globally. All home elevators are pre-assembled and safety tested at the factory before shipping to ensure the highest quality & safety standards. With 18+ years on the market, Vacuum Elevators are an innovative option for any retro-fit or new construction project worldwide due to their versatility.
Home Elevator Frequently Asked Questions
Why Choose a Home Elevator by PVE?
Using air to generate power, this new type of home elevator is a cost-effective way to bring your home up to code. It requires much less construction, space, energy and maintenance than other types of lifts. The elevator is self-supporting and offers an eco-friendly solution for any project. These home elevators can travel 2-3 times as far as a traditional lift, or up 50 feet (15m). They are manufactured in Miami, Florida and can be installed within 2-3 days.
How safe are home elevators?
Fully certified home elevators are extremely safe for homeowners. PVE’s easy-to-install, self-supporting home elevators are fully certified by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in all 50 states and 90+ countries globally under the European Machinery Directive, with 18+ years of experience in the market. In the event of a power failure while in operation, gravity will slowly bring the cabin down to the ground level, at which point the passenger is able to get out. All of the PVE home elevator models are fully equipped with mechanical car locking devices on each floor and have a full set of Type A Safety Brakes, meeting the most stringent requirements in the industry. In addition, per elevator code, these fully certified home elevators come equipped with an in-cabin phone to ensure the passenger can communicate in the event of an emergency. Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators, LLC has a very unique approach in the industry in that every elevator undergoes full operational testing at the factory before shipping, ensuring the highest quality standards are met.
What is the highest in travel you can go?
Custom built to the height of the home, Vacuum Elevators can travel up to 5 stops or 50 feet (15 m) in total rise.
