An Elevator Company Offers Choices

An elevator company has an important job, because failure is not an option. Making sure elevators work consistently and efficiently with no margin for error is something that everyone who rides one expects unconditionally.

This job is made all the more difficult by the fact that there are more types of elevators than you may realize. While the technology used in operating them is somewhat primitive and has been around for many years, and despite the fact that most commercial passenger models look exactly the same - think small, rectangular box - there are three common types that are all unique to each other.

This is important to consider if you may ever need to hire an elevator company for your own personal or professional needs. The various different characteristics, benefits and limitations that each type possesses can make one right for a certain situation and unfit for another.

One model that an elevator company can install runs on hydraulic power, which is basically that which is powered by hydraulic fluid. To operate this unit up and down, these fluids are released into an enclosed space that houses a jack. As the fluids put pressure on the jack, it reacts by pushing up on the unit above and lifting it upwards. When the unit must be lowered, the fluids are drained out of the chamber and the release in pressure lowers the jacking system, thus moving the unit itself downward with it. In order to control the movement of the system precisely, the fluid itself is moderated in precise levels to pinpoint the exact level of force necessary.

Cable lift elevators are another type that operate through the use of a pulley system. With a cable attached to the top or bottom of the unit and strung over a pulley, it is pulled tight to raise the car and loosened to lower it. Because of the extreme weight of the car itself, these cables are machine-powered and typically run off of electric power to ensure that there is sufficient force to move the entire car to the appropriate position and at the necessary speed.

Finally, pneumatic elevators work almost entirely on air pressure and the force it can exude. With these types, air pressure builds up inside a chamber to extremely high levels. When it is released, it exudes an extreme amount of force. This force is enough to power the entire system that runs an elevator.

These various systems have various characteristics that make them a better fit for some jobs and not as much for others, and only an elevator company can tell you which will be most appropriate for a given situation. These companies can also help you get a handle on what will be most energy efficient and cost effective for your needs depending on how often you plan to use it and how much weight you will need to carry.