How to Upgrade Elevators in Historic Buildings

Many industries exist within the space of older historic buildings including government and civic buildings, colleges and universities, hospitals, shopping districts, and theaters. As these buildings have stood for several years, some even maybe for centuries, these commercial buildings need to stay in code compliance to be safe for visitors. One significant addition that can help improve safety is installing or repairing an elevator. Here are some tips for how to upgrade or install an elevator within a historic building, as each location comes with its unique challenges and standards. 

When You Need to Install An Elevator 

Understanding the Building’s History 

Before an elevator technician can think about installing an elevator into an older building, it’s recommended for the building owner to offer any information to the technician about the building’s history, including the building’s architectural significance and specific features that need to be preserved. 

Structural Assessment

Next, elevator technicians will need to collaborate or get advice from structural engineers to observe the building’s structural integrity. This includes evaluating the load-bearing capacity of floors, walls, and foundations and determining whether they need to be modified or strengthened to ensure that the building can hold the additional weight when an elevator is installed.

When You Need to Update an Elevator

Attention to Building Aesthetics

In the same vein as elevator installations, technicians should look into the aesthetic makeup of the building and how the elevator fits into that. While it’s important to add updates to the existing machinery to make the elevator run safely and efficiently, this should be done without removing the style of the building. Some ways to accomplish this include replicating the original aesthetic with modern materials or combining the historic appearance with contemporary functionality. 

Integrating Modern Technology

Elevator maintenance and repair offers the chance to give an older elevator a technology upgrade. These modernization updates can include a range of the following:

• LED lighting to save energy 
• Touchless buttons to decrease the risk of germ exposure
• IoT integrations to easily diagnose issues and schedule elevator maintenance 

Follow Safety Standards

In Massachusetts, there are several regulations and guidelines that commercial buildings need to follow when repairing an elevator. These regulations range from passing yearly inspections to creating written reports of accidents in the event an accident occurs. Before repairing an elevator in a historic building, it’s important to check the Massachusetts safety codes. 

How Buckley Elevator Can Help 

While older buildings have a lot of charm, sometimes their machinery is completely outdated. There are ways to keep the history of a building alive while also making it safe and accessible for all kinds of people. For any kind of building, regardless of age, Buckley Elevator will offer elevator maintenance, repair, installation, elevator cleaning, and modernization services.