Benefits of a Home Elevator

by | Nov 9, 2015 | Blog

This beautiful glass elevator was installed by A+ Elevators and Lifts of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA in a home in Provo, Utah.

People are always surprised to hear I work for a residential elevator company. This may be surprising to the people close to me because I have a young family and live in the suburbs. My son, however, plays football for a league in Scottsdale, and he has several friends that have elevators in their home. In Phoenix and surrounding areas, like Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Prescott, Sedona and Tucson, it comes as no surprise that home elevators are a growing trend.

According to the Home Safe Campaign the demand for home elevators has grown dramatically over the last decade due to an aging population and the falling installation costs[1]. More and more homeowners are recognizing the benefit of installing an elevator in their homes. There are three main reasons why your home will benefit from having an elevator. These reasons are functionality, increase in property value, and style.

Functionality

My father owns a home that is built on a hill. They have a very steep set of stairs leading from the garage on to the first level of their home, then a second set of stairs leading to the main living area. A home elevator simplifies their life. Can you imagine lugging 20 bags of groceries up two flights of stairs? NO thank you! At the holidays they decorate every room for Christmas, which means tons of holiday boxes. Up and down, up and down the stairs all day. Home elevators simplify life. Elevators can be helpful with everyday tasks such as carrying laundry and groceries.

A home elevator makes all rooms accessible to a person in a wheelchair, or someone who has trouble using stairs. They offer independence, to freely move between floors with ease. Installing a home elevator gives you the option of being able to stay in your home long after you retire. If you are in the market for a new home it is important to think long term and prepare for a day when you may have trouble going up and down stairs.  Another benefit of owning a home elevator is that it allows relatives or friends with limited mobility to enjoy your home.

Increase Property Value

The second main benefit of owning a home elevator is that they increase a home’s value.  Mary Beth Klatt, on realtormag.org says elevators add value to real estate listings because they allow buyers to maximize the use of their home for years to come. Installing an elevator or buying a home with an existing elevator is a growing trend. According to relatormag.org the desire to be able to age in place, is the major driver behind baby boomers’ spending on home improvements. These home improvement’s include making their home more accessible with chairlifts, elevators, etc. Home improvements are expected to be about 325 billion dollars by the end of 2015. About half of this spending is due to declining mobility.

Style

Homes are an extension of your lifestyle. Home elevators can add functionality in perfect symmetry with its surroundings. Elevators can be made the center show piece of a home, or can blend in seamlessly. Entrances are framed to look like a door. They can be simple or extravagant. Home elevators can be customized to fit your personal style, whether that is a gorgeous modern glass and steel elevator or a very traditional rich wood cab. It is the convenience of a home elevator while also making it an eye catching statement that makes home elevators appealing.

Elevator World recently announced winners of their photo contest for the most beautiful home elevators. Two of the winning pictures are posted here. Elevator World will start taking picture submissions for 2016, in January.

Home elevators enhance style and market value, while also delivering improved accessibility and functionality.  Recently a Tucson home owner, Doug M. made the comment to me:

“Anecdotally, my wife had hip replacement surgery last week and our elevator is now not just a luxury; it is a necessity. And it works flawlessly. See you guys next time around.”

Our customers love their elevators. Home elevators simplify life, increase the value of their home, and add style and luxury. If you are thinking about installing an elevator give us a call to learn more! 

-Ashley

 

Residential Elevator Maintenance

by | Sep 30, 2015 | Blog

inclinator cab pics

Does your residential elevator require maintenance?

That depends, do you want your elevator to last a long time? Do you want peace of mind that it is operating safely? Yes? Every residential elevator requires regular maintenance. The owner of Celtic Elevator, Shaun Leary, recommends a maintenance every six months. Our maintenance plans provide the highest quality and most reliable service to keep it operating at its optimal performance, in compliance, and up to the highest safety standards.

I recently bought a new car. It is shiny black, with leather interior …I am a little in love with it. During closing the dealer went over the importance of tune ups, including oil changes, tire rotations, checking fluids, etc. To get the longest life span possible of my new car, it is my responsibility to follow through with scheduling to have the tune ups done. If I don’t do these simple tune ups regularly, it will not be able to perform, and there will be expensive repairs.

This is an example, but there are many others, such as an air conditioner, a furnace, a pool. I wouldn’t spend thousands of dollars on new equipment, and then forget about it. Or even think that because it is new, that it will simply work indefinitely. When it comes to elevators waiting to think about a maintenance until something breaks, can be a dangerous mistake. As the home owner it is our responsibility to ensure that our home is safe. We have young children, friends and family that visit often, it could be potentially hazardous, not to mention mortifying, to have something happen when they are in my home, simply because I was negligent on taking care of the maintenance of my home.

This is not a scare tactic. My intention is not for you to call me in a panic to schedule your maintenance. I just don’t want you to call me in a panic on Friday night when your elevator is broken …but it’s OK, you may, I will take care of you. My goal is to inform you of the importance of scheduling regular residential elevator maintenance.

Now that we have established the importance of residential elevator maintenance, you may be wondering what happens during a maintenance? A residential elevator maintenance includes an inspection of all the equipment, including but not limited to rails, rollers, doors and or gate, buttons, lights, batteries and phone. It also includes adjustments and lubrication. These are at the foundation of our maintenance plans. During a maintenance we ensure that everything is in working order, and we will identify any safety issues. Regular residential elevator maintenances keep your elevator functioning at its optimal level, as well as a proactive way to avoid high repair costs.

A properly maintained elevator will continue to enhance your lifestyle and delivers peace of mind.

Keep it running, keep it safe, and keep it maintained.

Call me today to schedule your maintenance!

-Ashley