Heat Management Solutions to Reduce Elevator Repairs & Breakdowns this Summer!
You may notice pavement buckling, rooftop HVAC units working overtime, or increased energy bills as temperatures climb, but one of the most overlooked areas affected by extreme summer heat is your building's elevator system. Hidden away in machine rooms, control spaces, and hoistways, elevator equipment relies on controlled operating temperatures to perform safely and reliably. When those temperatures rise beyond recommended limits, the consequences can range from nuisance shutdowns to catastrophic equipment failure.
Although a warm summer day may be enjoyable outdoors, excessive heat can create serious operational challenges for commercial buildings. As outdoor temperatures climb, cooling systems are pushed to their limits, electrical demand increases across the power grid, and mechanical equipment throughout the property experiences additional stress. Elevators are no exception.
Modern elevator controllers, variable frequency drives (VFDs), motors, and electronic safety devices generate heat during normal operation. Under normal conditions, machine room ventilation or air conditioning dissipates this heat efficiently. However, when ambient temperatures rise or cooling systems fail, internal equipment temperatures can quickly exceed manufacturer specifications. Most elevator control equipment is designed to operate within a relatively narrow temperature range. Once those limits are exceeded, the system may automatically reduce performance, generate fault codes, or remove the elevator from service altogether to protect critical components.
How Extreme Heat Impacts Your Elevator
High temperatures can affect virtually every major component of an elevator system, including:
Electronic Controllers - Today's elevators rely on sophisticated microprocessors and control boards that are highly sensitive to heat. Excessive temperatures can cause intermittent communication errors, processor failures, nuisance shutdowns, and premature failure of expensive electronic components.
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) - The drive regulates acceleration, deceleration, and ride quality. Overheating can force the drive into thermal protection mode, causing unexpected outages or complete shutdowns until temperatures return to acceptable levels.
Elevator Motors - Continuous operation during periods of extreme heat places additional stress on motor windings and bearings. Without adequate cooling, insulation can deteriorate, shortening the motor's lifespan and increasing the risk of costly repairs.
Hydraulic Elevator Systems - For hydraulic elevators, elevated oil temperatures reduce fluid viscosity, making the system less efficient. Overheated hydraulic oil can lead to slower performance, rough leveling, increased wear on seals and pumps, and accelerated degradation of the hydraulic fluid itself.
Batteries and Emergency Systems - Emergency lighting, lowering systems, and battery backup equipment are also vulnerable to high temperatures. Heat significantly shortens battery life and reduces emergency operating capacity when it's needed most.
Your Entire Building Feels the Heat
Elevator problems are often only one symptom of larger building-wide issues caused by extreme temperatures.
As HVAC systems struggle to maintain indoor comfort, machine rooms may receive less conditioned air than intended. Electrical rooms experience higher loads as cooling equipment runs continuously. Utility demand can lead to brownouts, voltage fluctuations, or unexpected power interruptions that place additional stress on sensitive elevator electronics.
In parking garages and loading dock areas, heat radiating from concrete and asphalt can significantly increase hoistway temperatures. Rooftop machine rooms may experience temperatures well above outdoor air temperatures, especially if ventilation systems are inadequate or filters have become clogged.
Regulate The Temperature Of Your Elevator Motor Room!
No one enjoys working in the summer heat and humidity, and your elevator is no exception. Whether your commercial elevator is hydraulic or traction-based, high temperatures can significantly affect both the electronic and mechanical functions of the equipment. This can lead to issues such as premature breakdown of lubrication and overheating of computer systems. To minimize the risk of breakdowns and ensure smooth elevator operation during the summer months, maintaining a temperature-controlled motor room is essential. Here are some key guidelines for summer elevator operation:
- Be sure to keep your elevator's motor room between 45° and 90° degrees Fahrenheit with relative humidity not to exceed 85%.
- Maintain proper ventilation within the elevator shaft and properly secure all doors and hatches that are exposed to the outdoors.
Alternate Power Source - Powervator
To address power issues caused by heat, think about investing in a Powervator for your commercial elevator. This device offers an alternative power supply during outages, enhancing tenant safety by minimizing the risk of passengers getting stuck when power is lost or disrupted.
- The battery-operated lowering device designed for many different types of elevators safely lowers your elevators, opens the cab doors, and shuts the elevator down with the doors open, allowing passengers to safely exit the car.
- Automatic activation - The Powervator unit turns on automatically during power failure, providing multiple voltages for seamless elevator valve and door operation.
- On/Off and Push-To-Test switches on the circuit board aid in routine diagnostic tests and allow safe elevator maintenance work.
- Maintenance-free gel-cell batteries are trickle-charged for prolonged life and reliability when the power goes out. Sealed batteries eliminate the possibility of dangerous fume build-up in the elevator shaft or mechanical room.
- Complete unit is CSA approved.
Elevator Oil Cooler
Avoid hot oil problems like nuisance shutdowns, leveling problems and oil odor in your hydraulic elevator by installing an oil cooler. When the oil temperature in the reservoir reaches a preset limit, it is circulated through the radiator, reducing the oil temperature by nearly 40°F. The oil is also filtered as it runs through the system, which results in enhanced performance and extended component life. Benefits of an oil cooler include:
- Smoother Stops & Starts during seasonal heat.
- Extending component life, with fewer shutdowns.
- Overall performance improvement while extending the life of your hydraulic components with internal filters.
Elevator Control Valves
Keep your hydraulic lift running smoothly when mother nature swings the outdoor temperatures & improve your overall elevator performance with new Control Valves. This upgrade provides maximum ride comfort, regardless of elevator load or temperature. Features include:
- Lower energy and maintenance costs.
- Hydraulic elevator control valves can offer Temperature Compensation over its entire operational temperature range (80 to 150 degrees F) resulting in:
Smooth Up Start - Allows the pump motor to reach full running speed before load is applied to the motor.
Up Transition - Provides unvarying transition through a wide pressure range.
Up Leveling - Maintains leveling speed regardless of change of system pressure, oil viscosity or pump output.
- Applicable in new installations and modernizations and has the capability to be retro-fitted to existing systems.
- Optional Electronic control valves can greatly improve efficiency and operations at a higher initial investment, but may reduce costs over the elevator's lifetime.
Small Maintenance Today Prevents Major Repairs Tomorrow
Ignoring elevated temperatures can dramatically shorten the life expectancy of critical elevator components. Replacing a failed controller, VFD, or motor can result in significant repair costs, extended downtime, frustrated tenants, and operational disruptions that far exceed the cost of preventative maintenance.
Summer is also one of the busiest seasons for emergency elevator repairs. Waiting until equipment fails often means longer response times and increased repair expenses during peak demand.
Keep Your Building Moving All Summer Long With Liberty Elevator
As one of the top elevator companies in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania & Florida, Liberty Elevator understands that our customers have unique needs and offers our clients the freedom to choose. Whether choosing a customized elevator maintenance program, installing nonproprietary equipment, or providing a flexible agreement, Liberty Elevator provides knowledgeable recommendations for various models and vintages of elevator equipment.
Liberty Elevator is committed to keeping you from losing your cool this summer. Call us for an inspection and to review your summer elevator solutions before the heat gets you fired up!