Electric home lifts Electric home lifts are powered by an electric motor that plugs into a common
power socket (e.g.
13 A), like any other household appliance. They use a steel roped drum-braked gear motor drive system which means it is self-contained within the roof space of the lift car itself. 'Through floor' dual rail lifts create a self-supporting structure and the weight of the entire structure and lift are in compression through the rails into the floor of the home.
Cable-driven home lifts Cable-driven home lifts consist of a shaft, a cabin, a
control system and counterweights. Some models also require a
technical room. Cable-driven lifts are similar to those found in commercial buildings. These elevators take up most space due to the shaft and the equipment room, so installing a cable system in a new building is much easier than trying to retrofit an existing building. Traction elevators need a pulley system for movement. They are less common for new buildings, as hydraulic technology is used in most cases.
Chain-driven home lifts Chain-driven home lifts are similar to cable-driven lifts, but they use a chain wrapped around a drum instead of a cable to raise and lower the car. Chains are more durable than cables and do not need to be replaced as often. Chain-driven home lifts also do not require a separate machine room, which saves space.
Machine room-less home lifts Machine room-less home lifts operate by sliding up and down a travel path with a counterweight. This type is an excellent choice for existing residential buildings, since neither machine rooms nor pits reaching into the ground are required. However, traction elevators still require additional space above the elevator roof to accommodate the components required to raise and lower the car. Shaftless home lifts consist of a rectangular elevator cabin positioned on a rail. The lift travels on the route from the lower floor to the upper floor and back.
Hydraulic home lifts Hydraulic home lifts are driven by a piston that moves in a cylinder. Since the drive system is completely housed in the elevator shaft, no machine room is required and the control system is small enough to fit into a cabinet on a wall near the elevator. For hydraulic systems with holes, the cylinder must extend to the depth of the floor corresponding to the feet of the elevator, while hydraulic systems without holes do not require a pit.
Pneumatic home lifts :
See: Pneumatic elevators Pneumatic home lifts use a vacuum system inside a tube to drive their movement. A pit or machine room is not required, so pneumatic home lifts are easiest to retrofit into an existing home. Pneumatic lifts consist of acrylic or glass tubes (typically about 800 mm in diameter). It looks like a larger version of
Pneumatic mail tubes found in older buildings. Pneumatic elevators are not hidden in the wall and are normally placed in the near a
staircase.
Screw-nut driven home lifts Screw-nut driven home lifts are designed around the concept of a motor that rotates a nut, which turns the screw thus moves the lift up and down. It's known to be reliable, safe and space efficient, and requires less maintenance than hydraulic or belt driven elevators. Most commonly used up to 6 floors. == Design and customizability ==