Elevators have been around for so many years now but, many people still cannot tell the difference between home lift and commercial lifts. This is one of the reasons some people have ended up buying and installing lifts that are not suited for their buildings. However, you should never go through such a humiliation because, now there is plenty of information to help with making the best choice for a home or commercial elevator.
Since lifts generally operate on a vertical configuration, there are certain differences between residential and commercial elevators, mainly regarding their components or specifications, designs, how they work among other aspects. The following are the key elements that can be relied upon in spotting the differences between home and commercial elevators;
Objects that they are designed to carry
Lifts that are installed in homes are generally not made for heavier loads or too much traffic. Instead, they are more focused on comfort and style. Depending on the type or model of home lift that you choose, the elevator will only be effective for moving family members and guests, and sometimes few items like groceries, smaller home appliances and laundry.
Commercial elevators on the other hand, are installed mainly to facilitate faster movements of people and heavier items across floors in order to get tasks done or meet deadlines. For example, lifts in busy commercial areas like hotels can be used by visitors as well as waiters in serving clients. In offices, the lifts can also be used in moving large volumes of paperwork and equipment. As a result of this, they are designed with more sturdy features for efficient movement of heavier and bulky objects.
Capabilities of the Lifts
Although there is a rising demand for skyscrapers, there is no doubt most of these are usually used for businesses. Most residential property are generally low to medium rise while most commercial establishments climb to higher floors. As a result of this, a variety of home lift models are designed to travel up to 1.5 meter, making a maximum of about four stops only. However, commercial elevators are capable of covering a vertical distance of up to 15 meter with up to six stops. Even in terms of the frequency of use, commercial lifts can withstand high traffic better than home lifts.
Weight Capacities
This factor may seem similar to the first one discussed herein but, it should be noted that the weight capacity is different from the particular objects that can be transported in a lift. Considering the minimal uses of elevators in residential establishments, they are designed for smaller weight capacities of up to 500 Kg. However, they are some models that can cater for a slight additional weight. On the other hand, commercial lifts can accommodate a total weight of up to 5000 Kg.
Customizations
Today, lift manufacturers offer innovative options to choose from regarding the style and design of the type of elevator that you need. However, commercial elevators are a bit limited on design and style because they are used by the public, which require a general appeal. As much as you may want to customize a commercial lift, your freedom can only stretch to a level that meets public approval.
Home elevators are more flexible when it comes to customization since they are used in private property whereby you do not need anyone to control you on how to design your space. As a result of this, there are several elements of comfort and luxury that you can include on the elevator including music, unique decorations, themed lighting among others.
Cost
The cost of an elevator usually vary from one type, design or model to another. But owing to the numerous capabilities and versatility of commercial elevators, there are generally more expensive than home lifts. However, it should be noted that even home lifts can sometimes be costly than commercial elevators, especially when a lot of customization are included.
There are various kinds of home lift and commercial lift models in the market today that you can choose from whenever you want to improve mobility in your private property or a public building. Because of this, you should expect other differences in the features other than those discussed above. It is therefore important to also take some time looking through the features of various lift models in order to know the best one that can meet your mobility expectations and building.
In case you are thinking of obtaining a home lift or commercial lift, do not hesitate to talk to us for professional assistance on how to get the most efficient, secure, comfortable and affordable one.