How to check the elevators in the building? Timely inspection and maintenance will prevent accidents.

Over the past time, there have been many elevator accidents in residential buildings, some of which unfortunately resulted in fatalities. Such incidents occurred in both old and new buildings, which means that the issue is not only about the equipment's service life. The portal MetrPrice.ru asked market experts about the signs that indicate a faulty elevator in need of maintenance. "One of the obvious signs of elevator malfunction is loud noise during movement, vibration, and sudden jolts when the elevator arrives at a floor," said Elena Egorova, Director of the Exclusive Sales Department at Kalinka Group. "In a new building, the elevator should look neat and sturdy, and its walls should not only have intact buttons but also detailed information about the equipment and the contact information of those responsible for its operation." According to Dmitry Matskevich, CEO of the property management company "Techstroy" of the developer group "City-XXI Vek," common elevator problems today include physical wear and tear of mechanical components such as speed limiters, traction sheaves, hoisting ropes, and bearings. "The service life of these equipment elements largely depends on the quality of elevator installation and proper maintenance. Vandalism by residents is also one of the problems that affects both the appearance and safety of elevators," the expert believes. Matskevich adds that residents cannot independently verify the quality of elevator equipment, so it is necessary to contact the property management company and demand information on compliance with the main regulatory document for elevators - the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union "Elevator Safety" dated October 18, 2011, No. 824. Among the largest and well-known elevator brands, Elena Egorova (Kalinka Group) mentions OTIS, a company that produces over 20% of elevator equipment worldwide. "The largest representative of this market has both economy models and high-class expensive elevators. Elevators from KONE are specifically associated with elite new buildings; they are the most expensive and have established themselves as very reliable. The Greek brand with a global name, KLEEMANN, also produces high-quality elevators exported to dozens of countries. The elevators from these manufacturers have impeccable operating characteristics, and the models installed in representative-class elite residential complexes and office centers also have high-quality finishes and interesting designs that can increase the elevator's cost by up to 30%," the expert noted. In mass-market segment buildings, elevators of domestic production are most commonly installed, such as those from the Scherbinka Lift Plant or Karacharovsk Mechanical Plant. Among the drawbacks of Russian elevators, specialists often mention their increased power consumption and the fact that they require more inspections and repairs. How to Check an Elevator in an Old Building? Regardless of whether the elevator in your building is foreign or domestic, it is worth paying attention to its operation. We asked our experts how to ensure the safety and reliability of elevators in old buildings. Dmitry Matskevich (Property Management Company "Techstroy" of the developer group "City-XXI Vek") says: "Elevator equipment must undergo annual technical inspections with the involvement of specialized engineering centers that conduct equipment surveys and confirm its safety and reliability. The basis for safety is proper maintenance, timely preventive repairs, and the replacement of worn-out components." Elena Egorova (Kalinka Group) says: "There are external signs that can help ensure the reliability of elevators in an old building. The doors of the arrived elevator should open fully, and the floor of the cabin should stop at the same level as the floor of the landing. A maximum deviation of 3.5 cm is allowed from this norm. The absence of noise is also an important sign that the elevator is functioning properly. Only minor noises are permissible, but there should be no loud scraping or strong jolts."

If any item or a person's hand or foot remains in the doorway when the doors close automatically, the elevator should open when in contact with them. If this does not happen -- it is a serious reason to call the elevator service organization.»

Less speed - more elevators

The number of elevators in residential complexes depends not on the developers' desire, but on a well-defined norm. “The minimum number of elevators is determined by building codes and regulations, depending on the number of floors, the area of the apartments per floor,” explained Elena Egorova (Kalinka Group). “Based on this, the carrying capacity and speed of the elevators are calculated. In elite residential complexes, the number of installed elevators is usually sufficient for comfortable use by all residents, and in some residential complexes, individual elevators are installed for expensive penthouses, accessible only to the owners of such unique housing.»

In turn, Dmitriy Matskevich (Managing Company “Techstroy” of the developer group “City-XXI vek”) explained that the number of elevators in newly designed buildings is determined by calculation based on regulatory documents (such as GOST R 52941-2008, SNiP 2.08.02-83, SNiP 31-05-2003, etc.). For 20-40-story buildings, the number of elevators is 3-4 per entrance, depending on the speed of the cabin's movement (less speed - more elevators). The speed of movement is determined by the specific elevator model.

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Who is responsible for a new elevator?

So who is responsible for the maintenance of elevators and where to complain if the elevators constantly break down? And most importantly -- who should pay for the replacement of elevators?

“The first thing to do when problems arise with the elevator is to contact the management company and the organization servicing the specific elevator,” said Elena Egorova (Kalinka Group). “Information about it is usually posted in the cabin itself. If none of the authorized organizations fixes the problem, it makes sense to contact the housing inspection or Rostekhnadzor.

According to the instructions, the condition and serviceability of elevators are checked by a mechanic once a month, and equipment inspections are conducted once a year.

Elevators are part of the common property of the building, and therefore, they are repaired with the money that residents contribute to the capital repair of the building. As for replacing this expensive equipment, there are several options for payment. The first option is to pay for a new elevator and the work on its installation from the Building Repair Fund. Such a decision is made at a general meeting of residents. The second option is to join the building repair program, according to which the replacement of the elevator can be jointly financed with federal budget funds (65%), local funds (15%), and funds collected for building repairs by property owners (5%).

In different regions, authorities employ various methods of financing elevator replacements. According to Elena Egorova, in 2015, more than 9,500 elevators were replaced in Russia, with the majority in the Moscow region and St. Petersburg. The authorities of Moscow replaced most of the elevators at the expense of the city budget.

Thus, if you are choosing an apartment in a new building, it won't hurt to inquire about the brand of the installed elevators for greater reliability. If you are planning to buy a property in an older building, it is worth carefully inspecting the elevator and trying to determine its condition based on indirect signs. However, only a specialist can provide an accurate diagnosis of elevator equipment.