Why Install a Glass Elevator?

On a visual level, a glass elevator is an attractive addition to any home. The clear hoistway and car have an elegant and classic appearance that blend into a variety of décor styles. Once you’re inside, the system offers a panoramic view of your home or business. Yet, beyond these aesthetic assets, glass elevators have other benefits.

Operation

Elevators for small buildings, be it homes or businesses, operate in one of four ways: hydraulic, cable, machine traction, or pneumatic. While hydraulic systems are common, they have multiple downsides: a machine room must additionally be installed into your structure, and hydraulic oil, necessary for powering the elevator, can turn into an environmental hazard if not properly contained.

Many glass elevators, on the other hand, operate via a pneumatic system. Also called vacuum elevators, these systems move through varying air pressure. A vacuum seal is build into the cab’s ceiling, while turbines at the top of the tube draw out air. This combination moves the cab upward inside the hoistway, and steel brakes secure it to a landing once it reaches a floor. To descend, the turbines are turned off.

Vacuum, or pneumatic, systems are not the only option for glass elevators. A cable system, consisting of a motor and drum unit at the top of the hoistway is another option.

Installation

While glass elevators do not need machine rooms, they offer another asset in installation: a self-contained design. An integrated, fully clear hoistway easily integrates into homes, and an additional passageway and a pit do not need to be created out of the existing property. Because of this, glass elevators can be installed quickly into homes and commercial buildings of all types. In fact, if you’re looking to modify a structure with an elevator on a budget, installing such a self-contained model takes less time and ends up costing less. In fact, pneumatic systems can be installed in just a day; hydraulic systems, on the other hand, may take up to four days to install.

Improving Mobility

With a compact, quicker-to-install design, glass elevators are an efficient and attractive option for improving mobility and increasing independence inside a structure. But keep in mind that, while the system assists with moving between multiple floors and eliminating the obstruction caused by stairs, not all such elevators are wheelchair accessible. Certain models are large enough to fit two people inside, while others are equipped to handle a wheelchair.