The elevator is one of the most used elements in a building and also one of those that can cause the most problems when it does not function correctly. A breakdown can leave residents unable to leave their homes normally, especially the elderly or those with reduced mobility. Therefore, having a good elevator maintenance service is a matter of safety, accessibility, and peace of mind for the entire community.
But what should this maintenance include? How often should the elevator be inspected? And how can we know if the contracted company offers an adequate service?
Why is preventive elevator maintenance so important?
Waiting for the elevator to break down before calling a technician is not a good strategy. Many breakdowns start with small issues that can be detected during regular inspections.
Preventive maintenance involves periodically checking the elevator components, ensuring they function correctly, and identifying potential wear before they cause an incident.
This type of maintenance allows:
Reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns.
Detecting problems in safety systems.
Avoiding more complex repairs resulting from lack of maintenance.
Promoting a longer lifespan for the installation.
Improving the elevator's availability for residents.
Unlike corrective maintenance, which intervenes when a breakdown already exists, preventive maintenance aims to anticipate problems.
However, no maintenance plan can guarantee that an elevator will never break down. Its condition, age, and usage intensity also influence the number of incidents.
What do the regulations say about elevator maintenance?
Elevator maintenance is regulated by Royal Decree 355/2024, which approved the Complementary Technical Instruction ITC AEM 1 and came into force on July 1, 2024.
This regulation establishes the maintenance, inspection, and safety conditions for elevators, as well as the responsibilities of the owners and maintenance companies.
How often should an elevator be inspected?
The frequency of on-site inspections depends on the type of installation.
In most community elevators, preventive on-site maintenance must be performed monthly, with a minimum interval of 20 days and a maximum of 45 days between inspections.
In certain single-family elevators and specific installations in small residential buildings that meet regulatory requirements, inspections can be every four months.
Additionally, each elevator must have a maintenance plan tailored to its characteristics and developed according to the criteria established in the regulations.
Are mandatory inspections the same as maintenance?
No. Maintenance inspections are carried out by the maintenance company, while regulatory inspections are performed by authorized control bodies.
The regulations generally establish periodic inspections every two years for elevators in industrial or public buildings, every four years for buildings with more than twenty dwellings or more than four serviced floors, and every six years for the rest.
Therefore, a community must keep track of both regular maintenance inspections and mandatory inspections.
What should a good maintenance contract include?
Not all contracts offer the same coverage. Before hiring a company, it is important to review the service conditions and understand what is included in the fee.
Preventive inspections and documentation
The contract must guarantee the inspections required by the regulations and maintenance appropriate to the elevator's characteristics.
It is also important for the community to receive reports of the actions carried out, with information on the checks performed and any detected incidents.
Assistance in case of breakdown
One of the most important issues is knowing how the company will respond when the elevator stops working.
It is advisable to ask what assistance hours are offered, how urgent notices are managed, and what conditions apply to the rescue of trapped people.
It is important to differentiate between telephone support and the actual availability of a technician and to check what the contract covers exactly.
Repairs and replacement of parts
A low monthly price does not always mean that maintenance is more economical in the long run.
Some contracts include certain repairs or parts, while others bill them separately.
Before signing, the community should check which materials are covered, which interventions have an additional cost, and how extraordinary repairs are authorized.
Can you change elevator maintenance companies?
Yes. A community can decide to change maintenance companies, as long as it respects the applicable contractual conditions and complies with regulatory requirements.
This change can be considered when there are recurring breakdowns, communication problems, disagreements with budgets, or simply when the community wants to compare alternatives.
Before doing so, it is advisable to review the duration and notice clauses of the current contract, check the elevator's documentation, and coordinate the entry of the new company.
The regulations also establish specific obligations in the change of maintenance companies, including maintenance documentation and applicable inspection requirements.
An important aspect is that the installation must be in a condition to be maintained by the new company, with the necessary information and codes for maintenance and rescue operations.
Therefore, it is advisable for the property manager to plan the change in advance and avoid any period without maintenance coverage.
Multibrand maintenance: why can it be interesting?
A community is not obliged to always contract maintenance with the company that installed the elevator.
Companies specialized in multibrand maintenance can work with installations from different manufacturers, as long as they have the necessary training and means.
This possibility allows comparing quotes, services, and maintenance conditions without necessarily limiting to the original manufacturer.
However, before changing providers, it is important to verify that the new company can maintain the specific elevator model and manage the components and systems it incorporates.
When is it advisable to modernize an elevator?
It is not always necessary to completely replace an elevator when it starts to show problems.
In some cases, a partial modernization can improve its operation, safety, or accessibility.
Among the actions that can be considered are the renovation of mechanical or electronic components, improvement of control systems, cabin updates, or adaptation of access points.
The decision will depend on the installation's condition, regulatory requirements, spare parts availability, and the cost of different alternatives.
In old buildings in Barcelona and the Metropolitan Area, it may also be interesting to study solutions to eliminate architectural barriers, such as lowering the elevator to ground level when technically feasible.
Before approving a significant investment, it is advisable to have a technical assessment and compare the cost of continuing to repair the installation with that of a possible modernization.
The vision of Ascensores Ramase: prevent before repairing
Ascensores Ramase is a company based in Gavà specializing in elevator maintenance, modernization, and accessibility services.
One of the aspects highlighted in their offer is multibrand maintenance, which includes both their own installations and elevators installed by other companies.
The company also offers telecontrol services that allow remote monitoring of the status of certain installations and facilitate maintenance task planning.
This approach reinforces the importance of combining mandatory on-site inspections with tools that help better understand the elevator's operation.
Additionally, Ramase informs that it can manage the procedures related to changing maintenance companies, a service especially interesting for communities considering new maintenance options.
Ascensores Ramase and ForConnect
Choosing an elevator maintenance company should not depend solely on price. Technical capacity, incident response, and contract transparency are essential factors to ensure adequate service.
Ascensores Ramase is part of the ForConnect network of collaborating professionals, a platform that connects property managers, homeowners' associations, and individuals with specialized companies.
If your community needs to review the current contract, change maintenance companies, or consider elevator modernization, at ForConnect you can find specialized professionals and request advice or quotes according to the building's needs.