Just because an elevator is working doesn't necessarily mean it's in the best condition. Many homeowners' associations reach a point where breakdowns become frequent, certain spare parts are harder to replace, or the device's features no longer meet the building's current needs.
That's when the question arises: should we keep repairing or is it time to modernize the elevator?
There is no specific age that alone provides an answer. The condition of the equipment, the frequency of incidents, safety, accessibility, and the accumulated maintenance cost are much more useful factors for making a decision.
What is the difference between maintaining and modernizing an elevator?
Maintenance aims to keep the elevator in suitable operating and safety conditions. It includes preventive inspections, checks, and necessary interventions in case of breakdowns or wear.
Modernization goes a step further. It involves renewing certain systems or components of an existing elevator to adapt its features, safety, comfort, or efficiency without necessarily replacing the entire installation.
Current regulations require maintenance to be carried out by conservation companies and that they have an updated maintenance plan for each elevator. This is established by ITC AEM 1 approved by Royal Decree 355/2024, in force since July 1, 2024.
Therefore, modernizing and maintaining are not equivalent alternatives: a modernized elevator still requires maintenance.
What signs may indicate that a modernization should be considered?
Breakdowns are becoming recurrent
A single incident does not justify modernization. The problem arises when the community faces repeated repairs and the elevator spends repeated periods out of service.
In these cases, it is advisable to analyze the history of recent years: how many incidents have occurred, which components have failed, how much the repairs have cost, and how long the device has been out of service.
This information allows moving from the feeling that "the elevator always breaks down" to comparable data.
Components are becoming obsolete
An elevator is a combination of mechanical, electrical, and electronic components. As years go by, some elements may become technologically outdated or less convenient to maintain.
This doesn't necessarily mean that the entire elevator needs to be replaced. Modernization can target specific components based on the actual condition of the installation.
That's why it's important for the community to request a technical study before approving an investment: it's necessary to identify what really needs to be replaced and what can still function correctly.
The building's accessibility is insufficient
In older buildings, the problem may go far beyond the machinery.
Small elevators, narrow doors, level differences between the street and the cabin, or routes that don't reach certain floors can significantly hinder use by people with reduced mobility.
In these cases, the building as a whole should be studied. Sometimes it will be enough to adapt some elements; in other properties, a more extensive rehabilitation may be necessary.
How often should an elevator be maintained?
In Catalonia, the Generalitat currently establishes different minimum frequencies.
CE-marked elevators located in single-family homes can have maintenance every four months. This same frequency applies to certain devices installed in residential buildings with up to three stops that do not serve more than 20 homes.
For other elevators, preventive maintenance must be carried out monthly.
For a homeowners' association, however, these visits should not be understood solely as an administrative requirement. The maintenance history is one of the most valuable tools for detecting trends and deciding whether to continue maintaining the current installation or consider modernization.
Maintenance and periodic inspection are not the same
This is a fairly common confusion.
Preventive maintenance is the responsibility of the conservation company and is carried out with the frequency established according to the characteristics of the elevator.
The periodic inspection, on the other hand, is performed by a control body and checks that the device maintains the regulatory safety conditions.
According to current regulations, inspections must be carried out at least:
Every 2 years in industrial buildings or places of public attendance.
Every 4 years in buildings with more than 20 homes or with more than four served floors.
Every 6 years in other cases.
This distinction is especially important for presidents and property managers: having maintenance contracted does not replace the obligation to pass regulatory inspections.
What should a community review before deciding?
The decision should not be made solely by comparing the cost of a repair with the budget for modernization.
It's advisable to put on the table the breakdown history, the annual cost of repairs, the condition of the main components, deficiencies detected during inspections, accessibility needs, and the expected lifespan of the elements being maintained.
It's also important to ask what exactly each proposal includes. Two budgets with similar amounts may propose technically very different interventions.
Therefore, the manager can request that companies specify components, work, deadlines, guarantees, and possible complementary actions. This way, the board compares solutions and not just a final figure.
What if the building doesn't have an elevator?
Here we are no longer talking about modernization, but about a rehabilitation and accessibility project.
Installing an elevator in an existing building may require finding solutions adapted to an architecture that originally did not contemplate it.
Among the alternatives that ASVALL works on in rehabilitation projects are installation using the stairwell, installation on the facade to preserve interior spaces, or partial or total modification of the staircase when the available space requires it.
In these projects, the prior study of the building is especially important because the solution depends on the available space, accessibility from the outside, and the building's construction characteristics.
The ASVALL perspective: study the elevator before deciding
ASVALL works on the different phases of an elevator's life cycle: installation, multi-brand maintenance, modernization, and rehabilitation. This combination allows addressing the problem from the state of the existing installation and not necessarily from the complete replacement of the equipment.
The company states that it offers personalized studies to propose possible modernization solutions and, in maintenance, claims to have spare parts from different manufacturers.
This is particularly relevant in communities with old devices: before investing, it's important to know which parts of the elevator can continue in service and which should be updated.
ASVALL and ForConnect
ASVALL is a company specialized in elevators and automatic doors that is part of the ForConnect professional network. With headquarters in Sabadell, the company develops multi-brand maintenance, modernization, rehabilitation, and elevator installation services, in addition to having a specific garage door division.
The company has been developing this activity since 1975 and claims to have carried out more than 5,500 complete installations and maintenance contracts during its trajectory.
For a community, the key is not to wait for an old elevator to finally stop working. Analyzing its condition, breakdowns, costs, and future needs allows planning the investment and comparing alternatives with more criteria.
If your community needs to maintain, modernize, or rehabilitate an elevator, you can find specialized professionals at ForConnect and request advice or a quote.