Elevator Installation

Elevator installers and repairers install, fix, and maintain elevators and other lifts.

Elevator installers and repairers, also called elevator constructors or elevator mechanics, assemble, install, and replace elevators, and similar equipment in buildings.

Elevator installers and repairers usually specialize in installation, maintenance, or repair work. Maintenance and repair workers generally require greater knowledge of electronics, hydraulics, and electricity than do installers because a large part of maintenance and repair work is troubleshooting. In fact, most elevators today have computerized control systems, resulting in more complex systems and troubleshooting than in the past.

After an elevator is operating correctly, elevator installers and repairers must regularly maintain and service it to keep the elevator working. Workers generally perform preventive maintenance, such as oiling and greasing moving parts, replacing worn parts, and adjusting equipment for optimal performance. They also troubleshoot and may be called to perform emergency repairs. Unlike most elevator installers, people who specialize in elevator maintenance typically service many of the same elevators on multiple occasions over time.

A service crew usually handles major repairs—for example, replacing cables, elevator doors, or machine bearings. These tasks may require the use of cutting torches or rigging equipment—tools that an elevator repairer would not normally carry. Service crews also perform major modernization and alteration work, such as replacing electric motors, hydraulic pumps, and control panels.

Duties

• All types of lifts and elevators