Different Types of Home Elevators: Professional Guide

Home elevators have become a popular convenience for many families. Buying a the home elevator is simple, but it is difficult to choose the suitable one. There are various types of home elevators in the market, which can easily overwhelm and confuse you. However, this article can help you to have a clear cognition and definitive idea,  allowing you to choose the perfect home elevator after reading it.

Types of Home Elevator

 The following list, from traction to spiral, outlines all types of home elevators currently on the market. Hopefully, you can find a satisfactory answer among them.

Traction Home Elevator  

Traction elevators are among the most highly recommended elevators on the market  today, boasting superior effect and offering you the most comfortable experience.  In addition, it has been developed over more than a hundred years, the technology  is very mature, guaranteeing your safety, and is  a convenient aid for your home.

Principle of Traction Elevator

The operating principle of a traction elevator is based on using a motor to drive steel   ropes or belts with weights attached to both ends, allowing the elevator to move up and down.

Components of Traction Elevator

Traction elevators are primarily composed of eight major systems, which interact with each other to form a complete home elevator system:  

Traction system: It includes traction motor, traction steel ropes, guide   pulleys, and electromagnetic brake. Its function is to act as the power source, generating the traction force that moves the whole cabin up and down.  

Guidance system: It consists of guide rails, guide shoes, and guide rail brackets. The main function is to make sure the elevator car and counterweight operating between  guide rails, preventing them from going beyond the designated range and causing elevator fall accidents. 

 Elevator car: The car itself and the car framework.  The car rides people or carries goods, while the car frame stabilizes the  entire car, allowing it to safely transport passengers to the designated floor.  

Weight balancing system: This system is mainly used to balance the weight between  the elevator car and the counterweight, keeping it stable within a certain range, thus  ensuring operation at a constant speed.

Safety protection system: The safety protection system is the most important of the eight major systems, effectively preventing elevator malfunctions and protecting you. It mainly includes speed limiting devices, buffers, and terminal protection devices.

Electrical control system: This system mainly manages the electrical components of   the elevator and its operating devices, such as the floor selector and control panel.  Its primary function is to coordinate the reception of signals and issue commands to complete the entire process. 

Electric drive system: This system is a core component of the elevator. Currently, the  most advanced system on the market is the variable-frequency variable-voltage drive  system, which can reduce energy consumption.  

Advantages:

The following list outlines a series of advantages of traction elevators, which can provide you with a better experience. Long service life, smooth and comfortable operation Low maintenance costs, stable effect, frequent use, and unaffected by  temperature.

Disadvantages：

Traction elevators are excellent in many aspects, but the purchase cost is relatively high and  maintenance of the elevator needs guidance from professional personnel. 

Best Use Case:

Traction elevators can be used in a variety of scenarios, are highly adaptable, and can operate stably. As follows:

Mid-to-high-rise buildings  

Residential buildings in cold regions 

Villas and duplex houses  

Hydraulic Home Elevator

Over the years, hydraulic elevators have continuously developed to their current structural design. They have  gained market acceptance and are a very popular choice, alongside traction elevators, becoming the preferred option for many customers 

Principle of Hydraulic Elevator

As the name suggests, the core of hydraulic elevators is hydraulic power .  This means that a hydraulic power source pumps hydraulic oil into a cylinder, which then pushes a  

piston upwards. This movement, transmitted through steel cables or belts, drives the elevator car, completing the entire operation of the hydraulic elevator.  

Components of Hydraulic Elevator

A hydraulic elevator is an integrated system combining an electric motor and a hydraulic pump. Its main components are described below:

Pump station system: This includes the motor, oil tank, oil pump, and a series of auxiliary components. It is the power source for the elevator, maintaining its normal operation, and also acts as a reservoir for hydraulic oil.  

Hydraulic system: The system mainly includes hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic lines, seals, flow control valves, and pressure sensors. Its function is to act as the energy transfer hub between the pump station system and other parts,  keeping the elevator’s speed and controlling its start and stop.

Safety Protection System: The safety protection system of a hydraulic elevator consists of pressure sensors, relief valves, buffers, emergency stop mechanisms, electrical fault protection, and safety brakes. Its purpose is to protect passenger safety in all aspects during travel through various technologies.

Other system functions and components are similar to those of the traction system.

Advantages:

Hydraulic elevators are currently very popular in the market due to their numerous advantages. They are low cost, small space usage, high load-bearing capacity, quiet and stable operation, reliable and durable, wide range of applications, high safety and easy installation.

Disadvantages:

Hydraulic elevators, due to the presence of hydraulic oil inside, require strict sealing to prevent leakage and necessitate frequent routine maintenance, resulting in high time costs. Furthermore, hydraulic elevators are unsuitable for cold environments, as the hydraulic oil can easily solidify, rendering the elevator inoperable.

Best Use Case:

Hydraulic elevators have a narrower range of applications compared to traction elevators, but they offer very high performance in their applicable fields.

Low-rise buildings (2-4 stories) 

Older buildings

Buildings with small space

Vertical Platform Lift

A Vertical platform lift that is called the porch lift is a type of open-plan elevator that efficiently transports passengers to designated floors. As one of the earliest lifting devices invented, it remains a perfect alternative to enclosed home elevators.

Principle of Vertical Platform Lift

A vertical platform elevator is a device powered by an electric drive system that drives a platform to move up and down along a predetermined track or support column,

thereby realizing the entire process of transporting people or goods.

Components of Vertical Platform Lift

Drive System: Currently, the drive systems of vertical platform elevators commonly found on the market are divided into two types: hydraulic drive and electric motor

drive. The first type mainly uses hydraulic oil to pressurize the cylinder, causing the plunger to move linearly. The second type uses an electric motor to directly drive the wire rope or chain for up-and-down reciprocating motion.

Platform: The platform is equivalent to an elevator car. It is a working space that can accommodate wheelchairs and objects.

Guiding system: Composed of guide rails or support columns, it mainly enables the platform to move along its direction.

Electrical control system: This system consists of a control cabinet, control panel, call buttons, position sensors, and a frequency converter. It can accurately receive your

commands and achieve stable operation.

Safety protection system: Similar to the safety protection devices of hydraulic elevators.

The Advantage and Disadvantage of Vertical Platform Elevator

As a comprehensive and objective analysis of vertical platform elevators, the following is a list of their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

Affordable price Easy to operate

Easy to install

Stable operation

No house renovation required

Accessible to all

Disadvantages:

Limited travel height

Limited capacity

Non-enclosed

Best Use Case:

Vertical platform elevators are ideal for older buildings that are unsuitable for renovation due to their simple structure and low installation requirements. Furthermore, their small size and lack of a shaft make them an excellent choice for homes with limited space.

Pitless Home Elevator

To ensure that the bottom of a home elevator is level with the floor of the residence, many elevator installations require a suitable pit to be excavated. However, digging a pit is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and could damage the existing floor structure, which is a major concern for many customers. To address this, home elevators have been improved to create pitless elevators, which can be installed and operated without the need for a pit.

Principle of Pitless Home Elevator

 A pitless elevator is an optimized version based on traditional hydraulic or electromechanical drive systems, eliminating the need for a pit which installs the hydraulic cylinder and traction system. The principle is similar to that of traction elevators and hydraulic elevators.

Advantages:

Shaftless elevators require minimal space and can be installed at low cost. They also offer multiple functions, feature a simplified structure, and can be installed quickly and easily.

Disadvantages:

The disadvantages of shaftless elevators include: exposed components are prone to damage, resulting in higher maintenance costs. Additionally, their limited load-bearing capacity is due to their smaller spatial design.

Best to Use:

This elevator is more suitable for use in low- to mid-rise residential buildings and buildings that cannot be remodeled.

MRL Elevators

Machine-room-less elevators first appeared at the end of the 20th century. Due to the invention of permanent magnet synchronous traction machines, they achieved a significant technological breakthrough, and then began to enter the market , becoming a popular product. They effectively solved the problem of space occupation. To this day, machine-room-less elevators remain an excellent choice.

Principle of MRL Elevator

The principle of machine-room-less elevators are similar to conventional elevators (hydraulic, traction, etc.), but they do not require a separate machine room to house the elevator components.  These components are instead located within the elevator shaft or in close proximity to it.

Advantages:

The advantages of this elevator include: space-saving, economical, energy-efficient, easy installation.

Disadvantages:

If the elevator’s components are placed inside the elevator shaft, repairs will be difficult, and maintenance will require professional guidance due to its complex structure.

Best Use Case:

This elevator is best suited for use in: homes with limited space, older homes where renovations are difficult, mixed-use residential and commercial buildings.

Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator

Pneumatic vacuum elevators are home elevators that utilize air pressure differences to drive the elevator car. They do not rely on steel cables, hydraulics, or counterweight systems, and are commonly used in villas, duplexes, and small houses.

Principle of Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator

During ascent, the vacuum pump removes air, and atmospheric pressure pushes the elevator car upwards. During descent, the vacuum pump stops, the air valve releases air, and the pressure becomes equal to atmospheric pressure.

Components of Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator

Pneumatic vacuum elevators consist of a vacuum tube, elevator car, vacuum pump system, pressure control valve, control system, and safety system.

Vacuum tube: Provides vertical guidance, support, and load-bearing function for elevator operation.

Pneumatic control valve: Precisely controls the flow of air in and out.

Advantages:

Here are the advantages of this elevator, including: No shaft required, saving space, quick installation, modern, high-tech appearance, simple structure, easy maintenance, low cost.

Disadvantages:

Pneumatic elevators are very expensive, not widely used, have limited passenger capacity, and generate noise; therefore, careful consideration is required when choosing one.

Best Use Case:

This elevator is best suited for use in：villas, duplex apartments, and lofts, buildings with a sense of technology and design.

Screw-Driven Home Elevators

In Europe and North America, screw-type home elevators are commonly found in villas, senior apartments, and renovation projects that do not require pre-existing shafts.

Principle of Screw-Driven Home Elevators

Screw-driven home elevators primarily rely on a motor to rotate a screw. The rotation of the screw causes a nut to move up and down along the screw, thereby driving the elevator car to ascend or descend.

Components of Screw-Driven Home Elevators

Screw-driven home elevators mainly consist of a drive system, car system, guiding and support system, door system, control system, and safety system.  Except for the drive system, the other components are similar to those of traction elevators.

Drive system: Composed of a motor, gearbox, vertical screw, and load-bearing nut.

Guidance and support system: guide rails, column structure, and lead screw.

Advantages: 

The advantages of the elevator include: support fast installation, no pit or machine room required, compact structure, suitable for renovation of existing buildings and mechanical self-locking structure, and high safety.

Disadvantages:

The disadvantages of the elevator include: slow operating speed (usually ≤ 0.15 m/s), limited load capacity, the screw requires regular lubrication and maintenance, and not suitable for buildings taller than 5 stories.

Best Use Case:

This elevator is ideal for homes with elderly residents, as well as renovation of low-rise old buildings and villas with elevators added at later stages.

Home Elevator Alternative

Stairlift

A stairlift is an assistive device that replaces stairs without requiring any modifications to the house. It consists of an electric chair installed on the existing staircase, allowing it to move up and down along the stairs. Stairlifts have a simple structure and help people with mobility issues move between floors. They remain an effective alternative to home elevators.

Principle of Stairlift

The stairlift operates through the interaction of four main components: guide rails, a drive system, a seating system, and safety devices. That is, the electric drive system propels the seat along the guide rails, allowing it to move up and down under the protection of the safety devices.

Advantages:

Stairlifts can offer you some convenience, and they are inexpensive.

Disadvantages:

Stairlift requires transfers and cannot reach multiple floors directly and is not suitable for rooms with limited stair space. Besides, it  only accommodates one person at a time that is inconvenient to operate. Not enough comfortable or convenient experience for you.

How Do You Choose The Type of Home Elevator That Best Suits Your Needs?

After understanding the different types of home elevators, the following steps will help you choose the one that best fits your needs.

1. Consider Your Needs

First, you need to understand what you really need from the elevator, such as its purpose, appearance, and functionality. You can start by writing down your current requirements and imagining what your home elevator would look like. Based on the previous descriptions of elevator types, you should have a rough idea of which type might be most suitable for you.

2. Gather Information

After clarifying your needs, gather essential details, such as:

• The number of floors in your home
• Available shaft space
• Dimensions of the pit (if there is no pit, just note the available space for installation)
• Whether you reserve the space of a machine room
• Estimated capacity for passengers or load

This information will give you a deeper understanding of your elevator and make it easier to communicate with the seller later.

3. Find a Reliable Home Elevator Company

If gathering the necessary information is challenging, finding a trustworthy home elevator company can help. A company that offers research, design, installation, and sales services is a great choice. Such a company can provide one-stop service from planning and customization to production and transportation, effectively saving you time and effort.

Start to Embrace Your New Life with Anter

If you’re highly interested in home elevators or have plans to purchase one but are unsure about which type or style suits you best, Anter Company can help! We have professional technicians available for 24/7 free consultations to guide you through the process. We also offer customized design plans and precise installation solutions. The best part is that we provide the most affordable prices. Contact us now to receive the latest quotes and the most detailed information!