Home elevators have become incredibly trendy over the last decade. They are also incredibly useful and help millions of homeowners make their home’s both more accommodating and much more valuable. There are six core types of home elevators that you should know about before making a final purchasing decision: 

1. Vacuum Elevators 

The newest advancement in house elevator design, vacuum elevators create zones of higher and lower atmospheric pressure within the cylinder hoist route, utilizing turbine motors and valves. Vacuum elevators are the only air-driven elevators in the world, and don’t need dangerous oils or lubricants to run. Additionally, they don’t need a pre-construction shaft, pit, or machine room to operate, making them possible in any multi-storied home (even those without any extra room). These self-supporting home elevators can be erected anywhere inside the house in as little as two to three days and don’t need yearly maintenance to function (unlike many other choices on this list). Few residential elevator installation processes are as simple and fast! Because of the attractive designs possible with vacuum-style elevators, they can quickly charm every guest that enters your home.

2. Chain-Driven Counterweight Elevators 

With the help of a gearing system, the chain-driven counterweight system transfers torque from the engine to a large chain. This design has a lot of similarities to bicycles, and other familiar devices. The chain mechanism allows the elevator cab to travel up and down smoothly without needing a separate machine room to function. The chain-driven house elevator uses a counterweight that is normally attached to the other end of the chain from the elevator cab itself. This counterweight is equal to the weight of a partially-loaded elevator cab and requires less maintenance than cables do (making this model great for house renovation efforts). For those on a budget, chain-driven elevator systems can provide a great option. 

3. Inline Gear Chain Elevators 

The inline gear system is an improvement on the fundamental chain drive principle by positioning the motor assembly at the top of the shaft rather than on top of the cab like a typical chain-driven system. This house elevator system is safer than conventional chain-driven systems while functioning similarly. It allows less headroom on the shaft, lowers building costs, and speeds up access to emergency controls outside the car. For those with disabilities, this accessibility becomes a huge factor. These useful features have made inline gear chain elevators one of the most popular elevator types in recent years for homeowners.

4. Winding Drum Elevators 

Winding drum elevators are typically the first type of elevator system that comes to mind when you think of a “home elevator” system. Thick cables are used to suspend the elevator cabin, which employs an antiquated design based on a rotating winch. The wire winds through the drum with the aid of an electric motor, elevating and lowering the cab in turn. A rougher, noisier ride may result if this drum and motor are housed at the top and bottom of the hoistway. That being said, these elevators require more frequent maintenance than other elevator types on this list (about twice every decade). The affordability of the product has made it remain popular among homeowners, however. 

5. Gearless Traction Elevators 

Gearless traction elevators are most frequently encountered in office buildings and other settings that see a ton of traffic every single day. These frequently combine counterweights from a chain drive with cables from a winding drum system, creating a unique functionality that makes gearless traction highly unique. The cable is tied to the top of the elevator cabin and is wrapped around the drive sheave in specific grooves. The other end of the machine’s cable is connected to a counterweight that moves up and down on guide rails in the hoist path, creating ascent and descent capabilities for the elevator. 

6. Roped Hydraulic Elevators

Roped hydraulic elevators combine the benefits of hydraulic systems with the simplicity of roped ones. They are built around a hydraulic pump that is coupled to a piston and pulley. Then, two steel cables are fastened to the floor of the shaft, extended around the pulley at the top, and attached to the bottom of the L-shaped sling where the cab is placed. The piston is supported by a pedestal and connected to the hoistway by a series of highly durable brackets. The specialized machine room that is needed for this home elevator system can be located inside many different convenient locations around your home, so it can work for practically any home’s design. 

Find Your Dream Home Elevator

With this guide, you can finally find the right type of home elevator for your residence. Whether you need help getting between stories, or simply want to add value to your home, each of these elevator types has you covered.