How Contractors Can Help Clients Stay Home Longer With Residential Elevators

Stairs can be a barrier to independent living, limiting access to different floors and potentially forcing a move. Many homeowners want to age in place, which has influenced the residential construction and remodeling market. Retrofitting homes with an elevator provides safety, preserves independence and helps clients enjoy their houses for a lifetime.

Benefits for Aging Clients

An elevator restores independence and gives homeowners access to all areas of their house as they age. In addition, elevators improve safety by decreasing the risk of falls, which are the leading cause of injury among people 65 and older.

Retrofitting a residential elevator contributes to your client’s well-being and peace of mind. This investment also helps the home stay functional and comfortable as mobility needs change, allowing people to stay within their community and familiar surroundings.

What to Consider When Retrofitting Residential Elevators

Installing residential elevators for retrofitting existing homes requires thoughtful planning. Professionals must evaluate several factors.

• Space and location: The primary challenge is finding adequate space. Potential locations include the corner of a large room, a garage or an external shaft built onto the side of the house.

• Structure: An elevator and its machinery introduce a major load. A structural analysis of the home’s foundation, floor joists and load-bearing walls reveals what reinforcements are necessary to support the new equipment safely.

• Drive system impact: The drive system depends on space and structure. For example, machine room-less (MRL) cable drum systems are compact and do not require a separate machine room, making them ideal for existing structures with limited space.

Best Residential Elevator Types for Retrofitting Homes

Certain drive systems are better suited for the spatial and structural constraints of installing residential elevators for existing homes.

MRL Cable Drum Drive Systems 

Unlike standard cable drum drive systems, MRL versions are self-contained, removing the need for a machine room, which is often impractical to add to a finished home. This makes these space-efficient elevators ideal for retrofitting.

The Inclinator Elevette® MRL Overhead Cable Drum is versatile and highly reliable. It is favored for its flexible installation possibilities in tight spaces. Its strong cable drum mechanism provides a trustworthy, smooth journey between floors.

Hydraulic Drive Systems

A hydraulic drive offers a quiet ride, leading to a more relaxed environment, and its pump and controller can be located in a basement or garage.

The Inclinator Elevette® Hydraulic is ideal for clients who want a quiet and exceptionally smooth ride. It does require a small area for the pump unit, but it delivers a level of performance often associated with commercial elevators.

Inclinator Company of America Inc.: A Reliable Partner for Home Elevator Retrofits

When looking for the best residential elevators for retrofitting existing homes, partner with a proven manufacturer. Inclinator Company of America is a leader in the field and provides safe and reliable products.

The company’s residential elevators have code-compliant safety gates and full-time cab monitoring, as well as lighting and a cab lowering system powered by an emergency battery. The solid construction ensures reliable performance and fewer worries about maintenance, which can be directed to Inclinator’s network of certified dealers. With 30% of people 75 and older having trouble walking or using stairs, Inclinator’s understanding of home accessibility needs can be a game changer.

Providing Independence and Comfort

A residential elevator provides a lasting solution for independence. By integrating these systems into your clients’ houses, you are supporting a better quality of life and ensuring they remain in their cherished homes well into the future.

*Please note that this list includes sponsored content. Some of the companies, products, or services featured have entered into commercial agreements for placement. Sponsored placements do not necessarily reflect an endorsement and should be considered alongside other options in the marketplace.