Wilmington Office

Phone: (910) 790-9300

Mailing address:
5704 Nixon Lane
Castle Hayne, NC 28429

Charleston Office

Phone: (843) 729-1006

Mailing address:
2652 Bonds Avenue, Suite 101
North Charleston, SC 29405

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Questions

Questions? – Get Answers

Residential Elevators

What is the best drive system?

This depends on your specific needs, the home it is going into and what you expect from your elevator. The In-Line Gear is more suited for Coastal regions due to the fact sand and salt do not affect the component parts like a hydraulic elevator. It is best to sit down with an elevator specialist and determine your specific requirements before choosing an elevator.

Is the in-line gear drive unit noisy?

No, in-line gear drives are quiet and also offer smooth gradual starting and stopping.

How much room do I need?

For an elevator that will accommodate a wheelchair, 3′ x 4′ car, takes about a 5′ x 5′ area and enough room for a machine room if the elevator that has been chosen requires one. Some jurisdictions require machine room, some do not.

How many floors can your home elevator serve?

Up to 5 floors can be served. 50′ of travel is the maximum for a residential elevator.

Will the home elevator accommodate a wheelchair?

There are elevators that can and some that cannot. Most generally you would like the inside clear car to be 36″ x 48″ to accommodate a wheelchair.

Can an elevator be added to my current home?

Yes. To The Top Home Elevators provides the services of an architect, contractor and years of elevator experience and can help you find the best location for an elevator with the least amount of cost and impact to your current home design.

What is the weight capacity on a residential elevator?

Residential elevators typically have a capacity of 950 lbs.

Can I have more than one entrance on my elevator?

Yes, multiple entrances allow for entering and exiting the elevator through separate doors on different landings. You may have two opposing entrances; enter and exit at the front and side for two 90 degree openings; or you can enter/exit on a single side as in a traditional elevator.

What happens if there is power failure?

In a power failure, a battery-operated safety feature makes sure passengers are never stranded between floors. Emergency lighting comes on and the controlled safety descent feature will take the car to the nearest lower floor or another pre-selected floor (some models).

How much service do your units require?

We follow the manufacturer’s recommended planned maintenance schedule which calls for two planned maintenance visits per year.

How can I plan for a future elevator in my new home?

By framing in stacked closets on top of each other for storage until you are ready to add your elevator. Then you could just remove the floors when you are ready to have your elevator installed.

Will the doors open if the elevator is not at the landing?

No, interlocks are installed at each landing which will only allow the door to open when the elevator is at that landing.

How long will it take to have my elevator installed?

It generally takes 6-8 weeks to manufacture and have the elevator shipped to our facility. From the day the installation starts.

Lula Elevators

What is the difference between a LULA elevator and a Residential Elevator or a Commercial Passenger Elevator?

LULA stands for Limited Use/Limited Application commercial elevators. LULAs, as compared to commercial passenger elevators, are more compact, less costly and have lower capacity. Our LULAs are all hydraulic drive, whereas residential elevators also come with mechanical drives such as winding drum and in-line gear drives. LULAs are an excellent option for commercial installations of certain size and, oftentimes, can fit more easily into existing construction, as compared to traditional passenger elevators.

What is the weight capacity on a LULA elevator?

1400 lbs

Is a cylinder installed under the ground on hydraulic units?

No, hydraulic cylinders are located above ground, siting on the pit floor between the rails.

How long does it take to install a LULA elevator?

Most are installed within two week’s time.

Stair Lifts

Can you put in a stairchair outside?

Yes. There are outdoor models manufactured to protect it from various weather conditions.

What is the capacity of a stair chair?

This will vary by model. Most Stair lifts have a 300-350 pound capacity with some models offering a 600 pound weight capacity.

Can stair lifts be installed on curved steps or steps with a landing?

Stair lifts today are designed to fit almost any stairway from straight stairs, both short and long stairwells, and many different shapes of curved stairs.

How wide do my stairs need to be for a stair lift?

Stair lifts are generally being installed in 36″ wide stairwells, although we have models and applications that can accommodate narrower stairways.

How long does it take to have a stairlift installed once purchased?

Straight stairlifts oftentimes can be installed with two days of purchase. Curve stairlifts require a custom rail to fit your home, taking on average 4-5 weeks from measurement to installation.

Platform Lifts

How high can a residential vertical wheelchair lift travel? How high can a residential incline wheelchair lift travel?

For outdoor low-rise applications, typically utilizing an unenclosed vertical wheelchair lift model and used in conjunction with porches and garage stairs, the maximum travel distance is 72″ (6 ft). Taller applications utilizing a vertical platform lift are typically enclosed and can travel up to 14′. Incline wheelchair platform lifts can travel up to 40′.

What is the weight capacity of a vertical wheelchair lift? What is the weight capacity of an incline lift?

Weight capacity is limited by code with most vertical wheelchair lift models rated for 750 lbs. Incline weight capacity is limited by model with inclines typically capable of lifting 500 lbs with our highest load rated incline wheelchair lift being up to 750 lbs.

Is a pit/recess required for a vertical wheelchair lifts?

A shallow 3″ recess (1 1/2″ option available) is preferred as it allows level entry at the lower landing. If a pit recess is not feasible, a ramp may be possible, depending on the adjacent floorplan. A pit/recess is not recommended on outdoor applications.

Do commercial installations typically require some sort of enclosure and/or hoistway around the lift?

Most applications require the lift to be inside a runway enclosure, either provided by the lift manufacturer in metal, Plexi-glass or glass panels, or provided by the general contractor built from stud/drywalls, concrete blocks or other suitable materials.

Dumbwaiters

What is the weight capacity on a dumbwaiter?

Between 50 – 500 lbs depending on the size of the car and whether a commercial or residential model. Most resideintial dumbwaiters have a 100-200 lbs capacity.

How far can a dumbwaiter travel?

Approximately 50 ft.

Waupaca Elevators

Are there any safety concerns about Waupaca elevators?