Lifts are an essential part of modern life, making buildings more accessible to us all and helping us to make our way around and about. It’s easy to take them for granted, however, and it can be very inconvenient when they do start operating at less than maximum efficiency.

As such, it can be useful to familiarise yourself with some of the most common signs that your lift is starting to fail, so you can take preventative action quickly before the problem becomes urgent.

One of the biggest indications that there is an issue somewhere is, of course, regular breakdowns. Beyond this being a nuisance and offputting for clients and customers, it can also be quite expensive, with callout fees, repair costs and parts all adding up quickly. It could be worth having a survey carried out to see if there’s a problem somewhere.

It can also pay to be vigilant where the noise of the lift is concerned. If you’ve started hearing strange sounds during lift operation, it is important not to ignore it. Lifts should always be relatively quiet while working, as long as they’ve been installed properly and are serviced regularly.

Also look out for the lift stopping randomly on the wrong floor, as this can also suggest there’s an issue that needs attending to. If you’ve noticed this, make sure you call out an engineer to come and check it out.

Even the very best maintained lifts will start to show their age at some point, so if you know yours is on the older side, it may well be that it’s time to consider lift refurbishment or even investing in a new appliance to ensure seamless operation.