What is a Pneumatic Elevator and How Does It Work?

Pneumatic elevators are a perfect choice for some homeowners.  They are quiet, don't require a machine room, hoistway or elevator pit, so they are much easier to install as well.  They are operated by a vacuum and utilize air pressure around the elevator.  There are no cables or pullies for a pneumatic elevator but works by physics.  Although there aren't any cables or pullies there are mechanical locks that will be at each stop.  These are safety locks to ensure that if there was a compromise in the system, you would continue to be safe.  We want you to feel safe in your luxury pneumatic elevator and are sure that you will. Typically a pneumatic elevator has a cab that is transparent, such as glass.  

How does a pneumatic elevator work?

Let's explore how these machines actually work.  There are turbines that are located at the top of the elevator shaft.  These suck the air out of the shaft, which creates a vacuum.  This vacuum is how the elevator rises to the desired levels.  The custom braking system will engage when the cab is close to the floor, once at the floor the mechanical locks will engage.  This repeats itself all the way up.  Then, when you are ready to come back down, the turbines will briefly turn on.  This will allow the cab to rise up just enough to shut down the mechanical locks.  The cab will then slowly descend to the next level and will stop with brakes and mechanical locks at the desired stop.  

Pneumatic elevator vs hydraulic and cable-driven

The biggest advantage of the pneumatic elevator over a hydraulic or cable-driven elevator is quite simply the cost.  Because these elevators don't need machine rooms and cable systems, they don't need as much support either.  This cuts down on labor costs.  Without the need for a pit or machine room, these can be installed just about anywhere with ease.  Pneumatic elevators usually are made of clear materials that don't require fancy woodworking but still look amazing and luxurious in the home.

A pneumatic elevator is also very energy efficient.  They have a low cost of operation and use no energy when the cab is descending.   This is because it uses air pressure and gravity when going down.  

The residential pneumatic elevator is one of the most inexpensive elevators you can put into your home. They are simple to install and don't need a lot of room.  You don't even have to build a shaft in a wall, as they can be self-supported systems units or even go up the side of a wall.  

Is a pneumatic elevator noisy?

The pneumatic elevator is about as loud as a vacuum cleaner when they are running.  They are completely safe, as they have to meet the ASME elevator standards by Liftinstituut.  They can be installed just about anywhere as they are self-supported, which makes them easier to install in your home.  This also means that we will be in and out much quicker than if you choose another style.

In the event of a power outage, the cab will slowly descend to the ground. All the mechanical locks and braking systems will still work without power.  Remember that part where we mentioned they used zero power on decent?  They actually use zero power.  So, a power outage will not affect the pneumatic elevators' ability to go down safely.  However, they will not be able to go back up without the electric turbines on the top. For more information regarding pneumatic elevators, give us a call or get a Free Quote and we would be happy to assist.

Joe Pukac