How Do Elevators Work - What Types Are There?
Modern buildings and homes offer a range of lift options—from residential to heavy-duty commercial. Understanding “how do elevators work” helps you choose the right system based on space, functionality, and budget.
Conventional Elevators
These include rope, hydraulic, and pneumatic models and are powered by belts, oil, and counterweights. The cabin—or elevator car—travels vertically via hydraulic pistons or a trolley and cable mechanism. These lifts require significant space for a shaft, pit, landing doors, and often a dedicated machine room with 3-phase power—making them unsuitable for most private homes.
Platform Lifts
Public spaces such as museums or railway stations often use platform lifts. These typically move slower and meet accessibility needs for wheelchairs or strollers. Driven by screw-and-nut, chain, or hydraulic mechanisms, they’re built for durability and frequent public use—but are generally not fitted in private homes.
Accessibility Elevators
Solutions for disabled or elderly users include stairlifts, hole-through-floor lifts, chair lifts, vacuum, and pneumatic lifts. While functional and often cost-efficient, these models tend to prioritize accessibility over aesthetics, making them less suitable for high-end residential interiors.
How SWIFT Home Elevators Work
SWIFT lifts bridge design and functionality. Built as an elegant platform lift for home, they blend the simplicity of conventional elevators with advanced, compact engineering. Using modular shaft components—like customizable glass or panel ArtWalls—SWIFT lifts eliminate the need for external shafts, extra landing doors, or overhead safety spaces. Installation can be floor-mounted or recessed in a minimal 50 mm pit.
Powering a SWIFT lift is a screw elevator system: an electric motor turns a nut along a threaded screw to move the platform. Originally developed in Sweden, this mechanism is known for its reliability, safety, and efficiency.
Whether you’re retrofitting an existing home or planning a new build—regardless of lifestyle or age—a properly engineered home elevator is a smart investment. SWIFT designs its systems specifically for the modern home environment.
