Home elevator repair and service in Boca Raton

Who this is for

This page is for anyone with a home elevator that has stopped, makes new noises, or has not been serviced in a while, including families who bought a house that came with one.

• Elevator stuck or not answering calls
• Doors that stick, bounce or do not lock
• Battery or power-loss warnings
• A home bought with an elevator of unknown history

Who regulates home elevator repair and service in Boca Raton?

A home elevator serving only your household is outside state regulation, so servicing it needs no state permit. Shared condo elevators in Palm Beach County are a different matter: there is no local elevator office acting for the state, so the state bureau inspects them and charges $200 for a permit to alter.

About 43 percent of Boca Raton homes were built before 1980. If your elevator went in before 2017, have the gap between the hall door and the car gate measured against Florida's door gap limits for new elevators.[6][4][2][7]

Older Boca Raton homes and home elevator repair and service

About 43 percent of Boca Raton homes were built before 1980, against 33 percent across Palm Beach County. Older homes may need a new circuit or some framing before a lift goes in, which the survey checks.

The median owner-occupied home in Boca Raton is valued at about $853,200, the highest of the areas we serve. IRS Publication 502 says lifts added for medical care usually do not add value, but elevators generally do, which affects any medical expense deduction.

About 24 percent of Boca Raton residents, and 25 percent across Palm Beach County, are 65 or older, well above the share in Miami-Dade or Broward. Many lifts here are planned for long daily use, so seat comfort, battery life and service matter as much as price.[2][8][9][10]

Help paying for home elevator service in Palm Beach County

IRS Publication 502 lets the upkeep of a lift added for medical care count as a medical expense, above 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. For other help at home in Palm Beach County, call the Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast on (561) 684-5885.[9][5]

What is different about a home lift in Palm Beach County?

Palm Beach County is outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers only Miami-Dade and Broward, so the stricter High Velocity Hurricane Zone product rules that apply a few miles south do not apply here. Coastal and Intracoastal homes should still check their flood zone and plan any elevator with a float switch if its cab could descend below the base flood elevation.

In condo buildings, a lift that serves shared areas is not a private residence lift. In Palm Beach County the state elevator bureau issues those permits directly, at $325 to install a regulated conveyance, and only registered elevator companies can apply.[11][3][4][6][7]

Permits in Boca Raton

• City of Boca Raton Building Permits: Local building and electrical permits for work inside homes in the city.
• Florida DBPR Bureau of Elevator Safety: Regulates covered elevators directly in Palm Beach County, such as lifts in shared condo areas. Lifts serving only one family residence are not regulated by the bureau.

What should a service visit check?

• Door locks and the gap between the hall door and the cab door or gate
• Safety edges, emergency stop, alarm and phone
• Battery backup and lowering in a power cut
• Rails, cables, belts or hydraulic fluid, depending on the type
• Float switch, if the elevator serves a level that can flood

Is your older elevator safe for children?

Florida's Max Grablin Act limits the gap between the hoistway door and the landing sill to 3/4 inch for swinging doors and 2 1/4 inches for sliding doors, and requires the space between the hall door and the car door or gate to reject a 4 inch sphere. The rules apply to new elevators in a private residence. Older home elevators may not meet them, and a space guard can often be added.[7]

Frequently asked questions