Home elevator repair and service in Fort Lauderdale

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 Fort Lauderdale?

Broward's Elevator Section issues permits and certificates of operation for conveyances the state law covers, which does not include an elevator serving one family residence. Repairs on your own home elevator need no state permit, but replacing a drive or controller may still need a city electrical permit.

Fort Lauderdale's housing is old by Florida standards, with a median build year of 1973. Elevators fitted before 2017 predate Florida's door gap rules, so ask for the gap between the hall door and car gate to be measured at the next visit.[5][7][2]

Older Fort Lauderdale homes and home elevator repair and service

Fort Lauderdale has some of the oldest housing in South Florida: about 64 percent of homes were built before 1980 and the median home dates from 1973. Older block homes can need extra framing, wider doorways or electrical upgrades before a lift goes in.

The median owner-occupied home in Fort Lauderdale is valued at about $579,300. IRS Publication 502 notes that lifts added for medical care usually do not add value, but elevators generally do, which changes how much of the cost may count as a medical expense.

About 19 percent of Broward residents are 65 or older. Fort Lauderdale's older housing means many homes have steps at the entrance as well as inside.[2][8][9][10]

Help paying for home elevator service in Broward

Upkeep of a lift added for medical care can count as a medical expense under IRS Publication 502, once medical costs pass 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. For other help at home in Broward, start with the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County on (954) 745-9567.[9][6]

What is different about a home lift in Broward?

Broward and Miami-Dade are the two Florida counties in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone. That matters most for outdoor elevators and porch lifts, whose enclosures, doors and glazing must meet the stricter product rules. Waterfront and canal-side homes should also check their flood zone, because FEMA expects a float switch or equal system on any elevator that could descend below the base flood elevation.

Heavy rain floods low streets here too: on April 12 and 13, 2023, the National Weather Service measured more than 20 inches of rain near Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and found still water just over 3 feet deep in Edgewood. Any elevator pit, porch lift base or battery in a low spot needs a plan for that.[11][12][3]

Permits in Fort Lauderdale

• Broward County Building Code Division, Elevator Section: Handles elevator permits and certificates of operation in Broward under contract with the state for conveyances the law covers.
• City of Fort Lauderdale and other Broward cities: Issue local building and electrical permits for work inside homes. Your installer confirms the route for your address.

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