Lift noise in apartments: causes and fixes

Most residents of an apartment building rarely notice the Lift. For those whose bedrooms sit beside the liftwell, especially at the top of the building, a noisy Lift can mean broken sleep and a steady stream of complaints to the committee. Some Lift noise is normal, but some is a sign of a problem that needs fixing.

Types of Lift noise

Two main types of noise are heard: airborne and structure-borne.

• Machine hum and brake clicks at the top of the liftwell
• Door noise: slamming, grinding or squealing
• Rope or belt noise as the car travels
• Rattles and knocks from the car or rails
• Thumps as the car starts and stops
• Structure-borne noise is vibration travelling through the building structure that re-radiates as sound elsewhere. It can be caused by poor machine isolation mountings or poor rail isolation

Noise that signals a problem

Report any new noise to the contractor and have it checked, and do the same for noise that gets louder. Grinding, knocking or new vibration, especially with a rough ride or poor levelling, can mean worn components or a mechanical fault, and should be checked promptly.

Why machine-room-less lifts can be louder

In a machine-room-less lift, the hoisting machine sits at the top of the liftwell, often next to the most expensive apartments in the building. Where the machine is fixed to the guide rails, vibration can also travel down the rails. See Machine-room-less lift upgrade options.

How loud a Lift should be

LML specifications cap noise inside the lift car at 45 dB(A) at rated speed, and at 50 dB(A) while the car accelerates, slows or levels into a floor. Noise in adjoining apartments can be measured to show whether it is within acceptable limits and which fix will help.

45 dB(A)

the most noise an LML specification allows inside a lift car at rated speed

Fixes, from simple to major

1. Maintenance adjustments: doors, brakes, guide shoes and rollers
2. Replacing worn components, such as rollers and door parts
3. Isolation mounts and sound absorption around the machine
4. Upgrading the machine or drive as part of a modernisation

Adjusting the Lift and replacing worn rollers and door parts can solve many problems. Isolation mounts work for structure-borne noise, provided they are correctly specified.

Handling residents' complaints

Keeping a noise log

Ask residents to record when they hear the noise and what it sounds like. A pattern (time of day, particular floors) helps pinpoint the cause, and a measurement settles disagreements.

Preventing noise in new buildings

Lift noise is far cheaper to prevent than to fix. For new apartment buildings, the lift specification should set noise limits for the car and adjoining rooms, require isolation of the machine and rails, and avoid placing Lift machinery beside bedrooms where the design allows. See Specifying lifts for a new building.

How noise travels

Lift noise reaches apartments in two ways, and each needs a different fix:

• Airborne noise travels through the air: machine hum, brake clicks, door noise. It is reduced with sound absorption and by sealing gaps.
• Structure-borne noise travels through the building's structure, as vibration from the machine or rails passes into walls and floors. It is reduced by isolating the source, for example by mounting the machine on isolation pads.

Knowing which one you are dealing with saves money, because work on airborne noise won't help if the problem is vibration, and the same applies the other way round.

Measuring before fixing

A proper noise assessment:

1. Records when and where residents hear the noise
2. Measures noise levels in the affected rooms, with and without the Lift running
3. Identifies the source, such as the machine, doors, rails or ropes
4. Recommends a fix matched to the cause

Minor adjustments may fall within the maintenance contract, depending on its scope. Isolation works and machine upgrades are separate projects, priced after the noise has been measured.

Questions people ask

Why is my apartment's Lift so noisy at night?

Background noise drops at night, so Lift sounds stand out more. Noise that persists or gets worse should still be checked.

Can a Lift contractor fix lift noise?

Many Lift noise problems are fixed by adjustment or by replacing worn parts. Noise carried through the building's structure may need isolation work.

Who pays to fix Lift noise in a strata building?

Usually the owners corporation, or the body corporate in Queensland, because the lift is common property.

Talk to us about lift noise

LML Lift Consultants investigates lift noise, measures it and specifies the right fix.

Talk to us or call 1300 001 565.