Pro tip: A firefighter in Chicago told me to always check the pit sump pump first.

Got called for a stuck elevator in a 12-story building during a heavy rainstorm last Tuesday. The fire captain on scene pointed at the pit and said, 'Water's your problem, not the motor.' He was right, the sump had failed. How often do you guys run into water issues versus actual mechanical failures?

3 comments

3 Comments

cameron4262mo ago

That same trick saved us hours on a flooded basement job last month.

jordan3302mo ago

Man, that's solid advice. We had a call for a parking garage gate that wouldn't close. Everyone was looking at the motor and sensors. I just glanced down at the track in the concrete. Totally full of leaves and muddy water. Cleared the drain channel with a stick and it ran fine. Boss thought I was a genius. Water causes so many simple, dumb problems.

juliahall1mo ago

@jordan330 beat me to it but there is a darker side of that water rule on high rise pits where the backup fails and you get a sudden surge that pops the pit door. That captain saved your boots not just your time.