In part one of this two-part blog series, we looked at some of the most common uses of dumbwaiters in a residential setting. These helpful lift items are often used to transport things like laundry, groceries, heavy items and more within a residential environment – but they’re also often found in commercial situations, and used in related but still different ways.

At A+ Elevators & Lifts, we happily offer a wide range of dumbwaiters for any application, including to many commercial clients who utilize them as part of their business setup. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll shift gears and look at the common commercial uses of dumbwaiters, plus what to think about if you’re ordering one or more dumbwaiters for any of these purposes.

Moving Retail Items

One of the more common settings for dumbwaiters in the business world is within retail, where they’re commonly used to move items between floors of a store or building. This could range from clothing and other goods all the way up to heavier, bulkier items like furniture. In many cases, they’ll be utilized in retail settings where the elevator may not have been installed yet or is out of service for repairs – offering a great temporary solution until the elevator can be fixed.

In other cases, however, the dumbwaiter will actually be a primary part of back-end operations for the store. Items may be sent up to the sales floor, or products that are sold might be sent back down to inventory storage rooms – all with a simple push of the button.

If you’re looking for a dumbwaiter for your retail business, there are a few factors to consider. First, think about the size of items you’ll need to transport – this will help determine how big the dumbwaiter needs to be and what capacity it should have. Secondly, make sure there are safety features in place like dead-man’s controls (which require operators to hold down a button while in use) and limit switches that protect against overloading, to ensure safety for anyone who operates the dumbwaiter.

Food Service Applications

Another common use of dumbwaiters in commercial settings is within food service – such as restaurants and cafeterias. Here, they may be used to transport dishes between floors or different sections of a restaurant – like between the kitchen and the main dining area.

If you’re looking to use a dumbwaiter for food service, it’s important to note that there are special considerations in place when ordering – such as the need for an insulated cab and operator door interlocks. This is because of rules and regulations set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that ensure operations are safe, and that food is kept at the appropriate temperature.

Finally, it’s also important to consider how many floors you’ll need the dumbwaiter to transport items between – as this will determine which type of lift system is needed.

Hotel Uses

For many hotels, dumbwaiters are a great way to transport items between floors – especially when it comes to larger and heavier items like suitcases. This can be done in an efficient manner, without the need of constantly having an employee carry items up and down stairs.

In other cases, dumbwaiters are used in hotels primarily for laundry and housekeeping purposes. They will be kept out of sight from guests, but used by staff to transport items like linens, towels, and other fabrics quickly between floors – making the process of getting rooms ready for guests much easier.

When it comes to hotel dumbwaiters in particular, safety is again a key consideration. There should be multiple safety mechanisms built into the system so that no one is ever at risk during use of the lift.

Libraries or Bookstores

Another common use of dumbwaiters in commercial settings is for book storage and transport, often seen in libraries or bookstores. The lift system can be used to move books between floors – such as from a storage area down to the main sales floor or library stacks.

In this situation, it’s important to consider a few different factors when ordering a dumbwaiter. This includes the weight of books that will be transported, which should be taken into account when determining the size and load capacity of the lift. Additionally, certain book materials can be sensitive to temperature – so insulation may need to be included in the design if such items are going to be moved on a regular basis.

Hospitals, Care Centers and Retirement Homes

Finally, because of their versatility and convenience, dumbwaiters are also often used in healthcare settings – such as hospitals, care centers and retirement homes. Here they can be used to transport items like medical supplies or food between different areas of the facility.

It’s important to note that when selecting a dumbwaiter for this situation, again special considerations need to be taken into account. This includes features like insulated cab enclosures, operator door interlocks and emergency stop systems – all of which ensure that anyone operating the lift is kept safe at all times.