Types of Home Elevators: Which Drive System Is Right for Your Home?

The short answer

There are six common types of home elevators: hydraulic, traction (including machine-room-less), cable or winding drum, chain-driven, pneumatic vacuum, and through-floor or shaftless. The difference is the drive system, meaning what actually moves the cab up and down.

No single type is the best home elevator. The best one is the one that fits your house, the person who will ride it, and how long you plan to stay. Here is a quick way to think about it:

• Building new or doing a big remodel? A shafted hydraulic, traction or chain-driven elevator gives you the most choice in cab size and finishes.
• Adding to an existing home with little room for a shaft? A pneumatic vacuum or through-floor elevator may fit where a traditional shaft will not.
• Someone uses a wheelchair now, or may later? Start with cab size. Shafted elevators usually offer the most room, though some compact models also come in wheelchair-size cabs.

This guide walks through each type in plain terms, compares them side by side, and shows how they tend to fit real Treasure Valley homes. For a broader look at what we install, see our home elevators page.

The six main types of home elevators

1. Hydraulic home elevators

A hydraulic elevator uses a pump to push fluid into a cylinder, and the piston moves the cab. It is one of the oldest and most familiar designs. Riders often describe the ride as smooth and quiet.

A hydraulic system needs a hoistway (shaft), a pit at the lowest floor, and space for the pump and controls, either in a machine room or a cabinet near the shaft. Because it runs on fluid, ask how the fluid is checked and what happens if a leak occurs.

2. Traction and machine-room-less (MRL) elevators

A traction elevator moves the cab with ropes or belts over a pulley, balanced by a counterweight. It works much like a commercial elevator, scaled down for a home. A machine-room-less version tucks the motor and controls inside the hoistway, so you do not give up a closet for equipment.

You still need a shaft, and most models need a pit, though depth varies. The trade-off with MRL designs is that some parts sit inside the shaft, which can make service access harder.

3. Cable or winding drum elevators

A winding drum elevator wraps a cable around a drum to raise and lower the cab. Traditional models need a shaft, a pit and a machine room, while some newer models come with their own enclosure. They can be a bit noisier than other designs, and the cables wear and need to be replaced over time.

4. Chain-driven elevators

A chain-driven elevator works like a drum system but uses a chain instead of a cable, usually with a counterweight. Chains are generally more durable than cables, and many chain-driven designs do not need a separate machine room. They still ride in a shaft and typically need a modest pit.

5. Pneumatic vacuum elevators

A pneumatic vacuum elevator moves the cab inside a clear tube using air pressure. Lowering the pressure above the cab lifts it, and letting air back in lets it descend. These units need no pit, no machine room and no traditional shaft, only a cutout in the floor for the tube.

The trade-offs: cabs are usually smaller, weight capacity is almost always lower than traditional elevators, and only some models are wheelchair accessible. The round, see-through look is also something you will either love or not.

6. Through-floor and shaftless elevators

A through-floor elevator rides on a rail or column and passes through an opening cut in the floor above. There is no shaft and no pit. Most serve just two floors, and wider models can carry a wheelchair or walker. Some require the rider to hold a button the whole time the cab is moving.

Some through-floor units are built to the platform-lift standard, ASME A18.1, which has its own section for private residence vertical platform lifts, rather than the elevator standard. It is fair to ask which standard any model is built to. If a lift is a better fit than an elevator, see our vertical platform lifts page.

Home elevator types compared

This table sums up the general patterns. Every model is different, so treat it as a starting point and confirm details for the specific unit you are considering.

Hydraulic vs traction is the most common head-to-head. Both are proven, shafted designs with roomy cab options. Hydraulic needs space for a pump and fluid. A machine-room-less traction unit saves that space but puts more equipment inside the shaft. Your layout usually settles it.

How to choose: a simple checklist

Walk through these questions before you talk to anyone about models. Your answers will narrow the field fast.

1. Who will ride it? Think about today and five or ten years out. If a wheelchair, walker or caregiver may need to fit, put cab size at the top of the list.
2. How many floors? Two floors opens every option. Three or more points toward a shafted elevator or a pneumatic model rated for more stops.
3. Where could it go? Look for stacked closets, a corner of the garage, or a spot next to the stairs. A shaft needs the same footprint on every floor it serves.
4. Can you dig a pit? A slab, basement floor or crawlspace can change what is practical. Pneumatic and through-floor units avoid the pit.
5. Do you have room for equipment? Hydraulic systems need a spot for the pump. MRL, chain and pneumatic designs often do not.
6. Will the space be heated and cooled? If the shaft or equipment sits in an unconditioned garage, ask about the unit’s operating temperature range. Treasure Valley summers and winters both matter here.
7. What about the look? A shafted elevator can disappear behind a door. A glass tube or open through-floor unit becomes part of the room.
8. What will service look like? Ask what wears out, how often it should be checked, and how the cab gets you to a floor safely if the power goes out. See our home elevator maintenance guide.
9. Are children ever in the home? Ask about door gap safety (more on that below).

Budget matters too, and drive type is only one part of it. Our home elevator cost guide explains what drives the total.

Which type fits common Treasure Valley homes?

The split-level

Split-levels are common across older Boise and Nampa neighborhoods. The challenge is short flights between several levels, often with no stacked closets to line up. A through-floor unit may not help when the levels are staggered. A shafted elevator placed where it can reach each main level, or a vertical platform lift for one short rise, is often the more practical answer.

The daylight basement

A walkout or daylight basement often has room for a shaft near the stairs, and the lower floor can make a pit easier to plan. Hydraulic, traction and chain-driven elevators all fit well here. A pneumatic unit can also work if you would rather skip the pit.

A new build in Eagle or Star

Building new is the easiest time to add an elevator. You can plan the shaft, pit, wiring and any equipment space from day one, and pick the cab size you want. Many owners frame an elevator-ready shaft as closets now and add the elevator later. Learn more about home elevators in new construction.

The retrofit

Say you have a two-story home in Meridian or Kuna, and the bedrooms are upstairs. Stacked closets, a garage corner, or an exterior wall where a shaft can be added are the usual places to look. If none of those work, a pneumatic or through-floor elevator may fit with far less construction. See our guide to adding an elevator to an existing home.

Safety and codes, in plain terms

The main U.S. safety standard for elevators is ASME A17.1. Section 5.3 covers private residence elevators, and Section 5.4 covers private residence inclined elevators. Platform lifts and stair lifts fall under a separate standard, ASME A18.1.

In Idaho, the state elevator act does not apply to conveyances located in private residences (Idaho Code 39-8606). That does not mean anything goes. Local permit rules can still apply, so check with your city or county building department before work starts.

If young children ever visit, pay attention to the gap between the outer door and the cab door. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that this gap be no more than four inches deep, notes that space guards or electronic monitoring devices can make a dangerous gap safer, and recommends having a qualified elevator inspector check existing home elevators (CPSC).

Frequently asked questions

What is the best type of home elevator?

There is no single best type. Shafted hydraulic, traction and chain-driven elevators offer the most cab sizes and suit new builds and larger remodels. Pneumatic and through-floor units suit homes where a shaft or pit is hard to add. The best choice fits your space, your rider and your plans.

Hydraulic vs traction home elevator: which is better?

Both are proven and ride smoothly. Hydraulic needs a pit and space for a pump and fluid. A machine-room-less traction unit saves the equipment space but places more parts inside the shaft. Your floor plan usually decides it.

What are the pros and cons of a pneumatic vacuum elevator?

Pros: no pit, no machine room and no traditional shaft, so it can be easier to retrofit, and it has fewer complex parts. Cons: cabs are usually smaller, weight capacity is lower, only some models fit a wheelchair, and the clear tube is very visible.

Do I need a shaft for a home elevator?

Most traditional home elevators ride in a shaft. Pneumatic and through-floor units do not need a traditional shaft or a pit, which is why they are popular for retrofits.

Can a home elevator fit a wheelchair?

Yes, many can. Shafted elevators usually offer the widest range of cab sizes. Some pneumatic and through-floor models also come in wheelchair-size versions. Measure the chair and leave room for a caregiver if one will ride along.

Does Idaho require a state permit for a home elevator?

Idaho’s state elevator act does not apply to conveyances in private residences (Idaho Code 39-8606). Local building rules can still apply, so check with your city or county building department.