Cemco Elevator Service & Repair in San Diego & Orange County
Honest Answers on Parts and Support
Servicing Cemco elevators when the maker is hard to reach
Cemco, sometimes written CemcoLift, is a Pennsylvania lift manufacturer. If you own a Cemco elevator in San Diego or Orange County, the hardest part of ownership is often finding out who supports it. This page tells you what we could verify, and what we could not, so you are not surprised when we quote a repair.
Advantage Elevator is a licensed California elevator contractor with more than 20 years of experience on residential brands. We repair Cemco elevators whoever installed them. We are not a factory-authorized Cemco dealer and do not claim to be.
- Licensed California elevator contractor (CSLB C-11 #1027832)
- 24/7 emergency service across San Diego and Orange County
- Written quotes before repair work begins
- 4.9-star rating across more than 300 Google reviews
Controller inspection
The Advantage Elevator team
Advantage Elevator crew and service fleet, Carlsbad
What we do on Cemco elevators
Repair
Maintenance
Modernization
Who Cemco is and where it stands today
Cemco’s address in a trade directory is Hatfield, Pennsylvania, and the directory describes the company as dating from 1910. That is a secondary source, so treat the date as the directory’s claim. The company’s old web address, cemcolift.com, now forwards to the site of Minnesota Elevator Inc., known as MEI. A trademark record for the CEMCOLIFT mark also shows MEI as owner. That suggests MEI now owns the brand, but we have not found the date or terms of the transaction, and we do not know what support MEI offers for old Cemco residential units.
We found no residential recall or CPSC action involving Cemco in the material we reviewed. We did not search the full CPSC database for Cemco, so check cpsc.gov yourself if it matters to you.
Product lines and drive types
Directories describe Cemco as making both commercial and residential lifts, including heavy lifts. We could not find residential model names or drive types, so we do not state them. When a Cemco elevator comes in, our technician identifies the drive, the controller and the door equipment on the first visit. We then tell you what it is, instead of assuming from the cabinet.
What typically fails
On older residential elevators of any brand the calls are consistent. Door interlocks and car gate switches that stop making contact are the most common. After that come leveling faults, aging control boards, worn door operators and drive wear. Every repair ends with a test ride and a check of the battery lowering system, which brings the car to a floor in a power outage.
San Diego and Orange County coastal homes see salt air, which accelerates corrosion on contacts and switches. If your elevator lives near the water, tell us.
Parts for Cemco elevators
Here is the honest version. A factory source may exist through MEI, but we have not confirmed it. For common parts such as switches, relays, contactors and door hardware, we source a matching or compatible part. For a part that is unique to Cemco, we ask the likely source, and where none exists we can have a part fabricated or recommend a modernization. We tell you which of those it is, and the lead time, before you approve work.
Modernization options
If original parts are the problem, modernizing the controller, drive, door operator or cab is often the answer. Our San Diego modernization and Orange County modernization pages explain the options. For a safety review of an older elevator, see our residential elevator inspection page.
What a repair visit looks like
You call (833) 865-7887 and talk to a person. We ask for the brand if you know it, a description of what the elevator is doing, and whether anyone is inside the car. Entrapments go to the top of the list. Our San Diego County technicians work from Carlsbad, and our Orange County technicians from Costa Mesa, so we cover both counties.
The technician arrives, runs the elevator through its fault, and checks the safety circuit, the doors, the leveling and the drive. You get a plain explanation of what failed and a written quote before repair work starts. If a part has to be ordered, we tell you the lead time and, where needed, take the elevator out of service safely until it arrives.
Repair or replace? An honest answer
Most of the time, repair. The hoistway, guide rails and frame of a residential elevator outlast its electronics, and the drive, controller, door operators and cab finishes can each be replaced on their own. We recommend full replacement only when the hoistway itself no longer suits the elevator, when no source of parts exists, or when bringing an old unit up to safe operation costs about what a new one would. Pricing depends on the model, number of stops and construction — see what a home elevator costs.
A maintenance plan, described on our maintenance plan page, keeps small problems from becoming stranded-rider calls.
Nameplate and booking
We have not found a verified nameplate location for Cemco elevators, so we will not give you one. Our technician locates the data plate on the first visit, and our brand identification guide lists general places to look. Call (833) 865-7887 or use online booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cemco still in business?
A trade directory lists Cemco in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, and its old web address now forwards to Minnesota Elevator Inc. We believe MEI owns the brand but have not confirmed the terms.
Can you get parts for my Cemco elevator?
Common parts, yes. Parts unique to Cemco are less certain. We tell you whether a part is factory, compatible or fabricated, and the lead time, before you approve work.
Do you service Cemco elevators you did not install?
Yes. Many of our calls are for elevators installed by other companies, including ones that have closed.
Should I modernize an old Cemco?
If original parts are scarce or the controller keeps failing, often yes. If the problem is a single part, we repair it.
What if you cannot identify my Cemco?
Our technician identifies the drive and controller on the first visit. If something is unfamiliar we tell you up front.
Cemco elevator down? Call now.
Technicians on call 24 hours a day across San Diego and Orange County. (833) 865-7887.
