Skip to content > 
Noise is one of the most common questions homeowners ask before choosing a residential elevator. Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators offers several machinery configurations for all three home elevator models, PVE30, PVE37, and PVE52, designed to reduce operating sound to fit different home layouts and noise preferences.
Quick Answer: PVE’s quietest verified machinery configuration, the Outdoor Split-Unit, reduces operating noise to approximately 50 decibels by relocating the machinery outside the home. For homes where outdoor or remote placement isn’t practical, the Standard Mount – Acoustic option provides a plug-and-play soundproofing upgrade for machinery mounted directly on the unit.
What Is an Outdoor Split-Unit for a Home Elevator?
Vacuum Elevators operate using Vacuum Technology to generate lift. The machinery (which houses the turbines, air control valve, and control board) can be positioned in several ways depending on the machinery configuration selected. The Outdoor Split-Unit option relocates this machinery outside the home entirely, connecting to the top of the elevator by two 4-inch PVC pipes, with the unit installed within 30 linear feet of the elevator.
The Outdoor Split-Unit machinery can be installed on a roof, balcony, deck, or exterior wall, with the control board remotely installed in a conditioned space inside the home.
The primary benefit of the Outdoor Split-Unit option is reduced operating noise. By relocating the machinery outside the home, PVE reduces operating noise to approximately 50 decibels, making it one of PVE’s quietest machinery configurations. Please note: noise is only generated while the elevator is in operation. Descent also uses gravity rather than powered lowering, contributing to a quieter ride down.
As with all PVE home elevator models, the Outdoor Split-Unit option requires a 220V single-phase power supply, installed wherever the control board is located inside the home. A one-inch electrical conduit runs from the control board to the outdoor machinery to supply the turbines with the power needed for smooth operation.
Like PVE’s Indoor Split-Unit option, where machinery is remotely located inside the home, the Outdoor Split-Unit option requires a minimum overhead clearance of 97 inches on the upper floor, measured from finished floor to finished ceiling.
Standard Mount – Acoustic: A Simpler Noise-Reduction Option
Not every home has the layout or exterior space for a Split-Unit installation. For homes where the machinery needs to stay directly on top of the elevator, PVE offers a Standard Mount – Acoustic upgrade. This plug-and-play option uses audio engineering and sound-dampening materials to reduce operating noise without relocating any equipment outside the home or into a remote interior space. It’s a simpler installation than either Split-Unit option, making it a practical choice for homeowners who want reduced noise without the additional space and clearance planning that Split-Unit machinery requires. See the full PVE Machinery Configurations page for details on all available options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much noise does a home elevator generate during operation?
Noise depends on the machinery configuration. PVE’s Outdoor Split-Unit option reduces operating noise to approximately 50 decibels by relocating the machinery outside the home. Standard Mount configurations, where machinery sits directly on the unit, can be paired with the Standard Mount – Acoustic upgrade, which uses sound-dampening materials to reduce noise without relocating any equipment. Contact a PVE Sales Representative for full specifications on each configuration.
What is the noise level during operation?
Noise is only generated while the elevator is actively moving. There is no operating sound when the elevator is stationary. Descent uses gravity rather than powered lowering, which also contributes to a quieter ride down. PVE’s quietest verified configuration, the Outdoor Split-Unit, operates at approximately 50 decibels.
What are the noise levels (dB) of popular residential elevator models?
Noise levels vary by elevator type and machinery configuration, so there’s no single number that applies across all residential elevators. For PVE’s air-driven models, machinery placement is the primary factor. Options range from Standard Mount (machinery on the unit) to Standard Mount – Acoustic (soundproofed) to Split-Unit Indoor or Outdoor (machinery relocated away from living space). The Outdoor Split-Unit configuration is PVE’s quietest verified option at approximately 50 decibels. Contact a PVE Sales Representative for full specifications across configurations.
As the world’s only air-driven residential elevators, Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators continues to develop machinery options that fit a range of home layouts and noise preferences. Available for retrofit and new construction projects, PVE’s easy-to-install home elevators offer a panoramic design and eco-friendly operation.
