Book a meeting

How to Prevent Lift Pit Flooding: Best Practices for Lift Pit Drainage Design

Water sits on lift table and drains through into the lift pit

Key Takeaways

  • Proper lift pit drainage prevents costly water damage and ensures long-term reliability.

  • Even in covered locations, water ingress can occur from rainfall, condensation, or surface runoff.

  • Sesame Access engineers design bespoke drainage systems — from sump pumps to passive soakaways — tailored to every installation.

In This Article

  • Why Lift Pit Drainage Matters

  • Do All Lifts Need Pit Drainage?

  • Drainage Options for Bespoke Platform Lifts

  • Maintenance and Warranty Guidance

  • Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

When installing an outdoor or partially enclosed platform lift, proper lift pit drainage is vital. Without it, rainwater, surface runoff, or groundwater can collect beneath the lift, leading to corrosion, odours, and expensive repairs. This guide explains how Sesame Access designs bespoke drainage systems to keep lifts operating safely and efficiently for decades.

Why Lift Pit Drainage Matters

Lift pits are often located below ground level, where water naturally gathers. Even when the lift is covered, small gaps around stair treads or barrier edges can allow water to enter.
Effective drainage ensures that any collected water is quickly removed, preventing standing water, material degradation, and potential electrical risk.
This principle applies across Sesame’s product range, including external models such as the Westminster Equality Act Lift, Knightsbridge Stair Lift, and Richmond Rising Platform Lift, all of which feature site-specific drainage strategies

Do All Lifts Need Pit Drainage?

Not all platform lifts require active drainage. For internal or fully covered systems, a sealed pit design may be sufficient.
However, as noted in our engineering transcript, even light rainfall or washing runoff can enter the lift zone, so it is best practice to include a small recess or sump area.
If drainage is omitted entirely, periodic manual checks and water-level monitoring are essential to prevent unexpected flooding

Drainage Options for Bespoke Platform Lifts

Each lift site presents different environmental and architectural constraints. Sesame typically recommends one of the following solutions:

  1. Automatic Sump Pump System – A compact, recessed chamber 100–150 mm below pit level collects water. When the water rises, the pump activates automatically, discharging it to a nearby drain.

  2. Passive Soakaway or Evaporation Area – Used where water ingress is minimal, allowing small amounts of moisture to dissipate naturally.

  3. Smart Water-Level Monitoring – A sensor permanently installed within the pit alerts the maintenance team if water exceeds safe limits.

These options ensure long-term safety, protect electronic components, and maintain compliance with accessibility standards such as BS 6440:2011 and ASME A18.1 (external reference link to be added).

Maintenance and Warranty Guidance

Sesame Access lifts are engineered with high IP-rated components and robust waterproofing. However, in the rare event of pit flooding, the lift should not be operated until inspected by a Sesame engineer.
Under standard warranty and service contracts, routine maintenance and callouts are included, though water-submersion incidents require a specialist service visit to assess and replace affected components if necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do I really need drainage for my lift pit?
In most outdoor or semi-covered installations, yes. Drainage prevents long-term damage and keeps the lift operating smoothly.

Q2: What happens if rainwater gets into my lift pit?
A small amount is harmless, but standing water can cause corrosion and odours. A sump pump or recess prevents this.

Q3: Can Sesame supply the sump pump system?
Yes — Sesame can design, supply, and coordinate a complete automatic sump pump system for your platform lift.

Q4: How deep should a lift pit drainage recess be?
Typically 100 mm lower than the pit slab, though depth may vary depending on the site’s slope and water table.

Q5: What if my site engineer says drainage isn’t feasible?
Speak with our project team. We can explore alternative solutions, such as compact tanks or monitoring systems, to ensure full protection.

Next Step

Book a Teams Meeting with one of our Project Managers to discuss your drainage design or to review your site plans:
https://www.sesameaccess.com/book-a-meeting