MRL elevators have the machine inside the hoistway – not in a separate room. That means some noise may reach adjacent offices or apartments. We measure real decibel levels and tell you what to expect.

[Image: A sound level meter held near an MRL elevator shaft on a quiet residential floor in a Lekki apartment building, with the hoistway door visible.]

Typical Noise Levels – What Is Acceptable?

Inside the cab, an MRL is very quiet at 40‑45 dB, like soft conversation. In the room next to the shaft, you may hear a hum of 45‑55 dB – similar to a refrigerator. This is rarely intrusive during the day. At night, the lift is usually idle and silent. Old hydraulic pumps can reach 70 dB in a machine room.

We measure noise with a calibrated Class 2 sound level meter at ear height. A hard fact: The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) sets a daytime noise limit of 55 dB(A) for residential areas and 60 dB(A) for commercial zones. An MRL elevator operating inside the shaft stays well within these limits. The car interior at 45 dB(A) is about as loud as a library. The adjacent room hum at 50 dB(A) equals a modern air conditioner. Our tests in a six‑storey apartment in Yaba showed 44 dB inside the cab and 52 dB in the nearest bedroom, with the bedroom door closed.

By comparison, older geared traction lifts with machine rooms produce a thud when brakes lift. The motor hum travels through the structure. In a Surulere commercial building with a 20‑year‑old geared lift, we recorded 68 dB in the office beside the machine room. The staff complained daily. After an MRL retrofit, the same office measured 53 dB. The difference is stark. MRL gearless motors use permanent magnets that run smoothly at low RPM. There is no gearbox whine.

Night‑time use is a valid concern. In residential buildings, tenants sleep near the shaft. The good news is that an idle MRL makes no noise at all. The motor runs only when the car moves. In a typical night, the lift may make two or three trips. Each trip lasts 15‑20 seconds. The brief hum rarely wakes anyone. For extra‑sensitive locations like boutique hotels or private duplexes, we can add damping measures without eating into the cab size.

How to Make an MRL Even Quieter (Without Losing Space)

You can install rubber vibration isolators at rail brackets. Add acoustic insulation inside the hoistway wall. Choose a gearless machine, which is inherently quieter than geared types. Dove Lifts offers a “silent MRL” package for sensitive environments like boutique hotels or luxury residential buildings in Lagos.

Vibration isolators stop structure‑borne noise. The guide rails are bolted to steel brackets that attach to the building wall. Without isolation, motor vibration travels through the rail, into the bracket, and into the bedroom wall. We insert a 10‑millimetre thick rubber pad between each bracket and the wall. A hard fact: ISO 18738:2003 specifies that vibration in the lift car should not exceed 0.15 m/s² peak during travel. Our rubber mounts reduce rail bracket vibration by up to 80%. This costs about ₦50,000 extra per landing but makes a noticeable difference. In coastal Lekki, we use neoprene pads because natural rubber degrades faster in salty air.

Acoustic insulation inside the hoistway absorbs airborne motor hum. We line the shaft wall between the car and the occupied room with a 50‑millimetre mineral wool panel. This panel has a density of 60 kg/m³ and a fire rating of Class A1. It fits between the concrete wall and a perforated metal sheet. The wool traps sound energy. The reduction is about 5‑8 dB, which halves the perceived loudness. We must protect the wool from humidity. In Lagos, the rainy season pushes hoistway humidity above 80%. We wrap the insulation in a vapour barrier membrane. This stops moisture from saturating the wool and causing mould.

Choosing the right motor makes the biggest difference. A gearless permanent magnet synchronous motor runs at about 150 RPM for a 1.0 m/s car. There are no gear teeth meshing. A geared machine runs at 1,500 RPM with a worm gear that whines. That whine penetrates walls. We only supply gearless motors for our MRL lift system. The controller also matters. A variable‑frequency drive with soft‑start reduces the electrical hum when the motor starts. It ramps the current gently. This avoids the sudden magnetic buzz that older contactor‑based panels produce.

Our “silent MRL” package combines these elements. It costs about ₦400,000 for a four‑stop lift, a small investment for peace. We have installed it in a 12‑room boutique hotel in Victoria Island where the lift shaft passes behind the premium suites. Guests have never lodged a noise complaint. The same package works for duplex homes where the lift is next to a master bedroom.

For budget planning, read our pillar post on MRL Elevator Cost Nigeria. For residential noise guidance, see Home Elevator Noise Level.

Sensitive neighbours? Tell us your building type – residential, office, or hotel – and we will recommend the right noise‑control package at no extra design cost.