Is it hard for you to climb the stairs? And every time you have to go down afraid to fall? Then you have to choose - or down to move the installation of a home stairlift. Stair lifts have their own advantages and disadvantages - find out if a stairlift will be suitable for your home.
Transfer to the ground floor could be the first thing that comes to mind, but is not as simple as it sounds. You’ll have to make major reforms in the house, which modifies one of the rooms in a bedroom or adding a room. You also need to create a bathroom. All this involves a lot of work and expenses.
Home ladders are not cheap, but comparable to the costs involved in the movement from below, are a more economical solution. Also the installation of a stairlift is not so much a problem as you might think. Companies selling ladder usually take care of the entire installation, all you need do is measure your stairs. And for an additional fee, most retailers stairlift can also make measurements.
Types of home lifts
You can get a proper stairlift, regardless of what type of stairs you have. If you have a standard straight staircase, then you are in luck because straight stairs are the most common and least expensive. If you have curved staircase, which will take a turn stairlift. Ladder may be electrical or battery.
Modern stair lift companies offer a variety of stair lifts, you can get:
- Standard straight lifts
- Curved lifts
- Through the floor lifts (also good for wheelchairs)
- Lifts designed wells
Home ladders are manufactured by companies that make equipment for mobility. Are more reliable and durable lifts by Stannah, Acorn, Bruno and Ameriglide.
Choosing a stairlift that is right for your home
There are two main types of lifts - lifts with one sitting and wheelchair lifts. Session lifts are cheaper, and in general are a good option for older people. However, if you are disabled and you believe that your condition can progress to the point that needs a wheelchair, it is better to install an elevator for wheelchairs, as well as through a floor lift, from the beginning.
Lifts operating mode is also important. Most of the machines are operated by the person who gets up, however, some elevators may be operated by another person as his nurse. If you think you might need this option, the installation from the beginning will save a lot.
Check if the sit if convenient for you, most companies allow you to customize the seating lift home. Can be adjusted so that they feel firm, while lifted. Is also a wide variety of available - you can get a standard, removable or folding seat. For your safety belt one sitting can also be included.
What direction do you prefer to face when the lift is in operation? Models home usually face lifts aside. However, if you prefer to face forward, you can find models that suit you. Looking forward is a good option for people with stiff knees - that allows more space.
Used national stairlift is an option to save
Home elevators are expensive. Even the simplest model will cost at least $ 2000. However, you can find many pre-owned home elevators. It often happens that the disability is temporary, and after recovery, there is a need to lift more. Most companies that sell brand new lifts also help people in selling their used ladder.
Stairlift A home can be a great addition to your home, providing security and comfort for the elderly and the disabled. With so many options, you can surely find a lift that will suit your purposes.
There are three ways of providing access between floors for the handicapped or disabled; residential elevators, stair lifts and platform lifts. By far the most popular method of residential lift is the home chair stair lift.
The reasons why they are preferred by the majority is because of ease of installation and price. Residential elevators and platform lifts start at around 10k to 16k. The price of a home stair lift will depend on its type. A straight type will range in price from 2.5k - 4k, whereas a curved model is custom made and will cost anything between 5k to 20k. The complexity of the installation ultimately dictates the cost of installing a curved lift. The cost is impossible to know before the supplier carries out an onsite inspection.
Drive Type
There are four types of drive types. However, the vast majority of new stair lifts use the rack and pinion system.
Most cable drive systems use a strong steel cable - aircraft cable is the norm. The main disadvantage of this type of drive system is that the ride can be less than perfectly smooth. However, technology has moved on and those companies that still use this drive system say that the ride is as smooth as any other type. Summit and Ameriglide stair lifts both use this drive type.
Chain drive systems are used only for heavy duty models. They are loud and not really used in residential stair lifts.
The screw drive uses a lifting mechanism with a screw driven actuator. This is powered by a rechargeable battery. Again, this type is not used in home models.
The rack and pinion drive system is by far the most popular type for residential stair lifts. Rack and pinion systems - meaning gear and teeth - used to have to require regular cleaning and replacement of gear oil. However today’s home units have sealed drive systems that require no maintenance at all.
The Track or Rail
This is the base along which the carriage travels. The track is always fitted to the stairs and never to the wall. This means that a track can be fitted to either side of the stairs. Tracks used in straight stair lifts are made of extruded aluminum whereas curved ones usually use a mixture of both steel and aluminum.
Power
With early designs the power source was AC mains. But today, most stair chair lifts are powered by DC 12 volt rechargeable batteries. Batteries are preferred because a trailing cable is used with AC mains powered stairlifts. The cable is reeled out and reeled back in each and every time the chair travels up and down the stairway, which causes wear and tear. Also, battery powered units can still be used during power outages. Some states prohibit the installation of any appliance unless it is installed by a qualified technician.
Swivel Seats
All makes of stair chair lifts offer this option. There are two types; 90 degree and 180 degree swivel seats. A 90 degree swivel seat is mounted on the upstairs side of the chassis and fold in one direction. A 180 degree swivel seat folds in both directions. One manufacturer, Stannah, makes a motorized swivel seat.
Self Diagnosing
Many brands like the Acorn Superglide and the Stannah stair lift have integrated circuit boards that can help diagnose problems with your lift and decrease maintenance costs.
Accessories
All manufacturers offer a mixture of accessories either as standard or optional. What you choose will affect the cost of the stair lift.
Perch stair lifts allow the passenger to remain standing. This is excellent for those who have problems bending at the knee. The Acorn Superglide Perch is one such example.
Just about all home units come with safety belts. Some brands come with retractable lap inertia belts, while others offer 3-point fixed shoulder belts.
Installation
Installation of today’s straight models is quite easy. Many manufacturers and dealers encourage customers to self-install. However, a customer should never self install and the Accessibility Equipment Manufacturer’s Association strongly advises against it.
The installation of a residential lift really can allow someone to regain their home and independence. The chair stair lift that is best for a customer will depend on their requirements and budget.
When old age takes control of you, the hitherto simple actions such as climbing the stairs of your home can become very difficult. Arthritis and other muscular diseases take a toll on the aging people. For such persons, climbing stairs can be really annoying and unsafe too. In order to help these individuals, one can think of installing a home stair lift system. Today you can select one suitable for your residence from a wide range of products.
With a home stair chair lift system, individuals can move up and down the stairs with more safety and without much effort. These stair lift models feature a motorized chair that is fixed on an aluminum track which ensures comfort and safety while you move up and down the stairs. There are also models which are especially designed for those users who are more comfortable standing than sitting. Home stair lift systems can be installed on almost all models of staircases. Home stair lifts for straight stairways are easier to install, and also less expensive than those meant for curved stairways. Apart from the stair mounting models which occupy more space, home stair chair lift systems are also available in models that can be mounted on the wall.
In normal circumstances a home chair lift system can be loaded up to three hundred pounds. When taking into account the safety features of home stair lift systems, almost all models are provided with armrests and footrests, wireless remote controls, call buttons, obstruction sensors and other features. To overcome the power breakdowns, DC model home stair lifts are also available which are more expensive than the AC models.
Home stair lift systems can be installed even in the exterior stairways of your residence so that you can easily move on to your garden or the doorway. By using home chair lift systems, it is possible up to a certain point to avoid accidents such as falling or slipping down from the staircases in your residence.
With home stair lift systems, mobility impaired individuals have the hope of leading a better life, enjoying more freedom of movement without external help. This in turn boosts their confidence and guarantees a better sense of well-being.
I have been in the home medical equipment business for over 15 years specializing in elevating devices including stairlifts, porch lifts, residential and commercial elevators, and patient lift equipment. I decided to initiate this blog because there appears to be a lot of misinformation and outdated information on the web about today's stairlifts. You probably already know the purpose of a stairlift and all the basic features so I won't bore you with a lengthy explanation of the standard features.