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.

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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.

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A stair lift is a device that carries an individual up and down the stairs. Typically this will be in a chair that is attached to a rail system. The chair will traverse the distance of the stairs and makes it much easier for people with mobility related problems to ascend and descend the stairs. One of the leading stair lift manufacturers in both dependability and quality is AmeriGlide. AmeriGlide has several different stair lifts that have varying weight capacities and seating arrangements.

While a quality distributor has highly trained installation specialists available, the installation of an AmeriGlide stair lift can typically be done by an individual in an afternoon. As with any do it yourself project, it is important to ensure that you read and understand all directions before you begin. Make sure you consult the instructions that come with your specific model, but this guide will serve as a good starting point. In some states a permit is required, so make sure that you have all received and fully displayed any necessary permits before beginning installation. Washington and Connecticut are two states that require special permits for the installation of stair lifts.

There are several things that should be done before you begin your installation, the first of course being reading the installation instructions. If after reading the instructions you are in anyway unsure of your ability to complete the installation, or if you just do not feel comfortable doing it, please contact your dealer so they can arrange a trained technician to help you. Before you begin the installation it is important to ensure that you have all necessary tools. You will need a 5/32 allen wrench, a set of open wrenches (3/8, 7/16, and 9/16), phillips head screwdriver, and an electric drill with an 8 inch 3/8 socket extension. It is also necessary to have a properly grounded 110 volt, 15 amp, outlet (standard in most homes) within 10 feet of the top of the track.

Once you have assembled all the tools, you should inventory the individual stair lift components, familiarizing yourself with them. The stair lift will typically come in three boxes; the seat box, the top 2 feet of track and unit box, and the extra track box. The seat box and the unit box will need to be moved to the top of the stairs. The unit box weighs about 135 pounds and can be a little bulky so use a dolly or have someone help you carry it up the stairs. You can leave these two boxes aside because you will be installing the track first.

It is important to note that if you do not have a wooden stair case, you will need special mounting brackets that are available from your stair lift dealer. Begin by identifying the bottom track section; it has a metal endplate on one end. The track has a series of nuts on either side of the track. Attach the track brackets to the track nuts with the included bolts. You will need to attach one pair of brackets to the bottom step, one pair to the top set, and one pair below and above each track splice. Do not tighten the brackets yet, because they will need a little play in order to position them properly on the stairs. Do not remove the foam packing that is in the track, yet.

Splice bars are used to secure the different pieces of track together, and are located at the end of the track. After you have attached the brackets to the first section of track, use the allen key to loosen the splice bar and slide it halfway out of the track. After the splice bar is halfway out tighten it back up and repeat this process for all splice bars. Carefully slide the upper end of track onto the first section of track and tighten the splice bars to the second section of track. It is important to watch your fingers during this process.

Once the track has been joined slide the brackets until they are flush with the stair case molding or wall. This will ensure that the track is positioned at the proper distance from the wall. Using a small piece of wood or a book, elevate the track about ½ inches to ¾ inches off the ground. Begin screwing the first set of brackets to the first step, stopping halfway through to remove the book/wood, and then continue tightening the brackets. Tighten the remaining brackets onto the stairs using the provided wood screws. The track is designed so that it can be supported completely by the brackets, or it can rest on the steps edges. It is important that it is parallel to the steps though. By tying a string to the top of the track and running it the distance of the stairs, it is possible to check the track. You can make adjustments to the brackets to ensure that it is parallel.

After you have the track secured it is necessary to run the lower call button wire. The lower call button wire attaches to the wall side nut past where the first bracket is attached. Secure the wire to this nut and route it along the top of the track in the wall side channel. When you reach the top of the installed section, tuck the rest of the wire out of the way, because you will finish its installation after the sending unit has been attached.

Since the unit can be heavy and bulky, it is better to have assistance during its installation. Remove the packaging by cutting the box open, and remove the shipping brace that is attached to the unit. Loosen the splice bars at the end of the unit’s track, slide them out halfway, and tighten them back up. Slide the track and unit onto the existing track that is already secured to the stairs. Tighten the splice bars with the allen wrench. Attach track brackets to the side of the top track section and hand tighten.

The AmeriGlide stair lift has a special safety feature that prevents it from moving if it does have enough tension. Sometimes during shipping this safety feature will engage and it is necessary to reset the slack cable sensor. Ensure that the device is not plugged into the wall, and using the manual hand crank supplied with the unit, turn the hand crank clockwise until you hear a click, or the unit begins to move.

At this point the installation is almost done. The next article in this series will cover the rest of the installation procedures.

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