All You Need To Know About Stairlifts
There comes a time when the elderly find it difficult to negotiate stairs. Besides it can be risky. One of the most loving acts a family member can do for the aged and elderly at home is to install a new stairlift or a second hand one for their personal use. I wanted the best for my family and decided to investigate before zeroing in on one. Here is what I came up with.
Stairlifts negotiate between floors using the existing stairways with rails mounted on the stairway railing, fitted with a chair or seat that can be swiveled 45 or 90 degrees. There are some new stairlifts that even permit mounting a wheelchair. All stairlifts are powered. Some are powered by AC mains, some run on DC and some are entirely battery operated with self contained batteries so there are no messy cables. The downside to battery operated stairlifts is that these need to be maintained and then replaced every 3 years or so. In my opinion AC powered stairlifts are the best and the drawback, the only one, is that these will not work in case of power failures.
I delved deeper and found that not all homes have a staircase that is straight when running up from one level to the next level. Some homes have a curved stairway. Some have L type staircases with a landing zone. For the straight stairways and curved ones, installation and costs are relatively less. L type and specially designed stairways will need sophisticated customised lifts which can be expensive and will have very little resale value but then that is a secondary consideration. For L type stairways one can install two lifts, each running on a straight track. The drawback here is that one has to get up from one lift and go to the other.
There are vertical stairlifts which are like elevators and a person can transport himself as well as a scooter or a wheelchair and access various levels. These are perhaps the easiest to operate and maintain and can be used indoors as well as outdoors. Then there are straight stair lift which can negotiate levels easily. A curved stairway calls for customisation and the manufacturer will need to design rails to fit the curvature of the stairway.
Some more digging for info and I was convinced that it is always advisable to in for the best quality manufacturer who offers new stairlifts that conform to UL or any other reputable international standards and these lifts must also conform to the safety norms and standards. For one it should be fitted with flameproof motors, material of construction should be first grade and each component should be precision engineered for smooth and flawless as well as noiseless operation with a comprehensive warranty. The manufacturer should also have a team capable of carrying out installation and then commissioning as also provide after sales service when needed. A thoughtful manufacturer will provide vertical support bars at each landing stage to help the rider alight and support himself/herself. The aged do appreciate such niceties and also minor but important details like rocker switches instead of toggle switches which can snag in clothing. Another minor but important facility is a swiveling seat. Yet another important feature is a smooth start and a smooth stop feature.
If you are looking for a straight path stairlift then a great option is second hand ones or reconditioned ones. These second hand stairlifts are available at very attractive prices and if you can get a technician to modify the rails for you, it will save you hundreds of dollars. There are some manufacturers who even offer reconditioned stairlifts, complete with warranty and a total installation package. Again, this can save you a lot of money. I would check for a 12 month warranty and also see how old the lift is. The problem with old secondhand equipment is spares and maintenance. Equipment which is discontinued may have to be junked if spares are not available. So keep this in mind too!
Stairlifts negotiate between floors using the existing stairways with rails mounted on the stairway railing, fitted with a chair or seat that can be swiveled 45 or 90 degrees. There are some new stairlifts that even permit mounting a wheelchair. All stairlifts are powered. Some are powered by AC mains, some run on DC and some are entirely battery operated with self contained batteries so there are no messy cables. The downside to battery operated stairlifts is that these need to be maintained and then replaced every 3 years or so. In my opinion AC powered stairlifts are the best and the drawback, the only one, is that these will not work in case of power failures.
I delved deeper and found that not all homes have a staircase that is straight when running up from one level to the next level. Some homes have a curved stairway. Some have L type staircases with a landing zone. For the straight stairways and curved ones, installation and costs are relatively less. L type and specially designed stairways will need sophisticated customised lifts which can be expensive and will have very little resale value but then that is a secondary consideration. For L type stairways one can install two lifts, each running on a straight track. The drawback here is that one has to get up from one lift and go to the other.
There are vertical stairlifts which are like elevators and a person can transport himself as well as a scooter or a wheelchair and access various levels. These are perhaps the easiest to operate and maintain and can be used indoors as well as outdoors. Then there are straight stair lift which can negotiate levels easily. A curved stairway calls for customisation and the manufacturer will need to design rails to fit the curvature of the stairway.
Some more digging for info and I was convinced that it is always advisable to in for the best quality manufacturer who offers new stairlifts that conform to UL or any other reputable international standards and these lifts must also conform to the safety norms and standards. For one it should be fitted with flameproof motors, material of construction should be first grade and each component should be precision engineered for smooth and flawless as well as noiseless operation with a comprehensive warranty. The manufacturer should also have a team capable of carrying out installation and then commissioning as also provide after sales service when needed. A thoughtful manufacturer will provide vertical support bars at each landing stage to help the rider alight and support himself/herself. The aged do appreciate such niceties and also minor but important details like rocker switches instead of toggle switches which can snag in clothing. Another minor but important facility is a swiveling seat. Yet another important feature is a smooth start and a smooth stop feature.
If you are looking for a straight path stairlift then a great option is second hand ones or reconditioned ones. These second hand stairlifts are available at very attractive prices and if you can get a technician to modify the rails for you, it will save you hundreds of dollars. There are some manufacturers who even offer reconditioned stairlifts, complete with warranty and a total installation package. Again, this can save you a lot of money. I would check for a 12 month warranty and also see how old the lift is. The problem with old secondhand equipment is spares and maintenance. Equipment which is discontinued may have to be junked if spares are not available. So keep this in mind too!
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