Modern technology has been able to provide increased mobility to people who have difficulty walking. The stair chair lift has been especially helpful for people who are unable to climb stairs. It's now possible for anyone to live in a multi-story home, regardless of their physical abilities. There are several things to consider about stair lifts before choosing and installing a model in your home.
First, think about who will be using the stair chair lift on a daily basis. How tall are they, and how much do they weigh? Their physical characteristics will have an impact on the style and model of stair lift you choose. Each lift has a weight capacity and the seats vary in size. The weight capacity of most stair chair lifts range from 275 to 350 pounds. The height of the seat at the bottom of the stairs should be considered, especially if the user is short. You'll want to make sure that you install a stair lift that fits the potential user comfortably.
Another aspect of the potential lift user that should be taken into consideration is their ability to transfer to the seat of the stair chair lift. Are they normally able to walk and just have trouble with climbing stairs? Or are they confined to a wheelchair? If they can walk, then a normal stair chair lift should work fine. If they need to stay in their wheelchair, then a wheelchair stair lift will be required instead.
If the user suffers from low back pain, then you should pay special attention to the smoothness of the stops and starts of the stair lift. Any jerking motion or sudden, unexpected movements could cause pain or further injury to the user.
What about the stairs themselves? Are they straight or curved? Installing a stair chair lift is a fairly simple process if the stairs are straight. But curved stairs may require custom fitting of the tracks. In the case of a curved stairway, a manufacturer's representative will likely need to visit your home and measure. Once tracks are custom-built to match the curves in your stairway, they'll need to be professionally installed to avoid roughness or binding as the chair glides up the stair lift.
How steep are your stairs? The maximum angle that most stair chair lifts can climb is 45 degrees. If you have narrow stairs, then there may be a problem fitting the stair lift onto your stairway with room left for climbing the stairs normally. If the user is tall, then they'll also need room for their legs when riding the stair lift.
The stair lift rail mounts to the stairs themselves, so they must be in sound condition for safety. Another safety consideration is making sure that there's adequate lighting at both the top and bottom of the stairs. All stair lifts require electricity, either for operation of the lift or for recharging batteries. Find out about and comply with all local building regulations related to the electrical plug for your stair chair lift.
With the enabling technology of stair chair lifts and wheelchair stair lifts, there's no longer any reason for disabled individuals to feel restricted in their housing choices.
Residential stair chair lifts make independent multi-story living a reality for the handicapped and disabled