The vertical wheel chair lift removes the limits that some wheel chair users may experience when faced with multi-story buildings or raised areas. A wheel chair ramp is one of the easiest and cheapest solutions for providing access to raised platforms. But ramps don't fit everywhere. If you want to provide wheelchair access to something like a porch or raised platform, but don't have enough room for a ramp, then the vertical wheel chair lift is the answer.
In essence, vertical wheel chair lifts are like small elevators. They just have a more narrow purpose--they are designed to lift and lower a wheel chair from one level to another. They accomplish this purpose by using a platform, often partially enclosed with sides and a gate or door. After rolling onto the platform and closing the gate, the wheelchair user can start the lift with a switch or button. After they are raised (or lowered) to the desired level, they exit the platform.
Vertical wheel chair platform lifts can be installed indoors or out. Outdoor lifts are weatherproof and often enclosed using Plexiglas or some other material.
Vertical wheel chair lifts are designed to operate using electrical or hydraulic systems. One major benefit of hydraulic lifts is that they work with or without electricity, allowing them to keep working in the event of a power failure. However, most electrically operated wheel chair lifts include some sort of battery backup. Keep in mind that the battery backup on wheel chair lifts usually only has enough power to lower you back to ground level. But this backup would at least keep you from being stranded halfway between two levels. Evaluate your own power situation. If you have frequent outages, you may want to opt for the hydraulic lift.
Vertical wheel chair lifts can hoist some heavy loads. Most models have a weight capacity of up to 750 pounds. This, of course, includes the user and his wheelchair. A lightweight manual wheel chair might only weigh 20 to 30 pounds. But a full-blown power wheel chair can weigh as much as 400 to 500 pounds.
Wheel chair lifts designed for use in residential settings tend to be a little more narrow than lifts normally installed in public buildings or businesses. They are also designed for somewhat lighter duty and may have lower weight capacities. However, this should pose no problem, because if you're installing a vertical wheel chair lift in your home, you should have a pretty good idea who will be using it, what sort of wheel chair they have, and how often they are likely to come and go. Those providing access to public buildings don't have the luxury of this much information, so they have to plan for more use by a wider range of wheel chair users.
Vertical wheel chair lifts typically have a whole host of safety and convenience features. Almost all lift platforms have some sort of non-skid surface. Most lift controls require constant pressure on the button to keep the platform moving. In addition, most controls include an emergency stop feature. When evaluating lifts for possible purchase, remember to check the platform to see if there's any difficulty rolling on or off.
When ramps can't be used, vertical wheel chair lifts can provide access to other levels