Stairlift Reviews

Stairlift - also known as stair-lift, chair lift, stair glider and various other names - is a mechanical device designed to lift wheelchairs and people up and down the stairs. Some of the first users of this device were polio victims during the 1930’s. Among the pioneer stairlift manufacturers and advertisers is the Inclinator Company of America.

Several popular types of stairlifts include the following; straight rail stairlift, wheelchair platform stairlift, curved rail stairlift, pre owned stairlift, outdoor stairlift and goods stairlift. The differences between these kinds of stairlifts are their cost, installation process, function, and the location where they are installed.

The stairlift is composed of two main parts - the rail and the carriage. The rails are usually made from steel or aluminum while the material components of the carriage depend mainly from the function the stairlift is designed for. The rail, as the name suggests, is the part where the carriage is mounted on and where it will move along. The carriage is the component where the person or object to be transported is situated at.

The stairlift is powered either by alternating current (AC) drive motors or rechargeable batteries which use direct current (DC). The use of AC drive motors was popular with early stairlifts while more recent types employ rechargeable batteries which can still run in spite of a power outage. With these DC models, the batteries are placed inside the carriage itself.

Domestic straight rail stairlifts are usually powered by 250 watt drive motors. Heavy loads, wheelchair platform seats and steep inclines require more power than usual.

Safety codes are in place to ensure the well being of the passengers of stairlifts. These codes are evaluated and updated occasionally. Foremost among these safety codes is that a stairlift is required to have protective devices such as cut out switches connected to safety edges. The primary function of these protective devices is to disconnect the drive power if something goes wrong.

Stairlifts are normally designed to have soft starts so the passenger won’t be jerked from their position when the carriage moves. The average travel speed for domestic stairlifts range from .07 meters per second to .15 meters per second. The speed varies from one type to the other.

These devices are considered to be very reliable - some models can last as long as 20 years in service. Proper maintenance and care of the different components is essential as this can prolong the service life of the stair-lift. After the end of its service life, care must be given when disposing the stairlift as it may contain materials that can be regarded as hazardous waste.

Tags: , Bruno, Electric, Acorn, Concord, Stair Lifts, Elderly, Chair Stairlift, A1, Disabled