Stairlift Reviews

There are many manufacturers of stair lifts that can accommodate wheelchairs however many people get discouraged from buying them because the usual stairs cannot accommodate the platform that comes with it. There are other factors as well where using the stair lifts for wheelchairs may become more difficult. It is best to read the following things first before making your purchase.

1. The track or railing for this type of stair lift has to be mounted on the wall. It is not attached to the staircase. You should first think about the space in your staircase before buying your wheelchair stair lift.

2. The next consideration is the fact that this kind of stair lift comes with a load bearing wall that is attached directly to the wall. This load bearing wall carries the additional weight of the wheelchair unlike most systems for stair lifts that can be installed on the steps of the stairs. Most stair lifts for wheelchairs can carry up to five hundred pounds and this is the reason why it needs the load bearing wall.

3. A straight stair lift may be installed on a staircase that has twenty two inches of width. The wheelchair stair lift on the other hand has a platform which requires that staircases need to have a width of thirty six inches and most homes do not have a stairway with such width. The end of the stairway should also have six inches of space so the lift can have a proper landing that lets the user get out safely.

4. There should also be an electrical outlet near the stairs because the stair lifts for wheelchairs runs with electricity except for the remote which has batteries in them.

These are the basic things you need to know before getting a stair lift for a wheelchair user. Using a conventional stair lift is also possible however you have to carry the person or assist him for a transfer. This can give you more savings than having to renovate the stairs and the wall.

Stairways in most homes are straight and the models of stair lifts being manufactured today can fit most of them. You just have to exercise caution when transferring the user of the wheelchair and you can leave the wheelchair at the landing of the stairway. You can also purchase second hand stair lifts for wheelchairs however you should only buy them from online sellers.

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Nowadays, there are a huge number of people who purchase home stairlifts and assemble the equipment themselves. This is pushed by residential lifts dealers involved in marketing the products online.
According to these companies, customers will save them money and it is what most customers want. However, there is a growing cause of alarm from many organizations about do-it-yourself installation of lifts.

According to the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), handicapped people are endangering themselves by installing the stairlifts themselves. Most handicapped individuals belong to the low-income bracket and have the belief that they will save cash by setting up the lift on their own. However, the savings could be temporary only but in the long run they will pay more.

David Jenkins, a product safety consultant for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents believes that the effects of improper installation of the lift would not only be monetary but also injury or death. This is a growing concern in the United States as well.

According to the Accessibility Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (AEMA), no person can determine whether they have correctly assembled a home stairlift unless they are qualified professionals. Likewise, they would have no idea whether the equipment conforms to local and national codes requirements. The AEMA also believes that such practices could be illegal. If wires need to be connected to the main power supply, many states in the United States prohibits such practice unless undertaken by a certified technician.

Although lifts may look simple, they are complicated equipments using current technology. Only qualified individuals can conduct installation of these machines.

In addition, many dealers like customers to install the lift themselves because they cannot be blamed if anything goes wrong. They can always wash their hands and use incorrect installation as an excuse. Aside from that, consumers are ignoring the warranty of the product by doing self-installation.

The elderly and the handicapped are the usual victims of this practice. Thus, when buying stairlift, choose a company which insists that they assemble the equipment. This is an indication of their concern for the customer. Also, this is a safety measure should something go wrong with the lift.

Purchasing stairlifts can be costly. A qualified installer can set up the equipment within a few hours. The cost of installation compared to the total cost is generally minimal. Reliable suppliers always advice customers not to do the installation themselves because the risks could be greater than the savings.

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Users have its own stories behind the use of stairlift and it was passed from one person to another so continues recognition leads to its popularity. For this reason, more and more buyers have decided to purchase one. However, purchasing is not easy; its popularity actually goes hand in hand with questions. Buyers got a bunch of questions that needs to be answered in order for them to be convinced before buying a stairlift. Of course, they just want to get the best value for their money’s worth.

Cost is the top of priority, no doubt it. But regardless of the cost, let us see what are the top five questions that we might be hearing from a stairlift buyer. First is convenience and safety question. Is it safe and easy to use? Stairlift was invented with intense studies and experimentation. It comes with helpful and friendly features like seatbelt, footrest and armrest for ease and safety of transport. It has soft start and soft stop manner of motion that also comes with a sensor that can detect if there are any obstructions along the way and it will stop softly and safely. You will see buttons for controls that are easily manipulated but if the user has inability to control buttons, a joystick or toggle is advisable so it will be less pressure on fingers and wrist. There is also a device that act as a remote control that can be used by either the user or their assistant. Not only that, you will not here any noise while using a modern stairlift.

Second is power failure question. Can we still use it without power supply? Modern stairlift are both power and battery operated. The users will not find themselves stranded between floors once the power was shut down. It has a rechargeable battery that can be used in emergency situation. The battery was automatically charged once the stairlift is in park mode or not in use.

Third is stair issue question. Are there any restrictions for others to use the stairs once the stairlift was installed? How about for narrow stairs? The stairs should have a minimum width of 24 inches for the stairlift to fit but a perched stairlift can be installed if the stairs has below the minimum requirement for width. The stairlift can be parked either at the top or bottom of stairs when not in use and it can be folded which reduces the width to 30 cm so others can fully access the stairs.

Fourth is weight restriction question. Stairlift differs on how much weight it can bear but there are heavy duty stairlift models that can carry 150 kg – 180 kg.

Fifth is inability to sit question. For those who have difficulty bending knees and hips, there is a recommended perch stairlift in which the user can stand up during the transport.

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Stairs are believed to be a part of every person’s home. You can found them in almost every home and office buildings. Most establishments do not only possess one stair but even more. Though stairs provide us with a very essential service, sometimes they can also be hazardous and can cause accidents especially to those who have problem with walking. Our safety is usually at risk.

From all walks of life, the elderly are usually at risk of falling on the stairs because of the different disorders that they experienced as they age like arthritis, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s diseases among others. Because of these diseases even a simple neglected step on the stairs will always result in a serious injury.

As stairs become dangerous to elders, some seniors prefer to just avoid them for safety reasons. It might be unbelievable but it’s true especially to the seniors who have experienced the pain of falling from the stairs. And because of that, it affects their self esteem and they tend to become more scared every time they try to use their stairs.

However, this doesn’t have to happen if they choose to install stairlifts. Stairlifts are a kind of apparatus that can be installed on staircases and boost safety to all people who use the stairs. They can be utilized to safely carry an individual up and down the stairs. And the only thing that the user will do in order to enjoy the ride is to simply push the button and sit.

Normally a chair lift or a stair chairs is used in which the chair is moved along a track that is connected to the stairs. A large electric motor gradually and progressively moves the chair and carries the elder between floors silently.

Installing a stairlift is an ideal way of restoring the self-confidence and self-government of anyone who has a problem using the stair. It doesn’t require any major life alterations since the stairlift alone will give them the service of using the stairs without feeling afraid. Seniors can operate the stairlift independently even without the assistance of anybody.

It’s true that preventing falls is more advisable than waiting for it to happen. But you can also prevent falls if you have stairlifts. Having a stairlift in your house offers a great convenience both to you and your safety. In addition, it doesn’t only promote safety to all who uses it, but the access to enjoy the whole areas of your house as well.

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The most important need for a stair lift in the house is the need for a safe way for the elderly members of the house or the disabled member to manage the stairs. There are certain features that should always be present to ensure that the end users are safe. The main focus of the buyers of stair lifts should concentrate on safety parts because the condition of the users is usually very delicate and they need protection always. The style and color should be considered after safety. Today however more stair lift brands have added many of the standard safety functions to be helpful to the users by making sure that they will be safe. The stability of the users should be the first indication of a safe stair lift.

First look for a stair lift that will fit the staircase and the budget that you have. You can buy a brand new unit or a refurbished stair lift as long as you see the following basic features:

1. The perfect stair lift should first detect any kind of object that will obstruct the way or the path of the stair lift. Many stair lifts already have at least six sensors or more that will recognize an object blocking its way. The sensors are meant to protect the equipment from damage and the user as well. It should also have surfaces that are sensitive to pressure. It will stop the carriage as son as it sees a blockage. It will also make the
unit stop in the right spot. There are sensors that can also limit the speed.

2. The children in the house or other users should also be protected. The unit you will buy should have a switch that can be locked so it would not operate. It also should operate with twenty four Volts of DC. This will eliminate the worry of an electrocution. This will save anyone from any electrical shock happening while it is working.
3. Another feature for safety that should not be overlooked is the brakes. It should be mechanical and automatic to avoid any uncontrollable descend of the unit. It should be able to begin and halt in a soft manner. This is important because the rider will avoid risking having a neck injury.

4. The seat should also be the swiveling kind to avoid the situation where the passenger falls while trying to get out of the unit.

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Are you a disabled person who wanted some independence? Or a handicapped who wanted to enjoy private places you long to visit? Or an elderly who wanted to feel your worth once again?

All these questions linger in the mind of the less privileged people who are not granted with strong legs and healthy body to be able to function as they wanted to be. On the other hand, the modern world offers much comfort to ease the life of the disabled, handicapped and the elderly. Going back to history, an entrepreneur is very eager to help his wife with her condition. The woman finds it hard to climb up and down the stairs with no independence. The effort is seen by the husband. And much of the effort becomes a frightening possibility of accident to the husband. In this regard, the entrepreneur invented the first stairlift in the world.

Nowadays, there are many types of stairlifts introduced in the market to suffice the need of the handicapped and elderly. The modern society never disregards the need of these people. Although it’s only an assistive device still the impact of stairlift to these people really great. We could provide them some independence just by letting them use the stairlift.

One of the most common types of stairlift advocated by the many and provides independence is the use of home stairlift. Family members usually allot some funds to buy a home stairlift for their elderly. This type of stairlift provides suitability for those who are bound to their wheelchair and who usually stay at the comfort of their most time of the day. Home stairlifts are easily installed or put up in line with the wall socket. This type of stairlift needs a power supply thus to continuously use this assistive device there is a need to have a power reserve so as to avoid any interruption.

If the elderly and handicapped people who wanted to have independence with the use of the stairlift, it is highly preferred to choose the battery operated stairlift. You are assured that it is safe. It has a weight capacity of about 300 pounds. The assistive device is usually purchase with warranty so you’re at east that you’re getting the quality product. Stairlifts are much cheaper than putting up an expensive personal elevator. This assistive device is mostly appreciated by those with 2 or more floor ranch houses. Get the view of the whole house and don’t be stuck in the darkest corner.

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Getting old is a fact of life that we must accept. Sometimes because of our age, there are some common tasks that we can no longer perform because they are difficult and painful. For the elderly, one of the most challenging tasks is climbing stairs. Older people are usually hampered by mobility problems. If this is your case, considering home stairlifts can help solve your problem.

The popularity of residential lifts lies on the fact that they are convenient to use. All that you have to do is sit on the built-in chair, press the button, and you are now carried to your destination. Some lifts utilize a platform instead of a chair but majority still use the latter. It is difficult to maintain balance on a platform so more people prefer the seated variety.

In most cases, lifts adopt a track and car method. The former is directly assembled on the staircase and the latter moves up and down. Aluminum tracks are available in various pieces. They can be easily attached together and once bolted, they are completely safe.

There are two kinds of home stairlifts that are used at the moment namely the electric and battery powered. Both have their benefits but the battery powered is most recommended. During power failure, it can still be used. The disadvantage of this kind of lift is that it can be costly and more difficult to maintain because you need to replace the batteries once in a while. It is recommended that you replace the batteries once a year.

On the other hand, the electric powered lift is cheaper and has lesser maintenance cost. There is no need to replace batteries once a year. However, it is best to use the battery-operated lift since it poses no problem of malfunctioning.

In addition, home stairlifts can be used outdoors. However, not all of these devices can withstand the weather outside. Aside from that, they are more expensive but they are usually resistant to all kinds of substances.

Although these devices are waterproof, it is still best to be cautious in exposing it to elements. Keep it away from overhanging branches or installing gutters to protect the lift. It keeps the area surrounding the device from becoming slippery.

For the elderly and handicapped, moving up and down plight of stairs can be dangerous and installing a home stairlift can provide them the security that they need.

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Stairlifts are well-known for its beneficial effects especially to the handicap, disabled and the elderly. From the simple types of stairlifts originally introduced way back several years ago. The main reason behind its foremost invention was to primarily help a disabled wife who is weak and cannot afford to climb up the stairs. In response, the husband who is an entrepreneur comes up with an idea to make the first stairlift.

If you’re not convinced with the outstanding benefits offered by stairlifts then you should try to read and listen with the successful stories and testimonies by handicapped and old member of the society. If climbing the stairs which is a simple activity yet could be a frightening task to someone who has weak and with deformities. Thus, the need for stairlifts becomes a necessity. Most stairlifts are attached to the wall socket and is usually applicable for those with 2 or more floors houses. Stairlifts can also be used when you in the mall or other private establishments with stairways.

The main part of stairlifts is the carriage. It refers to the seat or the chair wherein the most weight of the user is seated. Safety is assured while using stairlifts. It can handle almost 300 pounds weight which is much greater compared to the weight of an average or obese person. This durability is ensured so as to secure the user and prevent accidents such as fall. Two arm rests are also seen as a typical part of the stairlift just like a wheelchair. Some stairlifts are wheelchair bound. It also has a foot plate to hold the feet while transport. Weak and disabled people are saved from undue fatigue and leg strain.
 
Many stairlifts are power operated with electric swivels attached to it. The issue of interruption springs out after power black out wherein the use of stairlifts is no longer applicable. Modern innovations respond to this problem thus there are so many battery operated stairlifts that are offered as part of the stairlift in the market these days.

Another notable part of stairlifts nowadays is that it is already packed with remote control to allow the use to operate the assistive machine. In line with this, independence is granted to them even in the smallest detail. Modern stairlifts are also offered with obstruction sensors. Thus, every user is really assured that stairlift are very safe to use. The obstruction sensor is another safeguard part feature for children.

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The Summit Max stair lift can be installed easily by the buyer if they follow the manual accordingly. Below are some easy parts to install however you many need help for installing it because of its weight.

How to install the chassis

1.)Loosen up the splice bars. There are three of these. Slide them easily out until the middle and then tighten them. Set them and screw them up.

2) Slide the rail or the unit chassis into the topmost part of the stairs. Tighten the screws of the splice bars so you can lock them together. Remember that there can be a great damage if you don’t tighten the screws fully.

3) Take the shipping brackets off the rail. There are two brackets.

4) Connect the brackets to the chassis portion of the rail which is at the landing place on top of the stairs.

How to Install the Power Cord

1.First look for the cable for the power and plug it in the side of the cover of the upper rail and it would turn the green light on. This will tell you that it is getting the power.

2.If the light does not turn on then check for the fuse with a drawer that can be found underneath the outlet of the cord. If you are having a problem looking for the light it is better to stand at the end of the steps then look upwards to see what is under the stair lift.

3.Never get on the seat because the brackets are not fully anchored yet.

How to Install the Summit Max seat

1) Take off the screws attached. There are four screws that you can find on the side of the chassis. Remove them while taking note of the pattern of the hole that levels the whole seat.

2)Set the assembly of the seat above the chassis and then connect it loosely to the seat’s upper part. The front part should face downwards for the meantime. Attach the screws on both sides.

3) Tilt the seat backwards and then plug the cord into the three plugs. There are red, blue and yellow wires and then plug the seat’s safety wires into the yellow wires.

4) Lower down the seat’s front part to the chassis and then insert the screws on both sides to fully secure it. Make sure the seat is at a good level if not then unscrew it and the turn the seat until it is leveled and screw it back again.

5)Connect the seat belt using four of the screws. You should put the seat belt in the middle of the seat and the bracket that is found near the hole.

6)The seat should swivel if you lift one of the handles that can be found on both sides.

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