Wheelchair stair lift – Regain your freedom between floors

When you need to use a wheelchair for either short term, or for the long term, one of the biggest losses may be in your home. Have you lost access to the additional floors in your home, and now feel restricted on only one level?

Adding an elevator to most existing homes is very costly, and in many cases not possible. A lower cost alternative, which is available for most homes is a wheelchair stair lift. A wheelchair stair lift works on the same principles as stair chair lifts you may have seen in many homes and offices. The biggest difference is the platform.

A wheelchair stair lift has a platform designed for you to roll onto the platform, and then ride up the stairs. The platform includes a small fold-able ramp for easily rolling on to the platform, and once you are securely in place, the ramp folds upward to protect from accidentally rolling off while the wheelchair stair lift moves up the stairs. Once you reach your destination, a ramp on the opposite side of the platform lowers, allowing you to easily roll off. You can also select from a variety of platform sizes to accommodate almost any size of wheelchair and rider. You will need to evaluate the size of the platform based both upon the size of the wheelchair, and also on the dimensions of your staircase.

One thing to keep in mind, in comparison to a stair chair lift, a wheelchair stair lift is heavier and will require more bracing to carry the weight. The brackets and screws may need to be attached to both the stairs and the walls to give adequate strength. A common weight rating for a wheelchair stair lift is 450 pounds for the combination of the rider and their wheelchair.

The controls for wheelchair stair lift are positioned comfortably in reach for ease access for wheelchair riders. Not only are there controls on the platform for the rider to use, there are also controls at the top and bottom, allowing you to call the lift to the proper floor.

When the wheelchair stair lift is not in use, the platform can be folded away to keep the stairway open for the rest of the family.

As an option on your wheelchair stair lift, you can add a battery system, which will allow limited usage during a power outage. Most lifts do have an option for a manual decline in the case of a power outage while the lift is in use. This is great if the floor below you is where you need to be, but if not, you’re stuck on lower level until power is restored. This is a great reason to consider adding the battery unit. Being able to get to your main floor during a power outage is a real comfort, instead of being restricted possibly for hours.

Adding a wheelchair stair lift is the most cost effective method to giving yourself access to your entire home. With all of the available features and options, you can be sure to have a beautiful and safe system.