You can add handicap access to either your home or small business by adding a home stair lift. While the home stair lift is primarily designed for use in homes of people needing assistance with stair access, they can also help a small business meet access requirements, when an elevator is just not possible.
Many businesses and homes are not designed to allow safe installation and operation of an elevator, but in almost every kind of staircase, you can add a home stair lift. You are not limited due to curved staircases, or staircases with landings. Depending on the type of lift you purchase, it can be designed to either have the rider switch lifts at each landing, or can be configured for the rail to curve around the outside of the landing and continue on up the stairs. For a curved or spiral staircase, the lift will be attached to the stairs, and follow the contour of the stairway.
If your home or office is required to have wheelchair access, you still are not required to add an elevator. You can get a great working home stair lift designed to carry a wheelchair between floors. These units can be dual purpose, carrying a wheelchair rider on the platform, or for other individuals they can use the fold down seat to ride in similar fashion to other stair lifts. A home stair lift designed for wheelchair access will require more width, and may not work well for building with multiple landings, or curved staircases.
The safety of a home stair lift is very high. With a seat belt designed to keep the passenger securely in place. Home stair lifts move at a comfortable pace, very similar to walking up the stairs. Most lifts are very smooth on operation. For a wheelchair capable home stair lift, you will have folding ramps which come up during ascent and descent to make sure the wheelchair cannot roll off during transport. Your riders are in complete control of the movement, with controls right on the stair lifts seat. You can also have controls at both the top and bottom to call the lift to where it is needed. Most stair lifts are rated up to 300 pounds, with some even carrying 375 pounds. A wheelchair home stair lift will commonly have a capacity of 450 pounds or higher including the weight of the wheelchair and rider.
If you are considering using a home stair lift in your small business, make sure to invest in a battery powered unit. You do not want your visitors to be trapped without an exit during a power outage. Make sure to budget for the annual cost of replacing batteries. Your replacement cost is very reasonable. You will also need to train employees to plug-in the home stair lift for recharging when it is not being used.
Adding a home stair lift to your home or small business is a great investment by giving access to all family members, employees, clients, and customers.