Home Stair Lifts

Increasing the independence of your home for you or your physically challenged loved one can be done easily by adding a stair lift. There are so many models and brands to choose from, choosing the right one for your home can be a daunting task, especially to someone who is unfamiliar with the various technologies associated with a stair lift. It is important to have a basic understand of how a stair lift operates so that you can choose one that best meets your own needs.

All stair lifts will use the same basic operation. There is a seat unit which encloses an electric motor which attaches to a piece of track, which is usually aluminum and secured to the stairs, and travels up and down this track. Stair lifts operate in mainly two different ways today. Rack and pinion and cable driven. Rack and pinion uses a gear that is attached on the underside of the seat unit which travels upon a rack to move. Cable driven stair lifts use a steel cable that wraps around an aluminum drum.

It can sometimes be hard to find a retail store that sells stair lifts but you can find some very quality online stores and save a lot of money by purchasing from them, either by an online form or by telephone. Make sure that the dealer is authorized by the manufacturer to sell you a stair lift. By doing this, it will insure that you are dealing with a factory trained representative and is familiar with the product they are trying to sell you.

Prices for new straight track stair lifts can range from $1800 to $3000. Some stair lift models are sold as packages and the installation is already included in the price. Installation costs of a stair lift will be around $500. However, you can save that amount by installing it yourself. Before you do this though, it is recommended that you request installation instructions or that there are instructions viewable online for that specific model so you can get an idea of what all is involved and whether you believe you can do it or not. If you do make a purchase and do not buy the installation, and later feel you can’t do it yourself, most companies see this as no problem and can add the installation after the initial purchase and send someone out to install it for you.

New or Used Stair Lifts

When out browsing the market for a stair lift, the majority of the stair lifts that you come across will be new, however you may see some that are used. What are the differences exactly, or the risks involved with getting a used stair lift?

For starters, every stair lift that is made, it’s track is custom built for a specific stair case. So unless your stair case is the same as what the used stair lift’s track was cut for, it won’t be a good fit. However, it is possible to cut the track if your stair case is shorter than the stair lift track you are looking at, but the tracks cannot be lengthened.

Another big issue with getting a used stair lift, is that you do not get the warranty that you would on a new stair lift. You may get a much shorter warranty, or you may get no warranty at all on used stair lifts. With the full factory warranty you are protecting your investment, giving yourself much more peace of mind as if something does go wrong within your warranty period, you’re covered. You won’t have to pay extra for someone to come out and fix the stair lift.

There is also the issue of price. Any used stair lift will have a lower price than a new one, however…is the difference that significant? It also depends on the brand, you might be able to get a used stair lift of one brand for the price of a new one of a different brand. Let’s say we are looking at the same brand of stair lifts one used, one new. The used will be priced lower, but probably only two hundred dollars or so lower. What are you truly getting? You are getting a slightly lower priced stair lift that is used, short to no warranty and no guarantee if they have a track that will fit your stair case. If you are in need of a stair lift, then most likely you want something that will just work, correctly and reliably, and not worry about it. For the price and warranty difference, I would say your best bet is to get a new stair lift instead of a used one.

Source: http://www.marketingarticlebank.com/Article/New-Or-Used-Stair-Lifts/101193

Stair Lift Safety

When trying to decide on a stair lift, safety should be one thing on your mind. You might be wondering if a stair lift is safe and reliable. The quick answer is yes, stair lifts can be safe and reliable. However, some brands and models come more equipped with more and better safety features than others. It is important to look at what kind of features the model you are looking at come with.

Some of the safety features that come on many new stair lifts today are safety sensors that prevent the stair lift from hitting something in the wall, as well as fail safe mechanisms which prevent operation until the seat is in the correct position. There are also some that have seat belts with locking mechanisms and stair lift motors that have instant reversing capabilities.

Look for if the stair lift meets ASME standards. The ASME is the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. When a stair lift meets ASME standards this means that the stair lift manufacturer followed a set of technical definitions and guidelines when building their stair lifts. This standard promotes safety, reliability, productivity and efficiency. These standards are written by by experts with knowledge and expertise in their field who sit on many committees. They serve as common language, defining quality, and establishing safety criteria.

If you want extra peace of mind, find a stair lift with a long warranty. The longest warranty in the stair lift industry right now is 10 years on the drive train and 5 years on all component parts of the lift, which is only offered on AmeriGlide AC and DC stair lifts.

Stair Lift Drive Types

With different stair lift companies, comes different ways stair lifts operate. There are mainly two different types of operation today. There is the rack and pinion models, as well as cable driven models. There is a distinct difference in how these operate, as well as the maintenance involved with each type and what they are capable of.

Rack and Pinion
This type of operation is also known as gear and teeth, and operates using just that. The stair lift uses gears that run along teeth of the track which move the stair lift up and down. There is a gear that is attached to the seat chassis which moves along a straight rack. These offer a smooth operation and most rack and pinion models have a speed that can be set by the user because of utilization of a circuit board. However, due to any stair lift using the rack and pinion drive type, it will require a bit of maintenance. The rack and pinion of the stair lift need to be lubricated on a regular basis to prevent any damage to the components.

Cable Driven
Cable drive stair lifts use a cable that wraps on an aluminum cast drum grooved for each wrap. These cable systems are direct drive systems, which means that the cable does not even move, uses no pulleys, and in return requires no lubrication inside the stair lift. The cable used in any new stair lift today is tested to a breaking strength of 4200lbs and are very sturdy. Even though the drive system inside the lift requires absolutely no lubrication, the actual track will require light lubrication approximately once or twice a year. The easiest way to do this is just spray some WD-40 down the track, and that’s it. There is no opening of the lift, and the components inside the stair lift are completely sealed in.

AC or DC Stair Lifts

You are out seeking a stair lift for either yourself or someone you know, and you see many different types but can’t decide which to buy or what company to go with. Here are some tips that should help you to make the best decision and get the product that is best suited for you.

One of the first things you might notice when browsing some stair lifts is the term of AC and DC stair lifts. What do these mean, and what are the true differences between them? AC and DC refer to the type of power that is used to run the stair lift. AC, or alternating current runs straight off of your house current, and nothing else. DC, or direct current runs off a battery. Some DC powered stair lifts run off of your house current and then switches to the battery as a backup for emergencies. This will let your stair lift continue to operate whether the rest of your house has power or not. Some DC stair lifts also seem to have a softer start/stop motion, but it also depends on the brand you go with, as some AC stair lifts can have just as smooth of a start/stop as their DC counterparts. AmeriGlide and Summit stair lifts are a good example of this.

If you live in an area that has some power outages, or you don’t want to worry if the power ever does go out, will you still be able to get back up or down the stairs, or will you be stuck on either the upper or lower floor of your own home. The DC stair lift will prevent this and bring even more peace of mind. The DC powered stair lift should also not be much more than the regular AC stair lift.

If you think you are going to go with an AC powered stair lift, be sure that everything is pre-wired and ready to just plug into your wall outlet. There are stair lifts out there that are that simple and ready to go, such as AmeriGlide. Everything is pre-wired with these, and all you have to do is plug it directly into your wall outlet after the initial installation of the lift.