Know How to Choose the Right Stairlift For Your Home

It is not always that you go about shopping for stairlifts. Hence, it is important that you choose the right one the first time itself, as it helps to avoid frustration later on. The stair lifts are also known as stair gliders, stairway elevator, electric lifts for stair and chair lifts. These lifts are especially helpful for handicapped and elderly people. It helps them to achieve maximum mobility through out the house and even in other public places. Thus they do not have to depend on others in case they have to move up or down the stairs. These lifts are not at all expensive. Rather, it has become easily affordable for the common people. These are generally seats on rail and it helps one to move up and down a flight of stairs. These lifts are constructed using aluminum rails. On these rails the stair chair glides up with the help of a chain or pulley cable. When the chair lift travels up, it generally faces sideways.

There are different models of these stair gliders available in the market. The ones made for commercial complexes are different from the household ones. Mostly, the household stair gliders have a seat, a foot rest and the arm rails with back rest. If there are corners that need to be tackled by the staircase, it will not be a concern. The stair lift can be customized accordingly. Thus it can used to go straight up the flight of stairs, or it can also be customized to curve around corners. Thus, it makes it possible for the chair lifts to be installed in any homes. Another for of stair gliders commonly used are the wheelchair stair lifts. These are more heavy duty models of the chair lifts. It is used to lift a wheelchair up the stairs. Hence, instead of a seat, it has a platform to lift the wheelchair up the stairs. These are mostly used in commercial or public areas and also outside of residential homes.

The chair lifts are easy to install. These are attached either to the stairs or the walls. The chair lifts can either be operated with the help of battery or electricity. There is no need for any custom wiring for these lifts as it can be connected to the common household plugs. There is an advantage though of installing battery operated stairway elevator. It will work even when there is power outage unlike the electric operated chair lifts. The only thing that you need to take care of in case of battery operated lifts is that, it will need to be replaced periodically.If you are not sure about its installation, then you can get advice from the stairlift reviews to get it right. According to the experts, the chair lifts should be installed not more than 7" from the wall. This allows maximum usage of the stair area.

The best stairlift is easily affordable. Thus, if you have any need of these chair lifts in your family, you can consider it as an option without worrying about the price.

For any help on stairlift reviews, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the best stairlift!

The History of the Stairlift

First designed for victims of polio the initial commercial stairlift was created by the Inclinator Company of America in the 1930's. The design itself however was adapted from a rudimentary unit that was made in the 1920's by a Pennsylvanian inventor named C.C. Crispen. A self taught engineer, Crispen was inspired to create the unit for a friend who had difficulty getting up and down the stairs of his own home. He managed to develop a working prototype of the device that soon became the foundation for the modern lift.

Even so, there are many who claim that the stairlift is not an American invention at all and dates back to the era of King Henry the VIII. The crude device was crafted after the king injured himself in a jousting accident and consisted of a block and tackle system that was hauled by several servants.

Whoever was credited with the actual invention, many companies have been able to improve on the design offering a variety of styles and systems for individuals in need of assisted in home mobility.

The greatest of these innovations was the addition of various types of rail systems. The basic premise of the rail system is to create a reliable pulley station/port for the actual chairs. The rail can be made of aluminum or steel and is placed on the wall alongside the stairs in question. Rails can come flat or curved and are chosen based on the design of the stairwell.

Ramps made out of aluminum or steel are also a welcome addition to the device, providing a new option for those who have wide and/or small steps where a rail system may not be as necessary.

The basic design of rails or ramp platforms has not changed over time but the carriage system has evolved to become far more efficient and to deliver a smoother ride. The cable and chain drive mechanism was the very first type of carriage system used for the stairlift. This mechanism was later improved upon via a rack and pinion system which utilizes a pair of gears that engage the teeth of a flat bar (the rack). The system usually engages a circular rotation that helps the gears move the chair up or down.

With these bases, stairlift manufactures were able to come up with numerous types of units that would improve the lives of those who needed to move about but had difficulty doing so for a number of reasons.

Early systems concentrated on affixing wheelchairs to rails but specially made lift chairs soon followed. If you are wheelchair dependant, the former choice would be best as you are more familiar with this type of transport. Drawbacks-the wheelchair systems have to be built to order, are harder to install and can be more expensive than a simple chair lift. One should weigh the wheelchair versus simple chairlift option before making a firm decision in this regard.

In the beginning, the focus of the design was primarily on indoor maneuverability but modern units can be utilized both in and out of doors. Some restaurants and businesses even have outdoor models installed for the convenience of their customers.

Easy to access and use switches, toggles and buttons have evolved over time as well culminating in electric and remote controlled devices that make navigating the chairs even easier. The speed of the chairs can also be controlled, putting even more control in the hands of the chair user. Another modern convenience that comes with the purchase of a contemporary stairlift is a warranty that protects the purchaser in the event of disrepair.

The stairlift has evolved since the days of King Henry VIII and some can even be easily installed by the buyer. With these units becoming even more affordable the elderly or those with debilitating conditions can maintain a greater degree of autonomy with ease and tremendous style.

Andy West is a writer on a variety of topics including medical supplies, and medical devices for the elderly or disabled.

Solution For Limited Mobility - Get Stairlifts

For those suffering from physical ailments, injuries or even physical disabilities, climbing stairs can be a monumental task apart from being a painful experience. These limit your mobility leaving you are the mercy of care givers or just limiting your area of movement within the house. But with numerous advanced feature stairlifts, you can go up and down the stairs with ease. All you need to do is press a button and viola! You are either up or down.

No longer do you have live a life of cripple but move around the house with ease with a standard stairlift in case you have a straight stairlift or get a curved stairlift installed. Riding up or down the stairs are no longer a hassle or a long drawn process. With advanced safety features, chances of accidents and slips are close to none. No longer do you need to be singled out for any event or occasion, be a part of the family events- join them at any floor with disability stairlift.

Most stairlifts have this safety devices- safety belt, one touch remote, wraparound arms, emergency brakes, foot rests, swivel chair, automatic obstruction sensors and foldable seats. Just sit and press a button and you will be transported either upstairs or downstairs as required. It also provides you with the freedom that you need to live independently instead of moving to another home. Consider mobility devices to help you live a full live and with advent of technologically advanced devices, elderly and physically challenged individuals can live an independently. Easy accessibility and commuting can put you back to tasks that you couldn't do as half the house was out of bounds. But not any longer!

You may research online for the best available stairlift models and considering your requirements and priorities search for the one that fits your budget. You may even ask the stairlift company representative to come and survey your home and suggest the best available model that fits your pocket and suits the requirements.
Jason Tate has been involved in providing more information on mobility aids and stairlifts for numerous years. To know more about stairlifts and other products, please browse Stairlift comparisons.


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Different Varieties of Stairlifts

Stairlifts are mechanical devices used for lifting people and their wheelchairs up or down a stairway. They are mounted on and move on a rail to which the lifting platform is attached. As the chair moves up or down the rail, the person is seated in a chair and lifted when the stairlift is operating. The first stairlifts to hit the commercial market appeared in the 1900's and today there are 6 popular types to choose from.
Curved rail stairlifts - designed to facilitate a curved staircase and more costly than the straight rail version
Straight rail stairlifts - the most common type of stairlift in use today primarily in private dwellings that have straight staircases

Wheelchair platform stairlifts - typically used in public access buildings and outside private dwellings, these devices are considerably heavier and designed to convey a person in a wheelchair as the name implies
Goods stairlifts - these stairlifts have trays attached instead of seats and are primarily used for conveying goods in between different levels of commercial and industrial buildings.

Outdoor stairlifts - can be manufactured with footplates, perches, platforms, or seats and are similar to the indoor varieties except for the fact that have additional weatherproofing to cope with outdoor climates
Pre-owned stairlifts - there is a second-user stairlift market as the name would imply.

On a historical side note, the original stairlifts that were being used in the beginning were driven by AC (alternating current) motors. They operated using 100 volts in the US and 230 volts in Europe. In recent years, stairlifts have been constructed to operate off of a DC (direct current) electrical source as well as rechargeable batteries. The reason for this was so the person could get up and down the stairs during power outages.

Jason Tate has been involved in providing more information on mobility aids and stairlifts for numerous years. To know more about stairlifts and other products, please browse Stairlift Comparisons.


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