Stair Lift Requirements

The stair lift is a device which is used to give people with limited mobility access to the second floor of a house. Some stair lifts are made for wheel chairs with platforms, but is more the mechanical chairs with the footrests which slip along one gone up on rails on the side wall of a staircase. Since very few people can have an elevator installed in their house the stair lift is a perfect solution for those who can no longer climb staircases on their own. The majority of the chair lifts are designed for a person weighing less than 300 pounds. But the good news is that there are some stair lifts that are particularly built for the people who weigh 350 pounds or more.

The chairs on the majority of the stair lifts face in length and swivel to make it possible for the rider to easily take a step from the top or bottom of the staircase. As an additional safety measure, the chair has a key in place when it is swiveled. The elevator will not move unless the chair is in a safe position of movement. For additional safety the chairs are equipped with a safety belt so that a rider with balance problems can feel stable while going up. Among other safety features of the devices are footrests with the probes which will stop the stair lift if they detect an obstacle.

The chairs also have brakes which stops the movement if there is a problem or malfunction with the drive system. The majority of these stair lifts are actuated by an electric motor that connects at a regular electrical outlet. It does not need any special wiring. However, you may want to check to see whether your state or city's building codes has any requirements about the installation of the stair lifts and similar devices.

The modern stair lifts make up a calling station from the top to the bottom of the staircases.  This makes it possible for the stair lift to be quickly moved to the place where it is necessary at present. Stair lifts can be assembled on the wall of the staircase or the vertical drains of the staircase. The controls on the stair lifts are the Manos-contact constant. If you raise your finger off the switch, the chair ceases moving.

There are mechanical limits at each end of the way to keep the stair lift from moving beyond its set limits. The rail which carries the chair can be a right rail or a rail curved for the curved staircases. The right rail is less expensive and easier in the installation. Right rails can be changed to adapt to the dimensions of various staircases. That means they have the additional advantage of being portable. If you change houses you can take a right rail off a staircase and install it onto another staircase. Another advantage is that the stair lift can be sold to another user if one does not require it any more in your house. The stair lifts of Ameriglide, for example, come with instructions for installation at the house, or can pay someone from the company to install it for you.

The curved stair lifts are more expensive and are mechanically more complicated. Each rail is made on order to adapt to a specific curved staircase. Because of that a curved rail cannot usually be re-used on another staircase. If time is a factor remember that a curved stair lift requires the product to be made on order and thus it will take longer before it can be provided compared with a conventional and right model of rail. A professional on-site evaluation of your curved staircase is also necessary in order to make a rail which will fit correctly. Since the curved rails are more complex, it it is suggested that you should not try to install one yourself.