Stair Lifts Explained – Do You Need One?
Today, stair lifts have become quite common. There are two types of basic stair lifts that are manufactured and sold. One stair lift is a platform on which a person can stand, or place a chair on it for a person to sit, and the platform travels up a rail that is fixed on the stairs. The other, and more popular type, is a chair that is fixed on a carriage that travels up and down the stairs on a rail.
The stair lift needs electricity, and in it are cables that are pulled and released by an engine that pulls the stair lift up the staircase. The stair lift has wheels that work on a rail. Stair lifts run on AC or DC current. The DC-type stair lifts are more expensive as they use batteries to supply power to the motors of the stair lift, and thus necessitate a charger to charge the batteries. The regular electricity that is supplied in homes is what is used in the motors of an AC-type stair lifts.
Imagine a winch hooked to a platform that rests on wheels, and the wheels in turn are placed on a rail. The rail is fitted on an incline. When the winch is operated, the motor pulls the cable, which in turn pulls the platform up the rail. To make the platform go down the rail the cable is released slowly. This is the basic principle by which a stair lift works.
Stairs in homes don't usually go straight up to the next floor. There might be a landing, and then the stairs go up to the upper floor. The staircase can also have a curve in it. Nowadays, stair lifts are made to cater for all these requirements.
All that is needed is to tell the company from whom the stairs lift is going to be purchased about the kind of stairs in the house. They will then assign a worker who will measure the stairs, and then tell you what the stair lift is going to cost. Once the deal is decided upon, they will arrive and fit the stair lift. Stair lifts have warranties and after sale service.
Stair lifts are a helpful aid, mainly in buildings where there are ill people who have problem in going up and down the stairs. In cases where moving or extending the house to make another room for the sick person is not an option, then the convenient alternative is to get a stair lift.
Stair lifts nowadays have come a long way. The chair on the stair lift can be rotated, and they also have sensors. All these have been created to offer ease and security for the user. All it takes is a push of a button to function them, and they are very safe and handy. They can also be used to take loads up and down stairs, just like carrying a laundry basket.
Stair lifts are very easily found on the market. At times stair lifts are essential and thus not a lavish expense.
