Thursday, 18 September 2008

Things To Consider When Buying A Curved Stair Lift

The purchase and installation price is expensive. The reason for the high price is because it's custom built on site and the materials used are more expensive than for a straight stair lift. The track on a straight stair lift is usually made from aluminum. Aluminum is used because of its interchangeability and it's cheap. Tracks used on curved stair lifts are usually made using both steel and aluminum. Steel is used to provide strength and because it is malleable. Installation of a curved model accounts for the largest proportion of cost and installation can take anything from 3 weeks to 3 months.

Buying a used curved stair lift is really to be avoided unless you buy one from a reputable dealer who will install it for you. Make sure the track being provided is new and not re-conditioned track. This is not considered to be safe and a reconditioned track will not conform to International Safety Standards.



Should you decide at a later date to replace or get rid of your lift and want to sell it, you may find this difficult. Because it is custom made, the stairlift made for your home isn't going to fit someone else's. At best you probably will only be able to sell the chair, motor and controls; the track, which constitutes the majority of cost, will be useless to someone else.

Curved stair lifts usually require more servicing than any straight stair lift. Additional stress is caused by the chair having to move along the track around corners. You may find that the ongoing maintenance costs will be higher than those for a straight one.

Electric Stairlifts Provide Mobility And Safety

Electric stairlifts are comprised of a swivel seat that allows users to easily sit down. With one simple touch of a button, the seat travels up or down the stairs along a track. Such a system can be used indoors as well as outdoors and tracks can be manipulated to accommodate straight or curved stairways.

Battery operated stairlifts do exist – and can be helpful should the power go out. But the disadvantage of battery stairlifts is that batteries must be frequently recharged – a process that takes a bit of time. In general, electric stairlifts are far more reliable, as you never have to worry about the batteries dying – or purchasing expensive new batteries. Although experts agree that you should always have batteries on hand should the power go out and the stairlift becomes inoperable.

There are a number of electric stairlifts for purchase through reputable companies nationwide. Use online resources in order to find the system that works for your home and budget. Once you make a choice, the company will come in and professionally install the system on the stairs of your choice.

Electric stairlifts are meant to make stairs accessible and convenient for those who have physical limitations. With proper planning, you can have a professionally installed stairlift in your home, making life that much easier to manage.

Information on Stairlifts

Stairlifts come in two main forms; straight and curved. If you stairs turn or are spiral then the likelihood an ordinary or straight stairlift won't fit and a curved stairlift will need to be fitted. It is worth noting that in some cases it may be possible to combine two straight lifts to overcome a turn, which is usually cheaper to install than a curved one. If you staircase is straight then a straight starlift will fit. However, either option will increase you independence in your own home and remove any problems or concerns you have when climbing your stairs.

Once you have established that you require a curved stairlift or straight one there are two option available to you. First you can purchase a reconditioned or second hand stair lift. This is very feasible when purchasing a straight lift as they are usually more common and of standard fit. However, it is fairly unlikely that you will find a reconditioned one that will perfectly fit your stairs. The second option is to purchase a new one.

Buying a new stairlift.

When buying a new stairlift it is important to obtain at least three quotes to ensure you are getting value for money. The quote may vary considerably, but also consider other factors such as warranty offered, service backup, when it can be installed. Check out the companies credential such as how long have they been trading for, customer testimonials, company knowledge etc. Do not be pressured into buying on the day, take the information they offer and quote and take time thinking about it. Don't rush.

If you live near the retailers it may be possible to visit their showroom and try the lift you are interested in, ensuring it is comfortable and easy to control.

Ownership.

Once you stairlift has been installed then you need to consider regular servicing and maintenance. As with any mechanical product with moving parts wear and tear will occur. Hence it is important to service regularly to ensure everything is in good working order and safe. The company from which you are purchasing the lift may be able to offer a maintenance package to complement the warranty. In some cases they will insist the stair lift is serviced to validate the warranty. Most warranties are for one year, but you can purchase entered warranties. Remember you do not have to purchase extended warranties for the company from which you purchased the stair lift. Shop around you may get a better deal.

Acorn Stair Lifts

Stair lifts are devices that are made to carry people who suffer from arthritis, are older, or are otherwise mobility challenged use the stairs. Using either a set of batteries, or by plugging directly into the wall, these units are responsible for restoring independence and opening houses back up. They are often called stair chairs because generally a chair is attached to the stairs via an aluminum track. There are some models called perch lifts however, that utilize a small platform instead. A perch lift is usually used for someone who has trouble sitting down because of knee or back problems. One popular manufacturer of stair lifts is Acorn, who makes several models including a perch lift.

Acorn is a family owned company that operates worldwide. Their US headquarter is in Orlando, Florida, and they employ over 800 employees worldwide. Acorn opened their doors in 1992 and began buying and selling new and reconditioned stair lifts. They quickly realized, due to high demand, that they would not be able to continue purchasing stair lifts and reselling them, and maintain their commitment to their customers, so they began manufacturing their own. Over the years Acorn pioneered the battery stair lift, and has continuously brought innovation and remarkable engineering to the field. They currently manufacture more than 30,000 units a year. Acorn has a very strong presence in the United States, the United Kingdom, South America, Europe, and Australia. Their quality and professional workmanship has made them into the powerhouse they are today, and they are the largest independent straight stair lift manufacturer in the world.

Stairlifts

These devices are manufactured so that you do not have to put up with the pain up and down stairs, are also produced so that you can access all areas of your house or other building. There are a couple of different elevations of the ladder but should not be too difficult to identify which type you need. The 2 types are elevations of the ladder straight and curved elevations of the ladder.

Stairlifts are brilliant inventions which began being sold around the 1930's and have been sold since then, constantly improving and help people more. A Stairlift is a device that allows someone to be transported from the floor to floor in a chair that is built into the wall or stair. These elevators are really very helpful for people suffering from diseases like polio. Any kind of injury or illness that causes him pain when climbing stairs can be helped by the use of elevations of the ladder.

Straight elevations of the ladder are mounted on the stairs that are straight and do not contain the curves. The chairs are mounted on the railway line are in line with measures that allow Stairlift to slide up and down the stairs along the rail. These types of elevations of the ladder are cheaper and easier to install.

Curve elevations of the stairs are a bit different from the ordinary straight. These are much more expensive and take much longer to install. Such elevations of the ladder take much longer to install due to the fact that they have to be custom built to meet the needs of the ladder. If you need your Stairlift to go around curves and corners, then it is likely that lack one of these. All curves are different elevations of the ladder, since each people stairways and requirements are different and therefore the Stairlift has to be made to fit. Some other types Stairlift platform for wheelchair users are elevations of the ladder, elevations of the ladder outdoors and pre-owned elevations of the ladder.