When you get that long-overdue promotion, what do you do? You take the stairs two at a time! But there are a number of people who just can't take the stairs at all. Unassisted, that is. If they happen to live in a multi-floor accommodation, then their woes are multiplied many times over. They may even consider moving to a single-floor accommodation just to avoid navigating stairways. Of all the means available to traverse stairs, the wheelchair stair lift is the most affordable and the simplest to install.
The wheelchair stair lift is the most affordable device to navigate between floors. It is installed with the existing stairway. It does not require a separate well, nor does it obstruct the normal stairway usage.
Cost being the prime operative factor to consider when planning to install a wheelchair stair lift, let's do a little costing here. If the stairway is straight then the installation bill will be less than $5000. For a curved stairway, a site inspection needs to be done by the installation contractor who'll prepare a quote for the installation. The cost could go up to $20,000 depending on the complexity involved, both in the nature of the curvature as well as the actual wheelchair stair lift that has to be installed.
All modern wheelchair stair lifts are driven by electric motors, which can be light-duty for individual use or heavy-duty for institutional use, and mains powered or battery powered. There are four types of drives that are commonly found on wheelchair stair lifts. The most popular one for individual use in a residential environment is the rack-and-pinion drive system.
The cable-hauled wheelchair stair lift is the quietest among all categories and requires the least maintenance. The long cable tends to have a little play in it which makes its starting and stopping a little less than smooth.
Another type of wheelchair stair lift is driven by a set of running chains. A thumb on the wheelchair stair lift engages the chain which carries it up or down. Its noise and price puts it out of the popularity race.
Another type of wheelchair stair lift uses a screw-drive system, and usually carries a rechargeable battery-pack. It is very good but not very popular for individual use.
The rack-and-pinion wheelchair stair lift is the best type by far. It is the cheapest to install, requires no maintenance, and is emits very little noise. It is driven by a set of rotating pinion wheels which engage wall-mounted racks on both sides of the stairs.
Sometimes the rack-and-pinion system is modified to run on tracks laid on the stairway itself, instead of being set in the side walls.
Most modern wheelchair stair lifts use a self-contained rechargeable battery power supply. This system eliminates the use of cables needed by mains operated wheelchair stair lifts. Since the safety of the wheelchair stair lift is a major concern, this installation of a wheelchair stair lift is regulated by state laws. So please do find out what the law requires before installing a wheelchair stair lift.
Looking down the stairs from a height while sitting in a wheelchair makes the wheelchair occupant a trifle nervous. To avoid this vertigo-like feeling, most wheelchair stair lifts have a system to turn the chair sideways or right around. Moreover, these wheelchair stair lifts have electronic systems which help in preventive maintenance, warning the user of potential problems before they actually materialize.
Wheelchair stair lifts are doubtlessly a big boon for people like us who have a problem in navigating stairways by ourselves. The wheelchair stair lift is an example of a positive application of technology. Now we are no longer limited to moving about on a single floor. Nor is it necessary to move to a single-storied house just because of our disability to navigate stairways on our own.
The wheelchair stair lift is the most affordable device to navigate between floors. It is installed with the existing stairway. It does not require a separate well, nor does it obstruct the normal stairway usage.
Cost being the prime operative factor to consider when planning to install a wheelchair stair lift, let's do a little costing here. If the stairway is straight then the installation bill will be less than $5000. For a curved stairway, a site inspection needs to be done by the installation contractor who'll prepare a quote for the installation. The cost could go up to $20,000 depending on the complexity involved, both in the nature of the curvature as well as the actual wheelchair stair lift that has to be installed.
All modern wheelchair stair lifts are driven by electric motors, which can be light-duty for individual use or heavy-duty for institutional use, and mains powered or battery powered. There are four types of drives that are commonly found on wheelchair stair lifts. The most popular one for individual use in a residential environment is the rack-and-pinion drive system.
The cable-hauled wheelchair stair lift is the quietest among all categories and requires the least maintenance. The long cable tends to have a little play in it which makes its starting and stopping a little less than smooth.
Another type of wheelchair stair lift is driven by a set of running chains. A thumb on the wheelchair stair lift engages the chain which carries it up or down. Its noise and price puts it out of the popularity race.
Another type of wheelchair stair lift uses a screw-drive system, and usually carries a rechargeable battery-pack. It is very good but not very popular for individual use.
The rack-and-pinion wheelchair stair lift is the best type by far. It is the cheapest to install, requires no maintenance, and is emits very little noise. It is driven by a set of rotating pinion wheels which engage wall-mounted racks on both sides of the stairs.
Sometimes the rack-and-pinion system is modified to run on tracks laid on the stairway itself, instead of being set in the side walls.
Most modern wheelchair stair lifts use a self-contained rechargeable battery power supply. This system eliminates the use of cables needed by mains operated wheelchair stair lifts. Since the safety of the wheelchair stair lift is a major concern, this installation of a wheelchair stair lift is regulated by state laws. So please do find out what the law requires before installing a wheelchair stair lift.
Looking down the stairs from a height while sitting in a wheelchair makes the wheelchair occupant a trifle nervous. To avoid this vertigo-like feeling, most wheelchair stair lifts have a system to turn the chair sideways or right around. Moreover, these wheelchair stair lifts have electronic systems which help in preventive maintenance, warning the user of potential problems before they actually materialize.
Wheelchair stair lifts are doubtlessly a big boon for people like us who have a problem in navigating stairways by ourselves. The wheelchair stair lift is an example of a positive application of technology. Now we are no longer limited to moving about on a single floor. Nor is it necessary to move to a single-storied house just because of our disability to navigate stairways on our own.
About the Author:
There are plenty of other methods to increase the mobility of anyone confined to a wheel chair. Go to www.WheelchairLiftsOnline.com to read information on wheel chair ramps, and also discover what features you should consider when searching for the best lift chair for your situation.
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