Stair lifts are part of a group of aids for the handicapped. Stair lifts are also known as gliders, stair chairs or chair lifts. For the most part, stair lifts are battery operated devices used to get up your stairs. If your home has stairs and you have trouble getting up and down them, then a stair lift is necessary. Whether accessibility products are needed for indoor or outdoor use, vertical platform lifts and stair lifts are a safe, affordable and space saving way to overcome accessibility problems.

Curved Stair Lifts

Stair lifts can be installed in straight stairs or curved staircases. Curved are usually custom items that cannot be transferred to another staircase and as with straight stair lifts you can buy either new or used lifts. If your planning to get new curved stair lifts made there are a number of considerations to think about, including the cost of the stair lift itself and the waiting period, as a curved stair lift needs to be custom built to fit the stairs to which they are for.

Straight Stair Lifts

Straight stair lifts are powered by either electricity or battery and are at least as reliable as your electricity supplier. Designing a straight stair lift is easiest and because of the nature of the design, can often be bought second hand, and installed in another straight staircase. Generally an average straight staircase of 13 steps with a person below 300 lbs will cost between $1799 and $3100. Many people are happy to get a used or reconditioned stair lift fitted as they are cheaper than newer ones and the installation period is usually much faster. A stairway that has two runs separated by a curve would better be installed with two straight stair lifts in stead of a curved unit.

Conclusion

Buying a Stair Lift is a simple solution for hard to climb staircases, and it is much easier for the elderly or people confined to a wheelchair. Most stair lifts are quiet, reliable and easy to use. The majority of stair lifts are made to hold a weight capacity that's between 350 to 500 pounds. From a medical view, stair lifts are known as durable medical equipment (DME), unlike wheelchairs that are viewed as just medical equipment.