Stairlift Installation 101: General Property Owner Questions And Concerns

When you live in a two-story home and have mobility issues, accessing the upper story of your home can become practically impossible. Thankfully, the availability of modern-day home health care equipment has made it possible for most property owners to have access to stairlifts or stairlift chairs. These units are integrated into a common stairway and automatically carry an immobile individual from the lower landing up to the top of the stairs safely. Here are a few things you may want to know about stairlift installation in your home. 

Can a stairlift be installed on any type of stairway?

For the most part, stairlifts will work out on just about any type of stairway, but there can be some types of stairways or stairwells that make an install a bit more difficult to achieve. The width of the space available is one of the biggest factors; the width of the stairwell must be accommodating enough to make room for the lift chair. However, stairways that have a lot of bends, curves, or odd implements can also be problematic during install. You may need special adjustments made to the structure of the stairs in order for a lift to work properly. 

How long will it take for the stairlift to be installed?

If no major retrofitting work has to be done, you can expect to have your lift in place and ready to be used in as little as just a few hours in most cases. The installer will likely take some additional time to explain to you how to safely use the lift, how to maintain the lift, and how to troubleshoot some of the most common problems. All this information will save you a lot of trouble as you grow accustomed to the new system, but it will also help you prolong the life of your new stairlift. 

Do stairlifts have to be only indoors?

You can obtain both indoor and outdoor stairlift models. Outdoor units are designed with the internal operating mechanisms more protected because they will naturally be exposed to the elements.

How can you keep the stairlift from being played with if you live with children?

The stairlift can be so valuable if you have mobility issues, but you definitely do not want your children playing on the equipment when you are not watching. For this reason, most stairlifts and stairlift chairs are designed with a safety lock or latch that has to be adjusted in order for the unit to come on. Some units have safety keys as well, and some advanced units have a keypad with an access code that must be entered for operation.