Wheelchair Stair Lifts
Wheelchair stair lifts are available but are unsuitable for most domestic situations mainly because the average home staircase simply isn't wide enough to accommodate the platform. There are also other considerations that make a wheelchair stair lift more problematic for home use. Unlike conventional stair lifts, the track system is wall mounted rather than fixed to the stairs. Having said all that, if your home can accommodate a wheelchair stair lift, then you can find and buy a wheelchair lift from a number of reputable suppliers.
Wheelchair stair lifts are designed to be far more robust than a standard stair chair lift. Stair lifts are usually designed to carry a maximum of 350 lbs; a wheelchair stair lift will carry up to 500 lbs. However, being designed to carry extra weight does require that the system is mounted on a load bearing wall rather than stair mounted as is the case with conventional stair lifts.
A conventional stair lift can be installed on stair ways with a width of only 22". Because of its platform a wheelchair stair lift requires a minimum stair width of at least 36" - very few domestic homes have stairs as wide as this. A further requirement is that there is enough space at the bottom of the stairs (about 6') to allow the stair wheelchair lift to land and allow you to get off.
If you can transfer to the seat of a chair from your wheelchair then a stair lift could be a much less expensive option. Just about all homes can be fitted with a conventional straight or curved stair lift at a fraction of the cost of installing a wheelchair stair lift. Of course, by using a standard stair lift you a required to leave your wheelchair behind you, either at the top or bottom of the stairs.
Unlike conventional stair lifts that are battery powered it is usual for wheelchair stair lifts to be powered by mains electricity. Controls, such as remote controls, are battery powered.
Finally, it is possible to find used wheelchair stair lifts. Many suppliers aren't interested in selling recycled wheelchair stair lifts - your best bet is to look for these on the internet.
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