What types of stairlift are available today?
There are several types of stairlifts available in today's market. The different types can cause some confusion, so here's a quick guide to help you recognize the most appropriate type of stairlift for you.
The type of stair lift for you will require is largely dictated by the type of stair case you have in your home.
Straight Stairlifts
The most common form of lift is the straight stairlift. If your stairs are a straight run, with no bends, corners or half-landings this is the product for you. Because straight stair lifts are relatively simple to install, around an hour in most cases - it tends to be the most cost-effective lift on the market. The cost does vary depending on the features you need but brand-new straight stair lifts can be fully installed from around £1,500.
Straight stairlifts attach to the stair treads rather than the wall. They vary in the feature and design but many include battery power with continuous charging. This means that the stair lift will continue to work even in a power cut, meaning the user will not become trapped on one level. Some come with a swivel seat or as an additional extra. With this feature, the seat rotates 90 degrees at either the top or bottom of the stairs or both, locking into place to make getting on and off the stair lift perfectly safe. You can also find models with adjustable seat height, safety sensors that stop the stairlift if it encounters an obstruction hinged rails that keeps the doorways clear.
Curved stairlifts
If your relative's stairs have bends, turns or half-landings, a curved stairlift is the most likely option. Curved stairlifts tend to be much more expensive than straight stairlifts as the rails must be custom-made for the user's staircase.
All of this, of course, puts the price up quite a bit. As a guide price, you can expect to pay at least £4,000 for a new curved stairlift. A reconditioned curved stairlift might cost you around £3,500.
Depending on how much you're or your relative's mobility is impaired, another option is to fit two straight stair lifts and include a bridging platform, for a 'mid-flight transfer'. This does mean paying for two stair lifts and opens up the possibility of having to pay two lots of maintenance.
Outdoor stairlifts
The other principal type of stair lift is the outdoor variant. The outdoor stair lift comes with many of the features of its indoor cousins and with several special features, too.
Because it's outdoors, this type of stair lift is designed to resist the elements. This means that all its metal parts are typically made from aluminium. Alternatively, they will be treated with special oil or zinc-plated before being powder-coated. The plastic components will be resistant to heat and UV rays, so that the colour won't fade or be damaged by ambient heat.
Outdoor stairlifts are perfect for garden steps, patios and decks or garage and basement steps. They are useful in beachfront locations, too, as they are impervious to salt air. They usually also come with covers to protect the lift when it is not in use.
We hope you've found this brief guide to the types of stairlift available on the UK market helpful. If you want impartial advice on any type of stairlift, an independent retailer such as UK Stairlifts will be glad to help.
View the full, original article at UKStairlifts: http://www.uklift.co.uk/stairlift/stairlift-articles/what-types-of-stairlift-are-available-today/
