Sunday 26 April 2009

The Many Uses of an Electric Home Stair Lift

The electric home stair lift is a vital equipment that is fast gaining acceptance not only as a device that assists in giving access to people between floors, but also in moving other stuff such as laundry, groceries and documents.


An electric home stair lift is an effective means of providing the elderly and physically handicapped easy and safe access between floors of their homes. For the uninitiated, these accessibility devices can be confusing because they come in many types and models and go by many names. They are variously called stair lifts, stair chair lifts, home stair lift, stair lift platform, elevator stair lift and a host of other names all referring to the same device that perform the same basic function?that of mainly providing access between floors.


And electric home stair lift is essentially a device that runs up and down a track that is fitted by bolts on the treads of stairs. The device may feature a swivel seat where the rider can sit on and safely buckle himself with a seatbelt. And, there are also models that are equipped with a platform instead of a swivel seat to accommodate a wheelchair-bound person. Still others are fitted with a much smaller platform so that a cane-using person who is unable to bend his legs or sit down can just stand on the platform and grab on to a sturdy support bar for balance while the lift is in motion.


Aside from carrying people up and down the stairs, an electric home stair lift can also be used for carrying other stuff such as groceries, laundry or luggage. If the homeowner has a home office, the electric home stair lift is handy for moving large boxes of documents between floors that would otherwise be difficult to move with a cart or a dolly.


As its name implies, an electric home stair lift is powered by electricity. The first type runs on an AC motor that can be plugged into the home mains or power outlet. The main disadvantage of this model is that it can be rendered immobile by a sudden power failure and trap its rider along the staircase. The other type of electric home stair lift runs on a battery-powered DC motor that is whisper-quiet, runs smoothly and can safely operate even during power outages. While the batteries of this type of electric home stair lift can be recharged at static charging stations located at both ends of the track, the batteries need to be replaced every year. If you are considering installing an electric home stair lift, your nearest dealer will be happy to send you one of its lift consultants who will assess your house and advice you on the best stair lift for your needs.


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/the-many-uses-of-an-electric-home-stair-lift-611080.html