Monday 29 November 2010

Buying ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide Stair Lift? Review the Advantages and Disadvantages First

There are a lot factors for and against ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide stair lift. It is important that you understand them prior to purchasing the stair lift. The Stair-Glide is associated with both benefits and drawbacks that you need to know about. This article explains them. To be able to make the decision what is the best solution for you, you will need to know these benefits.

Benefits: Points In Favor Of ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide

1. It is the only outdoor stair lift, worldwide, that can be installed on curved or even spiral staircases.

This is an amazing feat of weatherproof engineering and design.

2. The Stair-Glide will be comfortable indoors and outdoors, with its deep-contoured, swivel chair.

One other good cause for this stair-glide is that the stair-glide will be comfortable indoors and outdoors, with its deep-contoured, swivel chair. This provides the added advantage of being safe during the ride, and when getting on and off the chair. This can eliminate the problem of losing balance when getting on or off the chair, which, for a mobility challenged person, can be dangerous, or even fatal.

3. Multiple safety sensors

Next there are multiple safety sensors. That's important because while riding you will encounter obstacles, and perhaps damage them, or damage the chair lift. When you take that under consideration, then it's wise for a stair-glide, especially a curved, outdoor stair glide to include all the safety sensors it can.

The points above show the positive aspects of purchasing a ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide. There is a downside of TK Access Stair Glide as well. Let's look at a number of the downsides.

Negatives: Arguments Against ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide

1. Install Stair-Glide as a straight stairs

Should you install ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide on straight stairs, you may be overpaying for it. That's definitely not a good thing. It could be a valid reason to prevent yourself from using the Stair-Glide on straight stairs.

2. Aesthetics

The Stair-Glide is not the most fashionably looking stair lift. There are others you need to look into if the looks are most important for you.

3. Temporary need for a stair lift

The last valid reason in avoiding ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide stair lift purchase is if you only have a temporary need for a stair lift or a chair lift. Everyone ought to think about this point with great care, since it may lead right to overpaying if you choose to buy the stair-glide instead of renting it.

So that is that. There are the benefits and drawbacks of ThyssenKrupp Access Stair-Glide stair lift. It's not universal, not for everyone, but it surely will, no doubt appeal to quite a few people. You need to take into account the info presented to make your personal choice, for or against. Hopefully your choice process will be aided greatly because of the pro and con info presented here.

Tuesday 23 November 2010

StairLifts - Who Might Need One And Why

Installing a stair lift in your home is a great way to increase the number of years you can live at home, even if you or a loved one have health limitations that make it difficult to go up and down stairs.

I was out with an elderly woman last week who was looking to buy a new home. She already had bad knees, and had to take the stairs slowly. One of the things she was looking for was whether her new property would accommodate a master on the main level (if it didn't already have one) and a stair lift on the stairs.

I presumed she'd just need to take a look at one-level houses, but each home she looked at had a staircase in it. One home had a wonderful Y-shaped staircase featured in the lounge that split off in 2 directions. One home had a precarious old staircase leading to the completed basement, and one home had a standard fashioned 2-level staircase that went to the upstairs. My customer told me this wasn't precisely what she was on the lookout for and asserted she would "know it when she saw it." It had been hard for her to work out online whether the houses she had an interest in would accommodate a step lift because most realtors don't feature the steps in their Multiple Listing Service photos.

This customer gave me a little bit of an education about what is required to install a stair lift. Fundamentally, she was looking out for a long, straight run of steps from first to the second floor. We found it in one of the new construction houses we looked at, so they are definitely out there. Stairlifts can be installed on other sorts of staircases too, naturally, but as with everything, the more complicated it is, the more expensive it is.

If you are building or buying a home that you want to grow old in, it's a good idea to contemplate in advance how the home can be modified to suit your needs when you are older. Some things - like wide hallways that can accommodate wheelchairs - are nice features you might want to have anyway.

Other stuff, like grab bars in the bath tub, are simple to add on later if they become required.

What's not as easy to plan for is if you will need wheelchair access to upstairs rooms of the house. Even if you're not in a wheelchair, going up and down the stairs can be a challenge for many seniors.

Installing a stair lift can be the perfect solution.

A step lift runs on a track that's installed on the side of the steps and plugged into the wall for power. Your steps must be against the wall or have a braced railing to accommodate the full weight of somebody on a seat, and the track along the wall. A step lift will help you bring groceries and washing up and down the steps, too. Just about anything you can carry, provided you do not surpass the safe weight limit for the chair lift.

Although they can be costly to install, many seniors are so satisfied about the concept of having the facility to remain in their own homes as they age, they are more than prepared to pay the price to have their home upgraded to accommodate their abilities as they age.

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Why Installing a Stair Nosing on the Edge of Any Kind of Stair Step Edge Is a Must

The durability and the safe use of stairs have always been a concern for architects and constructors.

The stair nosing has been around since the early 20th century.

For instance if you visit the gorgeous Plaza de EspaƱa in the historic city of Sevilla in Spain please pay attention to the step edges of the stairs that direct you to the upper floor from where you get a spectacular view of the palace's square. You will notice superb step edgings that most properly inspired today's stair nosing designers. This superb palace was constructed in the late 1920s.

There is no doubt that you will notice diverse step edgings in several old buildings with stone, ceramic, marble or parquet overlaid stairs.

The stair nosings that are installed on the step edge of ceramic tile, marble or wood covered stairs in contemporary buildings and particularly in public ones such as shopping malls, schools, governmental institutions are subject to heavy pedestrian traffic.

Installed on the edge of the ceramic or similar stair steps the aluminium stair nosing trim is designed to provide protection to the stone, marble or ceramic tile edge on the stairs by preventing chipping and fractures. The use of the stairs is safeguarded as stair steps may become hazardous particularly when wet or worn out.

A great deal of accidents occur going down on stairs when the proper attention is not paid. Many of these accidents may result in serious injuries.

Presently several models of aluminium stair nosings are suggested for the protection and secure use of the concrete, ceramic tile, marble, stone or wood covered stairs:

Stair nosings which are installed directly over the concrete stair step edge.

Tile-in stair nosings with or without replaceable pvc insert, designed to accommodate ceramic tiles in various thicknesses. These stair nosings may only be fitted during the tile, marble or stone installation process; as the bottom of the frontal edge of the nosing should get under the ceramic tile to ensure a firm grip.

The incorporated and durable ribbed PVC strips which come in a variety of colors (i.e. black, grey, brown or cream) achieve perfect compatibility with the ceramic tile colorations and furnish improved slip resistance.

Retro fit step edges, with or without replaceable vinyl, insert that are fitted after tile, stone or marble installation.

There are no other major distinctions between the two stair nosings, both serve the same purposes. Worn out stair steps not only portray an unpleasant look, but on top of that the secure use of the stairs is endangered. As a consequence this form of anti skid stair nose is a perfect choice for upgrading and renovating existing stairs in poor condition and in need of repair. The worn out stair edges would be covered up and masked.

The grooves on the upper surface of the stair nosing will add an anti slip feature assuring the safe use the stairs. The utilization of non slip stair nosing is highly recommended to protect tiles on stairs from chipping and to prevent costly and unnecessary ceramic tile installation expenses afterwards.

An aluminum stair nosing fitted at the edge of the wooden stair would prove to be highly beneficial as well. The parquet and laminate flooring stair step edges will be protected from wear and the unsightly appearance of fractured and damaged stair step edges will be avoided. Subsequently damage to stair edges and its disagreeable appearance are averted as well as high-priced renovations.

Diverse stair tread nosing profiles that can withstand extensive influx secure the use of the wood stairs, and their anti-slip ribbed top surface and the grooves create slip resistance and enable the safe use of the stairs.

Slip and fall accident risks are reduced, injuries no longer become a concern and a decorative feature perfectly fitting the stairs is provided.

The retrofit stair tread nosing may be fitted with glue, adhesive tape or rather screwed to the tile, stone, parquet or similar flooring to allow a long lasting tight grip. When supplied predrilled and with countersink holes the installation with screws will turn out to be faster and smoother.