Essential Stairlift Safety Tips

Stairlifts offer those with limited or reduced mobility a viable, smooth and reliable way to enjoy the entirety of their home. This is a hugely understated benefit because it essentially allows those users to be independent within the comfort of their own home which is very important for self-esteem, autonomy and mental health. Stairlifts also mean that those living with mobility issues don’t need to completely re-route their life to move into accessible accommodation. Affordable mobility has been the source of quality Platinum stairlifts in Stoke-On-Trent for many years and our stairlifts are made to suit every conceivable type of staircase imaginable making the option suitable for everyone. 

For all of their benefits Stairlifts are complex pieces of machinery, after all they are tasked with transporting the full weight of a human body safely up many flights of stairs via a rail. It is therefore very important that the necessary safety precautions are taken to safeguard your wellbeing and the wellbeing of others as well as the stairlift itself. So what best practices should you abide by in order to remain safe? 

Prevent Rail Obstruction

In order for stairlifts to function effectively, the chair must be able to travel up the full length of the wall rail without being obstructed by any objects or clothing. If the latter occurs then the stairlift could jam leaving you stuck mid staircase. If you are living with lowered mobility then being left stranded in the middle of a staircase is not a situation to be in as getting back down comes with its own risks of injury and falls not to mention intense stress. The added consequence of a jam as a result of an obstruction means that key areas of your house such as bathroom and bedroom will be out of reach until an engineer makes it to the property. Make sure if possible that someone can clear your stairways of things like pet toys, children’s toys and anything else that may have been left on the stairwell. In addition, make sure that all items of clothing are not dangling over and causing any potential jams before you travel either up or down.   

Add Cushioning To Make Chair Comfortable And Avoid Aches

Like with most household fixtures, people like to add their own touches to make things more comfortable for themselves and we have seen individuals employ extra cushioning and upholstery additions. This is a nice touch and it also means that by adding extra cushioning to your discrepancy, you are safeguarding your back and posture. We would however advise against adorning your stairlift chair with things like throws as they have the potential to obstruct the rail mechanism.

Only Take One Person At A Time

You should be aware that the rail upon which the chair travels on is rooted in your wall using a trail of hard-wearing metal brackets. When you add the weight of a person to the equation, the rail has a lot of weight to cope with and whilst it can cope with a single person, it is not designed to take multiple people.

Curved staircases have a weight limit of 200KG so it is advisable to be mindful of this restriction. In addition, carrying extra persons is also very unsafe as they cannot strap in securely.   

Make Sure Your Stairlift Has Reliable Power Backup

For those with mobility issues, a stairlift becomes an essential functional component of the household as it facilitates travel to the upper areas of their properties. So what happens when the unthinkable occurs and for whatever reason (a power outage or electrical fault for example) your house is left without electricity? The good news is that today’s modern stairlifts are not connected to the mains but are powered by a high-performance battery pack which charges when the stairlift is not in use. This means that at any given time the stairlift will operate even if there is a power outage at your property. 

When it comes to battery packs you cannot afford to take any chances as they are the driving force responsible for your stairlift operating safely. As a safety precaution, you must ensure that your unit is fitted with a reliable battery cell which can retain large amounts of capacity and doesn’t lose energy. This is quite a technical ask so it’s best to enlist the expertise expert engineers by signing up to a planned stairlift maintenance plan.