Popular types of stairlift and information on stairlifts prices
These are the most common type of stairlifts used in private dwellings with straight stairs and have a straight rail (track) which is fixed to the steps of the staircase. Straight stairlifts have a shorter installation and manufacturing time because it requires fewer customizations. This generally means that they are also cheaper than other types, as the only variable between different installations is the actual length of the track.
These are normally much more unusual and costly than those with straight rails because they have to be manufactured to suit the individual staircase (curved stairs). This sometimes involves careful measurement, design and manufacturing. The installation process usually takes longer than for a straight domestic stairlift. Some of them follow stairs´ standards.
Wheelchair platform stairlifts
These come under the general definition of stairlift and are usually of much heavier construction than a domestic stairlift.
Most platform stairlifts are used in public access buildings or outside private homes.
The platform is large enough to accommodate a wheelchair and its user, and may have folding edge flaps which drop down and act as ramps to allow for variations in floor levels. These flaps also prevent the wheelchair from going over the edge of the platform.
The rails are, necessarily, of heavy construction to support the load and the drive system is usually accommodated within a tubular section rail or aluminium extrusion. Some models have steel cables inside the tube, others have chains; yet others may use a rack and pinion system.
Many wheelchair platform stairlifts are designed and built to order. Others may comprise a standard platform and carriage, with the only special requirement being the length of rails or tracks.
Some stairlift chairs can also be moved and used as indoor wheelchairs.
Outdoor Stairlifts come with seats, perches, footplates or platforms and are sold worldwide. They are similar to indoor stairlifts but with improved weatherproofing.
There is a second-user market for some types of stairlift. This is most common with straight rail domestic types, although the fall in new stairlifts prices means there is not much difference between the price of a new straight stairlift compared to a reconditioned used lift. The rails can be cut to length if too long, or extended with a “joining kit”. Most models allow the carriage to be “re-handed” so it can be used on the left or right side of the staircase.
During the early days of curved rail stairlifts there was no second user market because of the difficulty of matching rails to a different layout. Even staircases built to the same design specification in neighbouring houses have variations, but in most attempted “transplants” there are too many differences to make it practicable. Many owners have had to pay to have unwanted curved stairlifts removed.
More recently, some curved rails have been produced to a modular design so components can be unbolted and used elsewhere, subject to design and safety considerations. In some cases, tubular section rails which are welded during manufacture, are produced by specialist rail companies so they can be used with a pre-owned carriage, controls, and other components. This is, perhaps, like putting an old locomotive on new railway lines. It provides a lower cost solution than buying a totally new system.
Some insurance companies have offered breakdown policies for stairlifts. Manufacturers and installers have offered an extended warranty, rather like those available for domestic white goods and brown goods.
Some manufacturers produce stairlifts with trays instead of seats for moving goods between different levels, usually in commercial or industrial buildings. Some businesses have purchased normal domestic stairlifts purely as goods transporters and put items such as boxes of stationery on the seat.
Early stairlifts mostly had alternating current (AC) drive motors which ran at full mains voltage (around 100 volts in North America, 230 volts in Europe). An “energy cable” ran alongside or through the rail to carry the power from the supply point to the carriage.
More recently, domestic stairlifts have been powered from rechargeable batteries and use direct current (DC). One of the selling points is that a DC stairlift will continue to function during a power outage, provided the batteries are sufficiently charged. Most stairlifts have a ‘chargepoint’ where the unit will ‘park’ to charge its batteries. Some straight stairlifts have the ability to continuously charge no matter where they are left along the track.
With most DC models the batteries are accommodated within the carriage and travel with it.
Some models, however, were designed with three phase motors and the batteries (three in total) were housed in a cabinet mounted near the top or bottom of the rail. An inverter system was used to convert the DC energy to three phase AC.
The power rating of drive motors for domestic straight rail stairlifts may be around 250 watts. The power requirement will be greater for heavy loads, very steep inclines, and wheelchair platform stairlifts.
Stairlift with remote control
Stairlifts are largely operated using a control on the arm of the lift. This is either a switch or a toggle type lever. This larger toggle switch enables users even with limited mobility or painful condition to use stairlifts easily and safely.
Electronic controls are used extensively. Many stairlifts have radio frequency or infrared remote controllers. It is known that radiation from devices such as fluorescent lights can interfere with infrared stairlift controls. Also, heat and incandescent lights can, in some circumstances, have an adverse effect.
Control circuit design varies greatly among the different manufacturers and models. Curved rail stairlifts have more complex controls than those with straight rails.
The seat of a curved rail stairlift may have to be tilted so it remains horizontal whilst going around curves and negotiates different angles of incline. This requires an additional motor and link system.
Also, the carriage is slowed down on bends but travels faster on straight runs. This means a more complex control system. Modern controls have small microprocessors which “learn” the characteristics of the journeys and keep the data in memory. They also record the number of journey and direction. This assists service engineers on maintenance calls.
Some development was started at the onset of the 21st Century Stairlifts into self-diagnostic controls. The idea was that stairlifts would predict when components were starting to deteriorate and automatically pass the information to the service provider so a visit could be arranged.
To satisfy safety codes stairlifts usually have cut-out switches connected to “safety edges” and other protective devices so the drive power is disconnected if something goes wrong. Modern lifts have a high degree of comfort, but safety is always paramount. “Safety edges” are a common feature to the power pack and footplate. “Safety edges” ensure that if there is any obstruction on the stairs the stairlift will automatically stop and only travel away from the obstruction.
Stairlifts are used by people of all ages and child car seats can usually be fixed a standard stairlift seat using the seat belt provided with the stairlift system.
Codes of practice and technical specifications apply to stairlift manufacture.
An important specification used by stairlift manufacturers in Europe was British Standard BS 5776: 1996 Specification For Powered Stairlifts, produced by The British Standards Institution.
Note: codes of practice and technical specifications are updated occasionally. These references may be out of date by the time they are read and are shown as examples.