In homes, the stairs can be very dangerous. For seniors, the risk of a fall on the staircase is greatly increased, with the majority of all serious accidental injuries occurring on the stairs. Since the stairs can be so dangerous, it is very important to find ways to reduce the risk of a fall and many people use stair lifts.
The stair lift was first developed in the early twentieth century. Since then, they have greatly improved and evolved into powerful safety tools, capable of safely moving a person between the floors in a home. In most cases, a chair is attached to a metal track that runs the distance of the stairs. The track can be attached to the wall, but it is usually attached directly to the stairs. The chair then moves up or down the track, carrying a single individual. This way, instead of walking, the individual is carried up the stairs safely and without risk of a fall.
Typically, a stair lift for a straight staircase will cost around $1400 to $2500, but this can vary by the features selected and the model of lift. These lifts are electrically powered and some lifts provide rechargeable batteries, so the lift can continue functioning in the event of a power outage. Generally battery powered stair lifts cost a little bit more.
While for a straight staircase, a stair lift usually will not cost more than about $2500, a stair lift for a curved staircase is much more expensive. It will typically cost more than $10,000, with some costing over $20,000. Part of the increase in cost is due to the fact that the track will have to be custom built to fit the staircase.
This custom fit track of a curved stair lift not only costs a lot to build, but also adds several months onto the build time. Usually a straight stair lift can be purchased, shipped, and installed in less than a week and two weeks on the outside. A curved stair lift, on then other hand, will usually take at least two months and often over three months to be built and installed. It is also not typically possible to install a curved stair lift yourself, which adds to the
You must also be a lot more careful when you purchase a curved stair lift, because there are several disreputable curved stair lift sellers. To save money on the track, which is the most expensive part of a curved stair lift, these distributors will buy old curved stair lifts. Then when they get an order, they heat the old track up and bend it to fit the new staircase. This results in a much weaker track that is prone to cracking. This can be very dangerous. Often the only way you can tell a company is doing this is because the price is much lower and they don’t back it by as strong of a warranty.
Stair lifts can be a great tool for the mobility challenged, greatly reducing the risk of a fall and thereby increasing stair safety.