Four Tips to Prolong the Life of Your Stairlift

1. Four Tips to Prolong the Life of Your Stairlift Owning a stairlift can make life a breeze for individuals that struggle to walk up and down steps, particularly for homeowners that own a two story house. These easy to use devices can allow everyone to enjoy the full benefits that come with having an upstairs and a downstairs while eliminating the pain and hassle of having to climb the stairs, or worse, scoot up and down them. When stairlifts break down, it can easily disrupt any person’s life. Follow these tips to prolong the life of any stairlift, and to cut down on repairs. Watch the weights Every piece of equipment comes with a weight limit. While a person rapidly gaining weight is not usually an issue, attempting to transport heavy items up and down the stairs often is. Instead of trying to carry everything at once, make a few trips up the stairs when it is possible; this may be more time consuming, but it will be well worth it in the long run. For heavy pieces of equipment, like the vacuum, it is best to contact a friend or family member for help. Individuals that are little to no friends or family members may be able to contact a local handyman to do small odd jobs, like carrying things up the stairs. Keep an eye on the tracks Most stairlifts are built to automatically stop moving when there is an item on the tracks, but these systems can malfunction or may not detect small things, resulting in a small coin getting lodged inside, and in individuals having to pay for repairs. Instead, look up or down the stairs before use to make sure that the tracks are clear. If an item is seen, make sure to stop the chair from moving and carefully pick it up off of the tracks. If safety is a concern, contacting someone to do this instead is the best idea. Repairs Performing repairs as soon as possible is ideal for keeping a stairlift running as long as possible. When repairs are not performed in a timely manner, they can often get worse and result in more problems. For example, if a car were to leak antifreeze, this would not be a big problem. However, if it is not fixed, the car may run out of antifreeze and blow a head gasket, which is a very costly, time consuming thing. Repairs on these work the same way. Protect the battery One of the most common stairlift problems is the need for a new battery. Certain steps can be taken to guarantee that the batter remains in optimal conditions. If one is owned that plugs into the wall, keep it plugged in unless it is necessary to unplug it. Frequently unplugging the cord can make the life of the batter significantly shorter. One should also make sure that it stays charged. When a battery constantly dies, it can often result in the battery needing to be replaced more often. Following these two simple tips can help add years to the batter of anything, and cut down on future costs.

2. These pieces of equipment are becoming more common as more individuals recognize how convenient they are, and how much they lower the risk of falls. Unfortunately, repair costs can quickly add up when they are not properly cared for and maintained. Instead of calling a company for repairs every other week, or having to make do without the use of yours, following these four simple tips can easily help to prolong the life of this expensive piece of equipment, and the battery, guaranteeing that no one’s life will be disrupted by it breaking down again.