Factors to Consider before Purchasing Wheelchair Lifts

Making your home accessible to everyone is important, especially to people with mobility issues. If any member in your family uses a wheelchair, they need to be able to navigate all areas of your home easily. Installing a wheelchair lift in your home enables users to move up a set of stairs easily without having to worry about the difficulty of getting out of their wheelchair. Specifically designed for low-rise travel, these devices allow wheelchair users to access landings and second levels seated comfortably.Popular manufacturers in New Jersey offer innovative models of wheelchair lifts for both straight and inclined stairways. There are several factors to consider when choosing and installing the perfect wheelchair lift for your home.

· Type of lift — It is important to decide on the type of lift, whether you need a vertical or inclined platform lift. Both devices greatly increase accessibility by allowing a wheelchair user full access to their home. Vertical platform lifts are most often used on the front steps of a home. Inclined platform lifts on the other hand use a metal track attached to the wall of the stairs that runs its entire length. The wheelchair user is carried up the stairs on a platform attached to the metal track.

· Decide the location — One of the initial steps of installing a residential wheelchair lift is deciding the location. Choose the place or area in your home that the wheelchair user has the most difficulty in accessing. Place the lift in an easily accessible area that has a smooth and perfectly leveled mounting space. Make sure the landing space is structurally sound and the travel wall does not have any gaps. Choose a reputable and specialized dealer mobility equipment dealer as this is critical for safe and long-lasting product installation.

· Platform length — The platform length of the wheelchair lift must be sufficient enough to accommodate the mobility equipment being lifted from one level to another. In most cases, wheelchair lifts are specifically designed as per the prescribed codes and standards and can safely accommodate mobility devices of all sizes.

· Ceiling height — If you are choosing a vertical wheelchair lift, the height of the ceiling is an important factor to consider. If your ceiling is too low some vertical lifts may look bulky. Measure the height from the ground floor to the upper landing floor and then choose a lift that has maximum travel height. Choose what type of configuration fits into your available space.

· Floor space — Floor space is an important factor to consider. Inclined lifts are suitable for homes that lack space, as they can be easily attached to the stairs and require no extra room for installation. On the other hand, vertical lifts require separate space as they are typically installed away from the stairs. Look for a small lift model that will fit into the available space you have in your home.

· Safety features — Look at all the prominent safety features that come with your wheelchair lift. Top models come with easy-to-use controls and high-end safety features to provide safe floor-to-floor access. Make sure that the models you select are equipped with safety features such as non-skid platform, emergency brake system, audio-visual alarm and under pan obstruction sensors.

· Cost — The price of the wheelchair lift may mainly depend on its features, design, safety options and size. Before choosing any specific model, compare the features and pricing structure with other models and choose the right one that matches your individual requirements.

Apart from considering the above mentioned factors before purchasing a wheelchair lift, selecting a reliable and reputable dealer is important. A reputable dealer will offer the benefit of professional and efficient installation services.