New Stair Lift Models Not Necessarily Better

I have been the stairlift industry for almost 20 years and there is one thing that I have learned the hardway.  A new stairlift model is not necessarily better.  What I mean by this is that I have found that stairlift models that have been out in the marketplace for at least two years tend to be more reliable than a new stairlift model.  It seems to take about two years for the stair lift manufacturers to iron out the kinks of a new stair lift model.

Almost without exception, I have witnessed launch of many new and improved stairlift models.  Most often, there has been a period of time where the stairlift dealer is forced to be the research and development team in the field for the stairlift manufacturer.  The stair lift user does not benefit from this process.

The more complex the stair lift, the more the need for some time in the marketplace to work out the issues.  A curved stair lift would require perhaps even more time in the field than a straight stairlift since a curved stair lift tends to be more complex.
This some thinking would apply to a curved stair lift or straight stair lift with more new options available.  New and improved is not necessarily better.

What are some of the factors that establish a stairlift as being proven and stable in the field?

1. The stair lift installation company and their installers are familiar with the service and weak points,
2. The installers have been trained in the stair lift model installation,
3. The stair lift dealer has the key parts in stock if service issues arise,
4. The stairlift manufacturer has sufficient technical staff that are familiar with the new model,
5. A period of time has passed so that new product launch issues have been addressed with design improvements.

It is highly advisable to include the length of time that a stairlift model has been out in the marketplace as one of your stairlift questions.  Give substantial weight to this factor in your decision making process of selecting the right stairlift for your specific needs.

Stair Glide – 6 reasons why a stair glide would not work.

1. The stair glide user can not bear weight on their feet and thereby make transferring to the seat of stair glides not a safe process.

2. The stairway is too narrow to allow for the stair glide user to sit on the seat of the stair lift and not hit their knees on the adjacent wall. If the stair case is less than 36″ wide then careful measurement of the stair glide user and the model selected is required.

3. The truck control of the stair glide user is not strong enough to allow them to sit on the chair lift seat without following forward,. A seat belt is available on most stair glide models but not sufficient in restraint to allow someone with poor trunk control to be able to use a stair glide.

4. An extremely tall, short or heavy person must take extra care in selecting the right stair glide model. Sometimes, a stair glide will simply not work.

5. A stair case that has many curves that is also narrow may not permit a stair glide to be installed due to space restrictions.

6. If a stairway has a door at the top or bottom of the stairs that does not permit the stair glide rail to reach it’s proper position to allow for proper dismount of the stair glide user then a stair lift may not work.