Stair lifts offer an efficient and practical way for those with mobility challenges to move between floors. If you have a general idea of what a stair lift is and how it is useful, but have yet to see or use one in person, you may have accidentally picked up some common stair lift myths.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a stair lift, it can be overwhelming to sift through all of the available information to tell myth versus reality. As a family-owned company with nearly 40 years of experience, Arrow Lift understands the importance of making informed decisions for yourself and your loved ones. Keep reading to learn more about the truths behind a dozen common stair lift myths.
Myth #1: Stair lifts Are Expensive
If a stair lift solves the mobility challenge of the person involved, it is almost always the most affordable way to achieve accessibility in the home. Are stair lifts actually expensive when compared to alternative options? You may consider alternatives such as remodeling your existing home layout or adding an addition to the main floor. Alternatively, you might consider a senior living facility. While the cost of a straight stair lift is typically $3,500-$5,500, the average cost of a senior living facility is more than that — for just a single month.
If you have a bedroom and a bathroom on the main floor of your home, limiting yourself to one floor might be a viable option. But what about access to laundry, hobbies such as sewing or woodworking, and perhaps most importantly, the memories that different parts of the home carry with them? A stair lift purchase is an investment in the freedom to travel throughout your home. It’s essential to weigh the alternatives before dismissing a stair lift as “too expensive.”
Myth #2: Stair lifts Are Cheap (and Only Cost around $1,000)
This is inaccurate. Some websites will offer misleading ads regarding stair lift prices. Stair lifts are complex electro-mechanical devices, and any reliable stair lift model will have a price that reflects that. If you find a stair lift for $1,000, you can be confident that it’s either a low-quality product, or has other hidden costs. As a family- and veteran-owned business, we are committed to honesty and fairness. We always provide accurate pricing and are happy to speak with you about the cost of ownership before you decide if a stair lift is right for you.
Safe, reliable stair lifts do not cost under $1,000 — or anywhere close to that. However, as previously mentioned, the good news is that stair lifts are almost always the cheapest way to stay in your home! This is one reason stair lifts have been gaining popularity in recent years.
Myth #3: Medicare Pays for Stair Lifts
There is much misunderstanding about this topic, but the simple truth is that Medicare does not pay for stair lifts. This confusion can often be traced back to an important distinction between a stair lift (or “chair lift”) and a lift chair, a mechanized armchair that helps the user stand up from a seated position. While Medicare will, in some cases, cover the latter piece of equipment, stair lifts are not covered.
We have met many clients who have been incorrectly informed that a portion of the stair lift will be covered, which can be very frustrating when shopping for a mobility solution. While we cannot control which expenses Medicare covers, we do offer financing and reconditioned stair lifts to help with the cost.
Myth #4: Stair lifts Are Only for Elderly People
Stair chair lifts are useful mobility aids for people of any age who struggle to use the stairs safely. There is no single age, situation, or reason that makes purchasing a chair lift the right decision. Although many of our clients are considered seniors, we also work with families overcoming a wide variety of mobility challenges. These families include those with children or young adults with physical disabilities as well.
Lastly, some of our clients choose to purchase a stair lift before they plan to use it regularly, to help them transport everyday items such as laundry or holiday decorations. After all, a stair lift is generally more affordable than a residential dumbwaiter and will also safely carry a person between floors.
Myth #5: Stair Lifts Are Wheelchair Accessible
This is mostly false. A stair lift is a chair with arms and a footrest that travels up and down a set of stairs. If you use a wheelchair, you must transfer from the wheelchair to the stair lift seat before using the stair lift and back onto a wheelchair at the other end of the stairs.
For this reason, a stair lift is often not the right solution for someone who uses a wheelchair. Instead, a residential wheelchair lift or home elevator might be the ideal home accessibility solution.
On the other hand, if you can safely get out of your wheelchair and into an adjacent armchair or kitchen chair, a stair lift might solve your mobility challenge. To help you make the right decision for your needs, we highly recommend that you have an in-home meeting with someone who is knowledgeable about all types of accessibility lifts and home elevators. Arrow Lift offers this consultation free of charge and with no obligation.
If you have the opportunity, take time to visit a local Arrow Lift showroom to test the stair lifts before deciding what solution works for you.
Myth #6: Stair Lifts Are Dangerous
We’re happy to be able to dispel this myth! The fact is, stair lifts are incredibly safe and reliable mobility devices when installed properly. Because stair lift safety is an extremely important topic, we’ve addressed three of the most common concerns we’ve heard over the past 40 years.
A. Will a stair lift leave me stranded in a power outage?
No, all modern stair chair lifts work off of rechargeable, heavy-duty (12-volt) batteries. Although the batteries will not last indefinitely, chair lifts are designed so that they still work for several trips up and down the stairs if there is a power outage. Please note that in the event of an extended power outage, the lift should be turned off when not in use to preserve the battery life.
B. Can my chair lift keep going past the end of the rail?
If you’ve seen the 1980s movie Gremlins, you may know where this myth originated. But it’s just that—a movie myth! In the movie, a person using a stair lift famously keeps going at the top of the stairs due to a science fiction-based phenomenon. While this isn’t exactly our idea of entertainment, it has left a lasting impression on many viewers of this film.
In reality, several safety measures are in place on any properly installed stair lift, making it impossible for the chair to travel past the end of the rail. With these safety measures in place, this myth can stay in the movies.
C. Are there any legitimate stair lift safety issues?
Yes, there are absolutely some instances where stair lift safety is a real issue. There are extremely rare situations where very cheap or poorly installed stair lifts have had a serious safety issue.
We encourage you to ask questions before deciding on a stair lift to ensure that the person installing it has professional training. If you’re choosing to purchase a used unit, make sure you know the chair’s history, including who uninstalled it and whether it went through a reconditioning process.
Properly installed stair lifts save lives. Millions of individuals have benefited from using a stair lift rather than struggling to walk up and down the stairs unsteadily due to physical limitations.
Myth #7: Stair Lifts Are All Pretty Much the Same
It is tempting to lump all stair lifts together. After all, how much can one stair lift vary from another in terms of quality, reliability, and safety? But there are big differences when comparing one stair lift model to another. One helpful way to understand this is to consider how much one automobile’s make and model varies from another. When purchasing a vehicle, you’ll likely consider safety, longevity, cost of ownership, and reliability. It’s important that you consider the same things when buying a stair lift. After all, the chair lift will physically transport you or a loved one regularly.
At Arrow Lift, we’ve done the research for you. Over the past 40 years, we have worked with nearly every major stair lift supplier, and we’ve learned which ones produce the safest, highest-quality stair lifts. Rest assured that if we put our company name on it, we stand behind it. That way, you can be sure you will continue to use and love your stair lift for many years to come.
Myth #8: Stair Lifts Move Slowly
There is one speed setting for all stair lifts: safe. The speed with which a stair lift goes up and down the stairs varies from one make and model to another and ranges from approximately 15 to 25 feet per minute. Considering that the average residential staircase is about 14 feet long, it usually takes just under one minute to go from one end to the other. Although this may seem like a long time to some, it’s helpful to consider how long it takes to safely walk up or down the stairs without a stair lift.
Often, using a stair lift is a time saver. Ultimately, while you may (or may not) spend an extra few seconds on the stairs, you’ll gain the safety and peace of mind that a stair lift provides.
Myth #9: Stair Lifts Take Up a Lot of Room or Block the Stairs
Modern stair lift models take up minimal space on the staircase. The majority of today’s stair lift rails sit approximately 6 to 9 inches away from the wall, allowing most of the staircase to remain available for those choosing to walk.
You may be thinking, “But what about the stair lift chair itself?” Great question! You can send the chair to the bottom landing using one of the remote controls provided with the stair lift. It can also be folded up when not in use. With the stair lift chair folded up at the bottom landing, a non-stair lift user can easily walk past it.
Once you’re on the first step of the staircase, you have almost the entire width of the staircase available to use. For these reasons, it is very rare for the presence of a stair lift to pose a real, practical problem for others to use the staircase as they did before the stair lift was installed.
Myth # 10: Installing a Stair Lift Will Ruin My Stairs and/or Walls
Almost certainly not! Stair lifts do not attach to the wall at all; they attach directly to the stair treads. If your stairs are carpeted, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to see the screw holes after the stair lift is removed. The carpet pile conceals the small screw holes that remain after the stair lift rail is removed.
If you have wooden stairs, the holes are still very small and there are a number of simple solutions to fill them in. You can use wood-colored putty from your local hardware store or even insert a golf tee into the screw hole using a small hammer. With a small amount of sanding and some touch-up with paint or stain, the minor holes will be completely filled in.
In most cases, these added steps are unnecessary since visitors cannot tell that a stair lift was ever installed there, any more than they can tell that a piece of furniture was placed on top of the carpet before removal.
Myth # 11: A Stair Lift Won’t Support My Weight
The weight limit will vary based on the brand and model. Most modern stair lifts are weight rated for at least 300 lbs, but we often install lifts rated for up to 400 lbs or more. You may even choose a chair with a higher weight limit based on your personal comfort after test-riding several different chairs in one of our local showrooms. We recommend working with a Stair Lift Expert who will help you determine which stair lifts will meet your needs.
Myth #12: Buying a Stair Lift Means You’re Losing Your Independence
In reality, stair lifts help preserve independent living. If safety on the stairs is a concern, you should seriously consider a stair lift or other home lift. Of the tens of thousands of stair lifts we have installed for our clients over the past 40 years, no one has said, “I should have waited longer before purchasing this stair lift.”
On the contrary, we often hear, “I should have done this a long time ago!” If issues with stairs are leading you to choose between staying in the home you love and moving to a senior living facility, a stair lift can help you maintain your independence at home.
Contact Us to Learn More!
We understand that purchasing a stair lift is an important decision, and we’re happy to answer your questions honestly. As a family-owned and operated business, Arrow Lift has been helping people stay in the homes they love since 1985, and we would be honored to do the same for you and your family.
Contact us today to learn more about stair lifts, and set up a free, no-obligation consultation with your local Stair Lift Expert.
