A stair lift is meant to be there for you when you or a loved one need it, but does that mean you should always leave it on? Many people wonder whether they should turn a stair lift off when not in use. Well, the answer to whether or not you need to turn your stair lift off depends on the situation.
Let’s take a look at how stair lifts are powered, when it makes sense to turn yours off or keep it on, and how to turn off a stair lift properly to ensure it will be ready for you when you turn it back on!
Stair Lift Batteries and How They Work
First, it is important to understand that all modern stairway chairlifts run off heavy-duty batteries about the size of a toaster. These heavy-duty batteries are beneficial to stair lift operation for several reasons:
- The stair lift motor, powered by DC batteries, makes for a smoother ride, especially with the “smooth start” and “smooth stop” features that high-quality stair lifts offer.
- If your home (or commercial building) loses power, the stair lift will still work, though for how long depends on the circumstances (see below for more information).
- Modern stairway lifts are safer to be around and for properly trained Stair Lift Technicians to handle due to the entire system (aside from the battery charger that plugs into the wall) running on 12 or 24 volts, as opposed to the more than 100 volts that come out of a wall outlet.
With a better understanding of how battery-powered stairway lifts work, you now have context for how to know when to turn off your stair lift when not in use.
Why to Keep Your Stair Lift On
As a general rule of thumb, you should leave your stair lift turned on, even when you are not using it.
Reasons to leave a stair lift turned on include:
- It’s usually unnecessary to turn it off.
- Stairway lifts use very little electricity due to the way they are designed.
- If someone else needs to use the lift, it won’t respond to the remote controls if turned off. The last thing you want to do is to strand someone on the wrong side of the stairs!
When to Turn Your Stair Lift Off
First, you should turn your stair lift off if your Stair Lift company instructs you to do so. Additionally, it may make sense to turn off your stair lift if the outlet for your stair lift’s battery charger has lost power. In such situations, here are four factors you should consider as you decide whether or not to turn off your stair lift:
1. How Long Is the Power Outage Expected to Last?
Often we don’t know how long the power will be out, but sometimes we have reason to believe that power will be restored within an hour or two. If this is the case, it may not be necessary to turn your stair lift off. On the other hand, if the storm of the century is occurring in your neck of the woods, and you suspect you may be a few days without power, you should turn off the stair lift when not in use.
2. How Old Are the Batteries?
Stair lift batteries usually need replacing every three to five years. If a trained Stair Lift Technician recently installed the lift or replaced the batteries, the batteries should be fresh. However, suppose your Stair Lift Technician recommended battery replacement at your last stair lift maintenance appointment, and you declined the recommendation. In that case, the batteries will not last as long during a power outage.
3. When Was the Last Time the Stair Lift Received Maintenance?
Stair lifts on a planned maintenance program generally experience fewer unexpected repairs, including battery replacement. Unfortunately, no system can accurately predict when the stair lift batteries will go dead. With that in mind, the best way to play it safe regarding stair lift batteries is to enroll in an annual maintenance program so that a trained Technician can check the batteries and the battery charging system at least yearly.
4. How Long Will You Be Gone?
The other common reason to turn off a stair lift is if you will be away for an extended time. If you are leaving on a weekend getaway or even a week-long getaway, there is no need to turn off your stair lift unless you have been advised to do so by your local Stair Lift company or if you have reason to expect a power outage, like an impending hurricane. However, if you are leaving for a month or longer, turning the stair lift off is generally a good idea.
How to Turn Off Your Stair Lift
To turn off your stair lift properly, flip the “on/off” switch on the carriage (the part of the stair lift underneath its chair) and leave the battery charger plugged into the wall.
Caution: If you simply unplug the battery charger without turning off the chair, the battery is still providing the stair lift with power. This will likely result in dead batteries when you return home.
Turn to the Stair Lift Experts
As with many things related to stairway chairlifts and other accessibility lifts, if you’re not sure, ask the professionals! Our Service Department is standing by to help our valued Clients, whether you need regular maintenance, a stair lift repair, or advice on turning off your stair lift during a power outage or while you’re on vacation.
And of course, if you are thinking of purchasing a stairway chairlift, our friendly, no-pressure Stair Lift Experts would be glad to give you a free, no-obligation quote or to meet you in one of our local Stair Lift showrooms so that you can “try before you buy!”
