Is My Staircase Compatible with a Stairlift?

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As your mobility declines, stairs will likely be the first part of your house that you struggle with on a daily basis. Going up and down the stairs can seem simple, but when you struggle with joint pain, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, or other health issues that limit your mobility, your staircase can feel about as welcoming as Mount Everest. Thankfully, stairlifts can be added to almost any staircase to provide you with a safe, easy way to move between floors. However, there are a few factors that could make your staircase incompatible with a stairlift. Keep reading to find out what they are.

Is My Staircase Compatible with a Stairlift

No Outlet near the Staircase

One of the requirements for installing a stairlift is that you need to be able to plug it in. While your stairlift does use a battery to operate, you need to keep the device plugged in so that the battery can maintain a charge. This ensures that you’re not stranded on one floor of your home if the power goes out. If your staircase doesn’t have an outlet close by, fortunately, this can be fixed. While it will cost you a little bit more, you can contact an electrician about running additional wires and installing an outlet in the proper location for a stairlift.

Extremely Narrow Staircase

The vast majority of staircases in a home will easily be able to accommodate a stairlift. The few exceptions to these will likely be found in much older homes. For example, if you have a home with a very narrow, winding staircase, you might have a hard time finding a stairlift that will be able to carry you comfortably up and down it. You might find your knees bumping against the opposite railing, or other individuals in your home might have a hard time using the staircase with the stairlift taking up some of the limited space on the stairs.

Excessively Steep Stairs

Again, this is not a common problem, as there are building codes that keep stairs from becoming too steep. However, if you live in an older home or if the home simply wasn’t built to code, you may have a very steep staircase that would be difficult for a stairlift to ascend. The best way to determine if your staircase is suitable for a stairlift is to find stairlifts for sale near me and speak to an installer. They can come out and measure your stairs, including the width, curve, slope, and more, to tell you if your staircase is compatible with a stairlift.

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