There are so many among us who find it difficult or well nigh impossible to navigate stairways on their own. Such people are practically imprisoned to a single floor. Moving to a single-floor dwelling is an option that, at best, is a last resort, and at worst is a non-option for those who can’t afford to. The wheelchair stair lift is truly a blessing for such people, because it helps them to navigate those formerly insurmountable stairs conveniently and safely. Best of all, it is easily affordable in most cases.

The wheelchair stair lift is the most affordable device to navigate between floors. It is installed with the existing stairway. It does not require a separate well, nor does it obstruct the normal stairway usage.

What does a wheelchair stair lift cost? The cost depends on whether the stairway is straight or curved. A wheelchair stair lift costs less than $5000 for a straight stairway, with a commonplace 12-foot floor-to-floor clearance. The curved stairways are more complex to cost because the type of wheelchair stair lift also comes into play. The contractor will have to do a physical inspection of the stairway before quoting the cost. A ballpark figure ranges from $5000 all the way to $25000.

All modern wheelchair stair lifts are driven by electric motors, which can be light-duty for individual use or heavy-duty for institutional use, and mains powered or battery powered. There are four types of drives that are commonly found on wheelchair stair lifts. The most popular one for individual use in a residential environment is the rack-and-pinion drive system.

The cable-hauled wheelchair stair lift is the quietest among all categories and requires the least maintenance. The long cable tends to have a little play in it which makes its starting and stopping a little less than smooth.

Wheelchair stair lifts meant for heavy-duty use in institutions like hospitals use a chain drive. They are generally too noisy for residential operation.

Another type of wheelchair stair lift uses a screw-drive system, and usually carries a rechargeable battery-pack. It is very good but not very popular for individual use.

The rack-and-pinion system is well-suited to light-duty residential usage and is widely used. The rack is mounted on the wall along the sides of the stairway, and the chair carriage has a pair of motor-driven gears which engage the rack on either side. These systems are very reliable, do not require maintenance, and have the least amount of complaints going against them.

A variation on the theme is the wheelchair stair lift that runs on tracks that are laid along the run of the stairs, on either side.

Mains powered wheelchair stair lifts are going out of fashion, the reliability and safety of rechargeable batteries making them more popular by the day. Wheelchair stair lifts require official clearance before they can be installed or put to use.

The user can choose between a wheelchair stair lift that allows the chair to be turned at right angle to the axis of the stairway, and one that allows the chair to be turned right around. Modern electronic technology ensures that these systems are able to “self-diagnose” themselves, and warn the user about potential problems. This eliminates big maintenance bills for the user.

Wheelchair stair lifts are doubtlessly a big boon for people like us who have a problem in navigating stairways by ourselves. The wheelchair stair lift is an example of a positive application of technology. Now we are no longer limited to moving about on a single floor. Nor is it necessary to move to a single-storied house just because of our disability to navigate stairways on our own.

There are a lot of additional ways to increase the mobility of anyone confined to a wheel chair. Go to www.WheelchairLiftsOnline.com to read information on wheel chair ramps, and also find out what features you should consider when looking for the best lift chair for your situation.