Who Needs a Porch Lift

People who use a personal mobility device, like a wheelchair or electric scooter, likely have difficulty walking without assistance. This means it might be painful, difficult, or even impossible to walk up and down the stairs. For these people a porch lift is a great way to create a sort of bridge between the inside and outside of the home.

Porch lifts are elevators that can be quickly and easily installed along the side of a stair case. They raise one or more people vertically up and down. When the platform is fully raised it will be level with the stairs landing and so the electric scooter or wheelchair can easily transition between the porch lift and the stairs.

Porch lifts are also called vertical platform lifts and some come pre-assembled and can just be positioned next to the stairs. A reinforced base is important and it should be made out of wood or concrete. It is possible to install some lifts by burying a few 2” by 4’ boards in the ground and securing the lift to the 2” by 4’ boards. This method will not work with every unit and should really only be used temporarily.

Most porch lifts can support at least 500 pounds, which means that most people will be able to use it with more than one person at a time. They are weather resistant as well and so will be able to be placed outdoors without worrying about rain or snow.