Wheelchair Lifts in the Home and Business

If you are someone that uses a wheelchair or a mobility scooter, you might not be able to easily access all areas of your home. Usually areas that have stairs are hard to overcome for those that use personal mobility vehicles. Often the front porch is the set of stairs that provides the biggest problem, which is why many people choose to install vertical platform lifts.

A vertical platform lift is a special lifting aid that is in many ways very similar to an elevator. However, unlike an elevator, if you plan on installing a vertical platform lift, there is generally no need to build a special shaft or modify the actual building. The lift is completely self-contained and only needs a sturdy wooden or concrete base.
Most of these lifts, which are often called wheelchair lifts, is capable of supporting around 750 pounds. The heaviest scooter you are likely to encounter weighs less than 250 pounds, so often several people are able to use the wheelchair lift at once. A few portable models are available, which are designed to be quickly moved or set up. These portable models tend to have a lower weight rating.

Individuals who own businesses commonly install vertical platform lifts as well. A commercial wheelchair lift will need to have a few extra features that are often not needed on residential lifts. Most importantly is a keyed entry, which will ensure that the lift is only used in a safe and proper manner. Businesses that want to install a lift should consult their local building codes, because often it falls into the elevator category, but this is not needed for a residential installation. Vertical platform lifts provide a quick and inexpensive way to make a business ADA accessible.

Using a wheelchair lift is an excellent way to improve independence and allow a person to access all areas, without being hindered by the stairs.

Putting Up a Porch Lift

Using a mobility scooter or wheelchair is a very common way to improve a person's ability to get around. While these devices can typically take you over most types of terrain, they are not able to traverse the stairs, so it is usually necessary to install a porch lift.

Porch lifts, or vertical platform lifts, are a type of elevator that is used to allow people in wheelchairs or scooters to access areas of differing elevation. Unlike an elevator like you would find in an office building, porch lifts are completely self-contained. They do not require you to build a shaft and typically do not require any major modification to your home. They do however require a sturdy base that is made of wood or concrete, and depending on the height, it may be necessary to bolt the unit to the wall.

These lifts serve a very great service to many people all over the country. They are often used in commercial settings as well, because they provide a very cost effective alternative to an elevator, while still adhering to ADA regulations. They are easy to use and install and for commercial settings there are many features, like locks and manual override, which will ensure that the device is used properly and will never leave you without a means of entering and exiting the building.

Those that install and use a porch lift are able to easily and safely access their home, which helps to improve freedom and make certain that they can live independently.

Conquering the Stairs in a Vertical Platform Lift

People who rely on wheelchairs or mobility scooters to get around are often faced with many obstacles when away from the home. Perhaps the largest obstacle is the stairs. If you area a business owner, then you are required by the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 to make certain that your building is accessible to those who are mobility challenged.

There are many ways to make certain that your business is accessible to people. If you have a set of steps leading to your business then you are obliged to provide wheelchair access to your building. While most buildings today are designed to be accessible, many built before the 90's are not as mobility friendly.

To help make your building more accessible, a vertical platform lift is often the best, easiest, and least expensive way to allow full access. A vertical platform lift, or wheelchair lift, is basically a self contained elevator that is designed to lift a person in a wheelchair or scooter across areas of different elevation. Unlike a traditional elevator though, the cost of purchasing and installing a vertical platform lift is much lower and does not require extensive construction.

If you intend to install a commercial vertical platform lift setting it is important to consult your local building codes, because in many states they fall into the elevator category. It is also imperative that you buy a unit with keyed access so you can lock it when not in use. There are several other safety features, such as upgraded door systems, that you should also make certain that you lift has.

Installing a vertical platform lift is often the easiest and least expensive way to ensure that your business is ADA compliant. Most often they can be installed much quicker and with less construction than a ramp system would be and they are always less expensive than a full sized elevator would be.

Going Up in a Wheelchair Lift

Climbing the stairs is not something that can be done in an easy manner for people who use a wheelchair or mobility scooter. If they are able to climb the stairs, it usually means leaving their mobility device behind, which is why many people install a porch lift.

A porch lift is another way of referring to a vertical platform lift, which is a cost effective alternative to a personal elevator. The reason they are usually called porch lifts is because they are most often found on the front porch of a home.

Since a vertical platform lift is basically a self contained elevator, there are no expensive construction costs and usually they can be assembled and installed in a few hours. They feature a platform that is large enough for a mobility vehicle, such as an electric wheelchair, and often another person. The platform raises and lowers vertically at the push of a button and safely carries a person and their personal mobility vehicle.

Most vertical platform lifts support around five-hundred pounds and are able to withstand even the harshest weather conditions. Most often a vertical platform lift is securely bolted onto a base of wood or concrete, but some portable models are available. The portable models do not have as high of a weight capacity or lifting height as other models do, but they can be quickly and easily set up or taken down. They are very popular in churches and schools.

It can be hard to get around if you use an electric wheelchair or a mobility scooter, but there is no reason that you should not have complete access to all areas of your home. If you need a quick and inexpensive alternative to an elevator than a vertical platform lift is a great choice.

Who Uses Vertical Platform Lifts

People who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters usually have a hard time using the stairs. It is usually hard if not impossible for people who use mobility scooters to climb the stairs and they won’t be able to take their scooter with them. Those that are in wheelchairs might not be able to use the stairs at all and like those on scooters, even if they can climb the stairs, their wheelchair will not be able to come with them.

Many people choose to install vertical platform lifts in order to help make it possible to use their mobility vehicle inside their home and out. A vertical platform lift features a platform that a wheelchair or mobility scooter can be driven onto. The platform then lowers and raises the distance of the stairs to allow full access to two areas of different elevation.
Most vertical platform lifts are capable of supporting at least 500 pounds. This means in most cases, two people will be able to ride the vertical platform lift at once. This is great for caretakers and for family members who might also be mobility challenged.

When the platform lift only spans a distance of around 4 feet, it is usually only necessary to secure the base of the lift. You will need a solid wooden or concrete base, but in some situations a temporary base system can be created using only a few planks of wood. If the lift is spanning distances greater than 4 feet, it usually is necessary for the lift to be secured to the side of the stairs as well.

Not being able to use the stairs in your own home can be very difficult, but it isn’t a situation that you must learn to live with. A vertical platform lift can make your home completely accessible no matter what type of mobility scooter or wheelchair you use.