Vertical Platform Lifts - What To Consider When Buying One

There are many different varieties of vertical platform lifts and home elevators that can make your home more accessible for those who may have disabilities or be physically impaired. For someone who is in a wheelchair or has mobility issues, safety is definitely a priority. Buying a vertical platform lift for your home is the most convenient way of making your home safe for your loved ones who are wheelchair bound.

If you have lived in your home and are now faced with the challenges that a wheelchair brings, you may be looking into all the different products that are available to help. Although the traditional ramp is certainly a good investment and not something that is new, it is still one option for getting around the tricky stair situation, but a vertical platform lift is a very cheap and reliable alternative as well.

Building a wheel chair or scooter ramp in your home is both costly and time consuming. Not to mention the fact that you must have the space available to have the ramp installed. If you are now faced with accessibility issues and need access to your home quickly and don’t have the time to wait for a ramp to be built, the platform lift can be installed onto your existing structure in as little as 30 minutes.

Residential elevators are another alternative, but can be costly to the consumer and tend to take up a lot more space than what is available. However, the lower profile of the vertical platform lift allows for many more options installation wise and over the years has become a popular yet low cost alternative to the typical residential elevators.

Most vertical platform lifts can be used inside and outside the home, which aids in making all parts of the home to be easily accessible. Lifts that are made specifically for outside your home are made of sturdier materials that can withstand different climates and seasons, such as rain or snow and high temperatures, thus allowing you the peace of mind that your platform lift will be around for many years to come.

The lifts are built specifically for elevating people from one level to the next. The range specifications for that these lifts can cover go from as low as 28 inches all the way up to 12 feet high, allowing you to use them to reach the next level in your home. It is so easy. All you have to do is put it together, decide on the location of the lift, and plug it in to most any standard outlet. It doesn't get any simpler than that does it?

This next point bears mentioning. No matter if you are using the lift indoors or outdoors, there is one often overlooked item that you will need to address.

If you are using a vertical platform lift to access a second floor in your home, you will need to make sure there is some type of barrier or door on the second level to ensure no one will fall when the lift is at the lower level. Alternatively, there should be a door or barrier at the bottom to ensure no one can enter the shaft from below when the lift is in the up position. There is simply no price for safety.

At the end of the day, the decision to purchase a vertical platform lift versus a residential style elevator will come down to 3 determining factors. Pricing, space available and the ability to fulfill the requirements of your loved one. While one and two are important, number 3 is the deciding factor for many customers. Being able to provide freedom of movement within ones home is simply priceless.

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