For homeowners who want to maintain their independence and move freely up and down the stairs of their Philadelphia homes, stairlifts are a practical and affordable solution. If you or a loved one are no longer comfortable with climbing up and down the stairs, a stairlift installation can make your home safe again. Stairlifts are designed with safety in mind, but like anything else, they can be dangerous when not used properly, or when the area around them is not properly maintained.
To make sure your stairlift does its job of keeping you or your loved one safe, here are some things you should bear in mind:
Buckle up.
Stairlifts come with built-in seat belts, much like the ones you’d see in a car. Although stairlifts don’t move at speeds anywhere near those of automobiles, the seat belt is one of a stairlift’s most essential safety features. The whole point of installing a stairlift is to eliminate the risk of falling down the stairs, so why risk an accident by not wearing a seat belt?
Fold the seat when not in use.
This tip is especially important if you have other people living with you. Leaving the seat down increases the chances of someone tripping on the stairlift while walking down the stairs, which can lead to falls and injuries.
Keep your stairway obstacle-free.
Even without a stairlift in the equation, stairs become more dangerous when toys or clothes are left on them, or when they are riddled with torn carpeting or loose boards. For people walking up and down the stairs, these hazards can increase the odds of a fall-related injury. These things can also impact stairlifts, and in some cases, can cause them to get stuck.
Read the owner’s manual.
This is a universal rule of buying practically any type of machine, and a stairlift is no exception. One of the many invaluable pieces of information you’ll gain by reading the owner’s manual is the stairlift’s weight limit. Knowing this will enable you to judge what you can safely carry with you when you go up and down the stairs. But no matter what the weight limit is, never try to carry another passenger onto the stairlift with you.
With proper care and maintenance, a stairlift can be your home’s greatest safety asset. When homeowners in Philadelphia get a stairlift installed by Mobility123, our trained professionals can answer any and all questions about using it safely and properly. For more information, contact us today!
