Stairlifts 101: Your Guide to Using Your Home Stairlift 

If you’re thinking of investing in a new stairlift for your home, then you may be wondering how the process of actually using one works. Many people think it’s as simple as sitting down and pressing a button, but there is some more that goes into it than that. 

This blog will act as your stairlift user guide, discussing the basic process of using your stairlift from start to finish – or one end of the stairs to the other, if you like! 

To avoid confusion, please note that we’ll be discussing straight stairlifts in particular throughout this blog. 

Preparation 

Before you even sit on the chair of your stairlift, you must ensure that it’s in the correct position. Firstly, you’ll want to position the chair lift so that it’s facing away from the stairs. You’ll then want to fold the seat down (as most are normally folded up when not in use) but leave the arm rests and foot rest folded up. 

This allows you to sit down with no obstructions, then swivel the chair back so that it faces across your stairway once more and locks into place. Once you have swivelled the stairlift back into the right position, you can go ahead and flip the armrests and footrest back down, offering you support and comfort ready for movement. 

Safety 

Most stairlifts come with a safety belt and you’ll find that yours likely does, also. It may seem like you don’t need to wear this as it’s only a short journey up or down the stairs and you’ll be sat the entire time; regardless, it’s important that you do. 

The safety belt helps to keep you safe and secure in case you lose your balance or there is an obstacle on your stairs. You should fasten the safety belt after you sit in the chair and before you swivel it into the correct position. 

If there is an obstacle on the stairs, then your stairlift should be able to detect this, as most modern lifts have an emergency cutoff switch, meaning upon detecting an obstacle it will stop and return to the end of the stairs that you came from. 

Operation 

Once you’re in position and ready to operate the stairlift, then you simply need to turn the remote control toggle or the physical toggle on the stairlift (typically located at the end of the armrest) in the direction you want to travel in. The stairlift will then move and will automatically stop when it reaches the other end of the track. 

Local Stairlifts in Evesham 

So, now that you know what to expect from safely operating your stairlift, invest in yours today. Here at Alfix, we offer both new and reconditioned stairlifts in Evesham, as well as our range of other locations. 

Get in touch with us today to discuss your requirements and find the ideal solution to meet your needs.