Remodeling

3 Safety Features Every In-Home Wheelchair Lift Should Have

A residential wheelchair lift is a huge investment, and every homeowner wants to do it right the first time. Nobody wants to go back and add necessary safety features after the fact, so it’s important to know what you need right from the outset. This guide will help you get started – these are the most basic safety features to be expected, and if your wheelchair lift does not have them, you will want to start looking at alternative models as soon as possible.

1. Battery Backup

If the power goes out, your wheelchair lift should keep on working. There is nothing more important than keeping a backup power supply in full operation. If the main power setup fails, or if a storm strikes out your electricity, the backup power should provide enough juice to help you descend to the lowest level of your house so that you can exit. Make sure that the battery backup is well-maintained, because it would be a shame for it to be broken when you need it most.

2. Hands-Free Phone

What happens if the built-in safety mechanisms fail? What happens if you get stuck, if you fall down, or get hurt? This is where the hands-free phone will come in handy. Every lift should have a hands-free phone (the hands-free part is important in case you are unable to move them) so that you can call for help if an emergency arises. This applies to both enclosed and unenclosed lifts. These phone systems can be added as an aftermarket accessory.

3. Safe Automatic Door Opener

There are automatic door openers, and then there are safe door openers. The safer ones have sensors that can tell when something is obstructing the door from closing. This applies to both ramp-style doors and full-sized elevator doors. If the doors are elevator-style, you’ll want sensors running from top to bottom to detect anything that might get in the way.

If you already own a wheelchair lift that lacks any of these features, call the manufacturer as soon as possible to find out if the parts are available on an aftermarket basis. If not, you can call a residential elevator specialist to find out what you can do to bring your machine up to modern standards.

Residential wheelchair lifts are extremely safe, but these features are must-haves. Most of these features already come standard on today’s advanced lifts – however, you never know until you ask. There are many refurbished lifts out there designed to older industry standards and might not include some of the helpful technologies of modern lifts.

Choosing a lift doesn’t have to be difficult and the choice is always easier if you include safety in the equation.