Home elevators

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If it happens to be the case that you are mobility challenged, you experience major difficulties ascending the stairs of your home. For many persons, a similar situation will probably lead to the eventual installation of a stair lift. However, in case you are cursed with a curved or narrow stairway, have obesity problems or are simply not able to leave your wheelchair, a stair lift might just not be a viable option. In this case, you might be better served by the installation of a residential elevator. Having an elevator at home may sound rather flamboyant, but as a growing group of satisfied owners can testify, it may be a bare necessity to the elderly or disabled. So, if your home is fitted with a narrow or curved stairway, consider making a comparison of the pros and cons of a residential elevator with those of a stair lift.

A great advantage of a residential lift, is that having one will likely signficantly increase the selling value of your home. A properly serviced lift will retain its value almost indefinately. In fact, home elevators are one of the most popular amenities installed to raise the value of newly built property. Thanks to modern technology and thanks to recent price drops, a residential lift has now become an affordable solution to persons wanting to improve the quality of daily life. The old advice of 'just' moving to a bungalow once the stairs become a hurdle, simply is no longer valid. Those still giving out this advice often underestimate the mental effects associated with having to move one's home.

If you are planning to purchase a home elevator, the most appropriate time to have one mounted, is during the building of the home. However, during this phase, most home owners don't take into account the fact that they may one day be in dire need of assisted vertical transportation. Because lifts require a foundation, a shaft, an engine and multiple (mostly two) entry points, not all buildings can support an elevator without modifications. It may therefore well be, that major modifications are required before one is able to have a residential elevator installed. Some of these modifications might have major aesthetic and/or financial consequences. If you want to be brought up to speed on your home's suitability, it would be wise to consult a local retailer before purchasing the elevator. They will send a skilled technician to survey your house for any potential issues. The report issued to you after the inspection may include a price quote for having the modifications done by the installation firm themselves. In order to get a non-subjective view of your house, be sure to have it inspected by several firms.

If your home is suitable for lift installation, it is time to start bothering about the more subtle details of the elevator in question. The most important factors that determine the price of your home elevator are travel height, number of stops and the elevator's carriage capacity (weight). Usually, the lower these metrics, the less costly your elevator will be. An additional factor that will greatly influence your choice of elevator, is the kind of drive. There are several types of drives, including the cable hydraulic drive, chain hydraulic drive and the vacuum lift. Each drive has its own (dis-)advantages in speed, noise, durability, capacity and cost. Make sure you are well-informed by your local installer, inorder to be able to make a well-educated decision. Finally, you probably want to make sure the interior of the lift carriage has all the features you need. Things you could consider are an emergency button, a telephone jack and gate type. An accordeon-type gate is generally recommended, since a scissor-type gate might close on your fingers when closed incorrectly.

Information about the Author: If you want to learn more about the home elevator, make sure to visit our website, which has guides and tips on home elevators Technology Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com

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