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Stair Chair Lift - A Word Of Warning
from:There is a growing trend for customers to buy a home stair lift
and to install it themselves. This trend is encouraged by many
dealers who sell residential stair lifts - especially via the
internet - as they imply that installation is child's play, will
save the customer money and is what most customers want anyway.
However many organizations are concerned about self-installation
of stair chair lifts.
The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) has warned that
many disabled people are putting their lives at risk by DIY
installation of home stair lifts. BHTA director general Ray
Hodgkinson thinks DIY stairlifts are "an accident waiting to
happen".
Many disabled people are on low incomes and believe that they
will save money by installing a stair chair lift by themselves.
But they are warned that they might be saving money in the short
term but they will pay in the long term. It simply isn't worth
taking the risk.
David Jenkins, a product safety advisor for the Royal Society
for the Prevention of Accidents backs this advice. He says: "The
implications of getting it wrong would not only be
financial."There could be serious injury or even death."
In the US this concern has been expressed by the AMEA
(Accessibility Equipment Manufacturer's Association). The AMEA
states that no individual can know whether they have properly
installed a home stair lift unless they have received expert
training. The average consumer will also be unaware of
conformance requirements with both local and national codes; in
many localities, the codes referenced are the ASME A17.1, the
A18.1, and the NFPA70 (National Electrical Code). Finally, the
AMEA, points out that the customer could be breaking the law. If
the stair chair lift requires any wiring to the mains supply,
many states prohibit this unless it is carried out by a
qualified technician.
Stair lifts may look simple but they are complex machines using
the latest technology; only someone with the required training
can confidently install one.
Another reason why many dealers prefer customers to self install
a home stair lift is because there is no come back if things go
wrong. The dealer can always throw up his hands and put the
blame solely on incorrect installation. Many customers are
negating many warranties when they install a stair lift by
themselves.
The elderly and the disabled are often seen as easy victims -
especially by internet traders. A good tip is to only deal with
suppliers who insist that they carry out the installation. This,
not only shows that the supplier cares about his customers'
safety, it will also protect the customer in the long term
should anything go wrong with the stair lift.
Buying a home stair lift is expensive. But a stair lift can
usually be fitted in a matter of a few hours by an experienced
installer; therefore the cost of installation, compared to the
overall cost, is quite small. The advice from any reputable
manufacturer is to never self install; the risk far outweighs
the financial savings.
About the author: Robin OBrien
Following the links for stair chair lifts and handicap stair lift as well as wheelchair stair lift.
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