A stair lift is a mechanical lift with a chair which transports people (and sometimes pets or laundry) up and down the stairs. They are credited for saving thousands of older Americans from suffering a fall down the stairs each year. A stair lift may also be known as a stair glider, stairlift, chair lift, stair chair, or even a lift chair.

An Overview of Stair Lifts

Stair lifts have been sold throughout the USA since the 1930s. The carriage, where the stair lift sits, is driven by a rack and pinion system. The comfortable chair has arm rests, a seat belt, a swivel-seat, and a foot rest for safety and comfort. An ASC® technician will measure the dimensions of your stairs so the rail is custom-fit to your unique staircase and doesn’t take up too much space.

It is also important to understand there are two main types of stair lifts. Most homes are equipped with a straight stair lift. Some homes, especially those with a turn landing, are equipped with a curved stair lift. Both the straight stair lift and the curved stair lift will be installed by a fully certified, professional (and licensed where applicable) stair lift technician.

When you request your free consultation with an ASC technician, they will come to your home to take precise measurements of your stairs as well as answer all your questions. This is especially important when working with curved stair lifts, as this helps create the smooth ride that many standard curved stair lifts fail to offer. The measurements will be placed into our proprietary computer software program to produce an animated model showing how the ASC will look on your stairs!