When people think about getting a stairlift, they often have a list of questions ready to ask the expert installers, manufacturers and suppliers that can get this most essential of mobility aids into their homes.
Most of them are relatively standard, such as whether a slimline or full-sized seat could be used on a particular staircase, whether it is worth fitting a curved stairlift for a right-angled staircase with a few extra stairs, and how easy it is to get on and off of a stairlift.
All of these are important questions with quite complex individual answers. However, another important question is one that has a very obvious answer, one that a surprising number of people get wrong.
If there is an issue with the wiring in your home, a tripped-out switch box or even an outright power cut, what happens to your stairlift? Does it suddenly stop and potentially leave someone trapped on the stairs in a dark house with no real way to get out until the morning?
The answer is a resounding no, and stairlift companies have always understood the possibility of a power cut happening and the dangers of leaving someone potentially stranded.
Stairlifts are typically mains powered, but they also have a backup battery pack fitted into them that is constantly being charged whilst the stairlift is being turned on.
Because of this, if the power to your home stops for whatever reason, amidst the lights going out and other electronics turning off automatically, the stairlift will keep functioning until you reach the top or bottom of your stairs.
Exactly how many trips you can take on the backup power alone will depend on the particular make or model, but it is typically enough for a person to get to a safe place to wait for the power to return and the lift to charge again.
