In small buildings and residences where elevators are not present, wheelchair lifts are installed for use by handicapped or disabled persons on wheelchairs. Wheelchair lifts make it easier for the handicapped to move through different floors of the building. Wheelchair lifts are available in various sizes, shapes and weights. When buying a wheelchair lift, it is important to decide what kind of lift should be chosen depending on the décor and space available in the building.

Different Kinds of Wheelchair Lifts

Wheelchair lifts are available in two models, hydraulic and electric powered lifts.

Hydraulic Wheelchair Lifts - These operate using fluids and are therefore smooth and silent. They have the ability to adjust to sudden changes in speed or surface levels. They are safe and quite reliable, and there is no need to worry about power outages. However, these are very expensive.

Electric Wheelchair Lifts – These operate on electricity and have emergency back up battery for use during power outages. These are cheaper than hydraulic wheelchair lifts.

Depending on what the wheelchair users need to access, wheelchair lifts are of two types i.e. wheelchair van lifts and wheelchair stair lifts both of which are hydraulic or electric powered. Wheelchair van lifts make it possible to step into vans without any difficulty whereas wheelchair stair lifts are used to move up and down on different floors of a building. The most common wheelchair lifts are vertical wheelchair lifts, portable wheelchair lifts and wheelchair platform lifts.

What to Note before Buying

When buying a wheelchair lift for long term purpose, it is crucial to buy from trusted and reliable brands or a company that will provide quality products and after sales services. One should take into consideration whether the lift is for indoor or outdoor use, the size and type of wheelchairs, kind of surfaces, home or office use etc. The wheelchair lifts should be purchased wisely, keeping in mind the comfort level and needs of the wheelchair users.