Frequently Asked Stair Lift Questions

1. Q. What is a stairway lift?
A. It is a motorized lift that attaches to a staircase and carries a physically challenged or disabled person up and down the stairs. A moving chair is guided by a narrow track attached directly to the steps. The stairway lift requires no modifications to the structure of the home for installation.

2. Q. Can I install a stair lift myself?
Absolutely! In fact the stair lifts have been designed with self-installation in mind. There is no complex or potentially dangerous mains electricity wiring to contend with. The stair lift simply plugs into your wall outlet, just like any other domestic appliance and the stair lift is attached directly to the stair treads - not the wall, so there is no unsightly damage or alteration to the structure of your home.

3. Q. How much room is required to install a stairway lift?
A. The track on a stairway lift takes up less than 10” of your staircase. When folded up, the unit uses less than 14” space. If your staircase is less than 36” wide, it is recommended you sit the user in a chair that is up against a wall, and measure the distance from the wall to the users knees. Once this information is forwarded to the manufacturer, they can assist you with determining if you have enough room to use your lift properly.

4. Q. Is it safe?
A. Several features are designed into the stairway lift to assure the safety of both the user and others within the home. The footrest has safety sensors to stop the lift in either direction should it strike anything on the stairs. A swivel safety switch makes sure the seat is in the proper position before allowing the unit to run, and a seat belt is standard. The aircraft cable used for lifting has mechanical and electrical safeties to stop the lift if the cable is not properly tensioned along with a rating of 4,200 lbs. Limit switches shut the unit off in the same place at the top and bottom of the stairs automatically. The constant pressure controls are designed to stop the lift the second the controls are released. This is all part of making sure you and your family members will be safe.

5. Q. The stairway has a turn in it. Can I still install a Summit lift?
Probably. If the stairway has a sub-landing at the turn, it’s often possible to fit two straight stair lifts. Save yourself some money on the price of one curved-rail lift. Please contact us and we will go through all of the options available to you.

Curved Stair Lifts are very complicated due to the fact that the rail must be custom made. Consequently, they are very expensive when compared to straight stair lifts and may take up to 3 months to be built and delivered. Installation of two straight stair lifts will provide a substantial savings that could exceed $10,000 and be delivery quickly.

6. Q. How much weight is the stairway lift capable of carrying?
The Summit stairway lift is rated at 300 lbs capacity. This is designed for use by one person at a time.

7. Are there any hidden costs?
None whatsoever. The total price quoted covers all of the equipment, including the fitting kit and a video guide to installation. Express shipping is also included in the price.

8. Will I be charged tax on a Summit product?

No tax.

9. How long will delivery of a Summit product take?
We work closely with global carrier UPS, who will deliver your lift or dumbwaiter within 5 working days of your order.

10. What is the return policy?
Stair lifts are a custom made product. The track is cut to the length of your stairs and custom made based on which side of the staircase to mount the unit. As this is a custom made product, cut to your specifications, it is non returnable. Once the manufacturer has cut the track, your order becomes non-refundable. It is therefore essential that you follow the measurement guidelines, and double check before placing your order.