Stair life maintenance is important if you have one in your home. Limited mobility can become a real thing for people as they age, or if they have physical disabilities. But, with stair lifts comes maintenance.
To extend a stair lift’s life and ensure the mobility aid stays functional, ensure you follow these tips.
Tips for Maintaining Stair Lifts
If you are wondering how to maintain a stair lift, continue reading to find out various things you can do. Frequent inspections should be done every year. However, basic cleaning should be done on a weekly basis.
Wipe Lift Track
One of the first things you should do to your stair lift is cleaning the lift track. You can do this by powering off the device and checking the track for any accumulation of dirt.
If you do notice dirt along the track, you can use a damp cloth or a duster to clean the track. You can do this on a weekly basis.
Oil the Track
Every several months, you should lubricate the track to help keep issues at bay. This can also help the lift move with ease.
If you notice that the track begins to make noises while in use, it could mean that it needs a little grease. This can also prevent damage to the wheels.
Inspect All the Parts
Additionally, all parts of the stair lift should be inspected. These parts include the locking mechanism, arms and footrest, cables, and a swivel seat.
If any of these parts are loose, they may begin to jiggle. Also, make sure you check that no screws are loose. If they are, you should tighten them.
Check the Wheels
If you hear squealing noises coming from your wheels, this could be due to the fact they are not rotating correctly. It could also mean they are damaged. Be sure to check the wheels on a monthly basis for indicators of damage.
Sign the Stair Lift Needs Repairing
Furthermore, if your stair lift needs to be repaired, there are additional signs you should pay attention to include:
- The ride is bumpy or rough
- Stair lift hesitates to start or moves slowly
- Weird sounds
- Beeping noises, which means that the battery is low or another error has occurred
- Additional error codes that show up on the display
If you notice any of these signs, don’t attempt to fix the issue on your own. Instead, call a technician to come out and take a look to see what repairs, if any, are needed. Sometimes these indicators may only signal a minor repair is needed. But, technicians are trained to diagnose problems you may not have even known existed.
If at any time your stair lift stops working, you can try turning the power off and then on. Don’t forget to check the key switch and check for anything along the stairs that may be causing the lift to malfunction. Also, ensure your seat is properly fastened into place.
Contact Penn York Medical, a premier company for stair lift installation and sales, if you need more stair lift maintenance tips.