How to Operate Your Stair Lift

You had a stair lift installed in your home because you wanted convenient, easy access to the upper and lower levels of your home. However, once the installation was complete, you might have found that operating it isn’t as easy as you thought it would be. But there’s no need to worry. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you operate your new stair lift safely and efficiently.

Print this guide out or view it on a tablet or cell phone the first few times you use your new stair lift. We promise that soon, using your stair lift will be second nature!

Operating Your Stair Lift

1. Make sure the stair lift is ready for use. This means that the chair should be swiveled away from the stairs, both armrests should be up and out of the way, and the footrest flipped up.
   
2. Seat yourself in the stair lift. This is mostly like sitting down in a normal chair; however, the chair will be a bit higher than most chairs because of the machinery used to move you up and down the stairs. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
   
3. Fasten your stair lift’s seatbelt securely. This will keep you safe if you lose your balance or the stair lift encounters an obstacle.
   
4. Prepare the stair lift for transport. Swivel the chair so that faces across the stairway and is locked into place. Flip the footrest down and put your feet on it. Flip the armrests down, too.
   
5. Activate the stair lift. Usually there will be a rocker switch on one of the armrests. If the switch is flipped one way, the stair lift moves in one direction; if it’s flipped the other way, it moves in the opposite direction.
   
6. Wait to reach the top of the stairs. Most stair lifts have an emergency cutoff switch, so if your stair lift runs into any obstacles, it will stop and return you to the other end of the stairs.
   
7. Prepare to dismount from the stair lift: swivel the stair lift away from the stairs, unfasten your seatbelt, and flip both armrests and the footrest up.
   
8. Dismount from the stair lift and move on with your day!

Have More Questions?

If you ever have trouble operating your stair lift, don’t be afraid to ask the experts at Complete Access for help. We’ve installed dozens of stair lifts in homes across the Bay Area, including San Francisco, CA; Berkeley, CA; Oakland, CA; and Alameda, CA. Our team can walk you through operation and standard troubleshooting.

Give us a call today if you need our help. We’re here to make sure you have complete access to your home!