Category "Home Elevators"

Having a safe elevator installed in your home is of upmost importance, and is critical in jurisdictions such as Alberta where these devices are not inspected. The following is a list of items we feel are imperative to ensure your safety, and give you peace of mind.

Does your home elevator meet code?

This should be a no-brainer, but believe or not there are manufacturers out there that either “fudge” the code or completely ignore it. ASME A17.1 CSA B44 is the safety code governing elevators and escalators, which North American manufactures are required to adhere to. Home elevators are required to have either a safety gate or sliding door inside the car. This is designed to prevent a shearing hazard as the elevator travels.

There is some debate as to whether a light screen or light curtain is acceptable, but in my recent conversations with a code committee member, there was no question in his mind whatsoever. The answer was clear – a physical barrier was necessary and this “invisible light screen” was not code compliant. For this reason, we provide a door or gate with every home elevator. By doing this, there is no gray area and you can rest assured that your elevator offering is 100% compliant.

Elevator gates and doors

Does your elevator have battery lowering?

We highly recommend that your home elevator comes equipped with battery lowering in the event of a power failure. For this reason, all of our residential elevators have this feature included in our standard offering. It’s unlikely to experience a power outage while travelling in your device but if you’re alone in the home and the power goes out, you will be grateful you have the ability to exit the elevator safely. In addition to battery lowering, we also have a manual lowering device that is housed in a small monitored hatch above the upper door. This, of course, is only of use if someone outside of the elevator is available to assist you.

Does your elevator come with a phone?

If you purchase an elevator from Uppercut, it will come with a phone integrated into the car operating panel. All we require is a phone line ran to the controller and you will have the ability to dial any number from the elevator car.

Quality elevators

Is someone local available to answer the phone?

Having a phone in your elevator is great, but this doesn’t do you much good if there is no one at the other end to answer it. I’m always amazed that there are companies that will sell you an elevator but either choose not to answer the phone after hours or simply don’t have local staff to assist you in your hour of need. At Uppercut, we have local staff in Calgary and Edmonton and are always available should you need us. We encourage clients to do their homework, read reviews, and see who answers their phone after hours or on the weekend.

Elevator and lift service

As you can see, having a code-compliant device with the necessary features is critical for a safe elevator installation. Equally important is choosing a company that actually answers their phone and has the resources to provide after-hours service.

Stairlifts serve as an essential piece of equipment at home for those with limited mobility. It allows for easy and safe movement around a multi-level home and helps with independent living. 

Stairway lifts come in various configurations to meet the user’s needs and are intended to fit the stairway’s layout. Residential stairlifts are a cost-effective way to improve your home’s accessibility and are mandated to operate under “constant pressure”.

Types of home lift elevators explained

This article focuses on three types of stairlifts – straight, curved, and outdoor lifts. 

Straight stairlift

The most common and economical type of lift is a straight stairlift, which can be directly installed along either side of a straight staircase. One of the benefits of this type of lift is that it is generally quick and easy to install with a standardized rail that can be customized to fit any staircase. We typically have these lifts in stock and can install them within 3 days.

Users have the option of choosing manual and power upgrades for added safety and convenience. Most models can come with an optional retractable rail and power seat swivel.  To save space, the seat, footrests and armrests can be folded when not in use. 

Curved stairlift

A curved stairlift should be customized to fit specific requirements for staircases with curves, turns, immediate landings, or unique and complex designs. If your stair chair isn’t custom-built for your specific set of stairs, it may not provide the tightest possible fit.  Much like a standard straight stairlift, this option comes with easy-to-use and intuitive controls and is equipped with a foldable seat, footrest, and armrests. 

Outdoor stairlifts

Outdoor stairlifts come in both straight or curved configurations. The features of an outdoor lift that differentiates them from indoor lifts are that they are designed to handle changing weather conditions and extreme temperatures, including sleet and snow and high winds. They’re also equipped with a lock-and-key for added security and a cover to keep the equipment protected.

Consumers typically use outdoor lifts for transportation to and from a deck, a porch, a driveway, or a detached garage. Like indoor lifts, outdoor stairlifts come with a foldable seat, as well as a seat belt.

There are a multitude of stairlifts available in the marketplace today, so how do you know you are getting the best “bang for your buck”? I believe when purchasing a stairlift you must consider two factors.

1. The stairway lift product itself
2. The elevator and lift company supplying and supporting the stair chair sale

Stairlift Manufacturers

Deciding on the product itself is probably the most difficult, simply due to the vast number of stairlift suppliers selling into the Calgary marketplace. I have personally installed and sold 5 different stairlifts over the years including:

1. Acorn Stairlifts
2. Stannah stair chairs
3. TK Access stairlifts
4. Pinnacle stairlifts
5. Bruno Stairlift

The one consistent over these years, however, is that I have always come back to Bruno Stairlifts. My professional belief is that Bruno produces the highest quality lift and backs it up with an industry-leading warranty. With Bruno stairlifts, we have, minimal warranty issues, a great looking product, and can offer this stairway lift at an exceptional price. I encourage clients to go online and read customer reviews and do their homework.

Stairlift installation and service companies

Once you have decided on the actual stairlift product the next big choice is who will install and service the device. This is where a free home assessment is valuable. Once you get face to face with your potential stair chair supplier ask them:

1. What if I need after-hours service on my stairlift?
2. If I need service, do I have to call a 1-800 number?
3. Do you have experienced stairlift installers who live here?
4. What labour warranty is offered on my stair chair?
5. How many staff do you have devoted to lifts?
6. Do you deal exclusively with elevators + lifts, or are your recourses diverted elsewhere?

I believe the purchase of a stairlift is not a “one-off” transaction where you never hear from the seller again. Inevitably you will require preventative maintenance, or perhaps a service call, so you want to ensure that your stairlift provider is there for you. By doing your homework, reading reviews, and dealing with a local stairlift supplier you can ensure you will make the right choice when selecting a stairlift.

As the name suggests, home medical companies specialize in the sales and service of home medical equipment. Lately, however, there has been a trend for some of these companies to expand into the elevator and lift the world. As someone who has focused on the sales service and maintenance of elevators and lifts for the last 22 years, I find this trend disturbing.

I’m sure you’re thinking this is just an attempt to preserve market share or speak unfavourably about a competitor, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m writing this because quite frankly I feel horrible for the people who depend on this equipment and in my opinion have been let down.

Below are several reasons as to why you should purchase your stairlift or porch lift from an elevator and lift company, not a home medical establishment.

1. Focus

If you ask any HME (Home Medical Equipment) supplier where their focus lies, I’m sure there will tell you items such as wheelchairs, incontinent/ostomy supplies and mobility devices make up the bulk of their business. The phrase “jack of all trades and master of none” comes to mind. Our focus is exclusively on elevators and lifts – its all we do. 

2. Experience

We currently have staff members who have close to 30 years of experience with the installation and service of stair and porch lifts. Our sales team has a combined experience of close to 60 years in this industry. I challenge any home medical company to come even close to this. We will make sure that you get the best product to meet your needs and that it is installed by a qualified technician.

3. Service

How can you offer exceptional service when your hours of operation are 8:30 – 5:00 Monday to Friday. We offer after-hours service should your device experience and issue outside of regular business hours. We will also send a qualified technician to do the repair.

4. Price

We have a defined focus, so we buy in bulk, install efficiently, and have limited callbacks. For these reasons, we will not be undersold. We will match any comparative product price and still include the aforenoted superior service.

In closing, I would like to say that I don’t believe home medical companies are awful entities preying upon people. Most do an exceptional job for their clients. All I’m saying is that an elevator or lift is not a wheelchair or a scooter. I’m trying to convey that this is a specialized industry that demands focus and expertise. After all, you wouldn’t buy your next car from a bike store, would you?