Many people with mobility issues enjoy the freedom stairlifts provide, but it wasn’t an easy decision to make to have one of these mechanical devices installed in their home. In addition to worrying about the costs and service life of the lift, they were wondering if the stairlift would take up a considerable amount of electricity.
Every stairlift owner was pleased to find out that stairlifts do not consume a lot of energy and actually use much less power than common household appliances. Let’s look at the specifics of how stairlifts are powered and how this enables them to be used even during power outages.
How Stairlifts Are Powered
While stairlifts are plugged into an outlet in your home, they are not constantly drawing power from this plug. Instead, they are running on battery power. And when these two rechargeable batteries get low, a little bit of utility-supplied power is drawn through the plug of the chair to charge the batteries. The best part is you never have to remember to plug the chair in for charging because it’s always connected to the outlet.
The amount of electricity the stairlift ends up using will depend on the model and how often it is used. On average, a stairlift uses 0.024 kWh of electricity (which is 24 watts per hour and equates to around $15 per year). A washing machine uses three times that amount! This means you will not see a significant change in your monthly electricity bills when you have a stairlift installed.
Do Stairlifts Work When There’s a Power Outage?
Oh, no! The power went out. Are you going to be stuck in the middle of the stairs or on the top floor until the power is restored and your stairlift can move once again? Nope! Your stairlift is battery powered, which means you can use it even when the power goes out.
Here are some ways to preserve the battery life of the lift in case there’s a power outage:
- When the power is on, never unplug the stairlift from the outlet to ensure the batteries will be sufficiently charged.
- When the power goes out, turn the stairlift off when it’s not being used to save the battery charge.
How Long Do Stairlift Batteries Last?
Since the batteries are such an essential component of the chair lift, you may be wondering how long the batteries will last. Will you have to replace them a lot, and is it expensive to do so?
A stairlift battery can last anywhere from one to five years, depending on the frequency of usage, the brand of the stairlift, the weight of the user, and the incline of the stairs. Replacement batteries can cost as low as $15 and as high as $40.
Stairlifts Provide Freedom, Not High Energy Bills
A stairlift can transform your life, giving you more freedom and independence. If you’re interested in learning more about stairlifts in Philadelphia, you can reach out to 101 Mobility of Greater Philadelphia. We take pride in our expert installations of the best stairlift brands, including the Bruno Elite Stair Lift. Contact us today and schedule a consultation!