AC Stair Lifts vs Battery Powered Stair Lifts

In and around the home, there are a number of areas that can be difficult to use and also quite dangerous for someone with limited mobility. However, of all areas in the home, the staircase is the most dangerous, especially among the elderly, with the majority of all senior hospital stays the result of a fall on the stairs. There are a number of ways to help make the stairs safer, from simply avoiding the stairs all together, to improving their physical condition, but for seniors the stair lift usually offers the best way to increase staircase safety.

What is a Stair Lift?

Stair lifts are important tools that have been around for about 90 years, but they did not become affordable and common place until the 1990s. Stair lifts are designed to carry a person up and down the stairs, usually providing a chair for the user to sit in as they move along the staircase. There are a number of different stair lift manufactures, as well as a number of different stair lift models and designs. One way to classify stair lifts is as AC Powered Stair Lifts and Battery Powered Stair Lifts, both of which offer their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

The Difference Between Battery Powered Stair Lifts and AC Powered Stair Lifts

AC Powered Stair Lifts are plugged directly into a regular wall outlet and draw their power directly from the wall outlet. If they are unplugged or the home looses power, an AC Stair Lift will not work. Battery Powered Stair Lifts, on the other hand, are actually powered from one or more rechargeable batteries. It is still plugged into a regular power outlet, but if the home looses power, a Battery Powered Stair Lift will continue to work for some time. Often, battery powered stair lifts will be referred to as DC Stair Lifts.

Choosing between a battery stair lift and an AC stair lift is an important decision, which should take several factors into account. From a monetary standpoint, AC Stair Lifts are less expensive, both in regards to their initial cost, as well as recurring maintenance costs. This is because a battery powered stair lift has a higher up-front cost and the batteries will need to be replaced over time as well. The cost of replacement batteries varies, but it is typically between $70 and $150, with the batteries requiring replacement every twelve to eighteen months.

While battery powered stair lift do cost more, they offer the advantage of continuing to work even if the power is disrupted. This is especially important in areas that have a poor power infrastructure or are subject to a lot of thunderstorms. Battery powered stair lifts can add a great deal of extra comfort and security, because even in the event of an emergency, the stair lift can continue to be used.

For those faced with the decision of going with a battery powered stair lift or an AC powered stair lift, it is important to consider not difference in cost, but also the difference in functionality and security offered by both of these types of stair lifts.