What to Do if Your Stairlifts Stops Working?
When you depend on a stair lift to move around your home, it is a real problem not only for your comfort but also for your health and safety if the device suddenly fails to operate. Stairlifts are complex devices with mechanical and electrical components that can fail from time to time. However, it is always wise to call in an experienced stair lift technician if you cannot solve serious issues yourself. Yet, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try if your stairlift stops working properly.
Safety First
The first thing that you should do when your stairlift stops working is to remain calm. Calm down and assess the situation carefully. If you are in the stair lift and it stops while you are on the stairs, you must not leave until help arrives. Most stairlifts are equipped with safety sensors that will prevent you from being stuck in an unsafe position. In the event your lift stops on the landing or in another secure spot where you can safely exit, then very greatly exit by yourself.
Backup Plan for Limited Mobility
If your stairlift does need to be repaired by a professional technician, you’ll want to have a backup plan in place for getting around with limited mobility. Depending on your situation, this could involve:
- Using a wheelchair, walker, or other mobility aid to avoid the stairs altogether
- Asking family members to assist you up and down the stairs
- Temporarily relocating essential items like a bedroom, bathroom, etc. to live on one floor
- Considering a short hotel or family stay if mobility is severely impacted
Having these types of contingency plans figured out ahead of time can make a stairlift outage much easier to manage until the repair is complete.
Stairlift Battery Backup Basics
Most stairlifts nowadays include the provision of battery backup systems to prevent a power failure. To prevent any power interruption it is necessary to make sure that the replacement of the backup batteries is carried out by the professional experts on time. Being useless after several recharge cycles, like the old batteries, cannot power the deal with the demand.
Should your stairlift falter, and the backup power seems to be failing, let the repairers know right away and hope your inconvenience goes swiftly. They might check the battery even during their visit and substitute it for a new one if they find it damaged.
DIY Repairs Are Unsafe
A very last vital point is never seeing DIY stairlift repairs even if you are just how crafty you might be. Stairlifts, for all of their smoothness and seeming simplicity, house intricate mechanisms under high pressure. Very inadvertently, the improper dismantling or repairing of the unit could lead to someone’s serious injury or the condition would become worse.
Give a nod to professional, certified stairlift technicians to deliver you the best service when it comes to major repairs or routine maintenance which will lead to the most effective result in terms of safety and quality. Level 1 issues can be identified and addressed by ordinary consumers, but above that, things should be left to those skilled at this job.
Check for Obvious Causes
Once you’ve safely disembarked from a stalled stairlift, or if you noticed an issue before attempting to use it, look for any obvious causes that may be preventing it from working properly:Once you’ve safely disembarked from a stalled stairlift, or if you noticed an issue before attempting to use it, look for any obvious causes that may be preventing it from working properly:
- Power Issues – Make sure the stairlift is plugged into a working outlet and that the outlet itself has power. Check if a circuit breaker has tripped or investigate any potential electrical issues in your home.
- Obstruction – Visually inspect the stairlift track and stairs for any objects or debris that may be blocking or obstructing the stairlift’s path. This could be anything from fallen books to piled up clothes or toys.
- Track Issues – Examine the condition of the track itself. If you notice any significant bends, dents, misalignments, or other damage, that could be the culprit.
Reset and Retry
If you have no other apparent causes for your stairlift not working, try resetting the system or rebooting the unit. Identify the main switch or the power button and turn it off as well as back on after some time. Sometimes such a simple restart can clear any minor errors or fix the problems that are related to electricity.
Furthermore, your stairlift’s manual will have troubleshooting instructions that you can try to follow to reset the unit or bypass certain safety settings if necessary. However, only try these only if you feel completely confident and you should never try to operate a defective stairlift by force.
Check for Error Codes
Most stairlifts manufactured nowadays are equipped with diagnostic systems that provide different error codes which aid in locating faults. If your stairlift has a mistake code display, either on the unit itself or the call button, please note every code you see. Such data can help the repair personnel make a quick diagnosis and fix the problem.
If you are unable to spot any error codes, look out for any unusual behaviour from the stairlift. Is it noisy? Are there any lights or not working properly? You need to make a note of any symptom you have seen and pass it further.
Call for Professional Repair
Once you’ve exhausted the customary troubleshooting options with your stairlift, it’s time to seek professional help for the repair. Stairlift firms have technicians who are specially trained to handle all kinds of stairlift issues. Many of them have 24/7 emergency service, thus, you will not stay for too long without a working stairlift in your home.
When speaking to the repair company, have the following information ready:
– Stairlift make and model
– Description of the problem and any error codes
– Your troubleshooting steps so far
– When the issue first occurred
– Any recent servicing or issues
Besides explaining the possible problem, ensure that you can walk the technician through the device once they arrive to confirm the problem first hand.
Prevent Future Stairlift Issues
While stairlift breakdowns are sometimes inevitable, there are some maintenance tips you can follow to potentially avoid many issues:
– Keep the stairlift track and stairs clear of any obstructions, dust, and debris
– Never overload the stairlift carriage beyond its maximum weight capacity
– Ensure kids and pets understand the stairlift is not a toy
– Have the stairlift serviced annually by certified technicians
– Replace batteries as needed for battery-powered stair lift backups
– Be gentle when operating the unit and follow all usage guidelines
If you have a stairlift problem, make sure to stay calm. Initially, you should ensure your safety, then try the basic approaches, and after that, call for professional repair service so that you deal with this problem virtually with no down time or hassle.
Have doubts concerning reliable stairlift service and repair in the local area? Be sure to contact KSK Stairlifts. KSK, which is the leading supplier of stairlift sales, installation and repair services, has onboard a team of highly experienced and certified professionals who can readily attend to any stairlift problems. Contact us today!