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Toll free support - (877)
585-4041 Jameson
Medical, Inc. |
Before you
Buy #1) An AC (plug in the wall) unit is the most dependable unit available - even though we offer both AC and DC stairlifts and DC Battery sounds like a great idea ... the truth of the matter is - the batteries can fail every 18-24 months without notice. They only carry a six month warranty. You can no longer ship batteries by air and must go by ground. These are odd ball batteries that you can't go down to Wal-Mart and pick up. You could easily be without your stairlift for a week or more while waiting on batteries and/or an installer. If you are really concerned about long term power outages due to storms and have them frequently - you might think about a generator. The only time you should consider a battery operated system is if you reside in an area of the country that has routine "brown outs" (i.e. California & New York) or if you are using it to seek refuge from tornadoes. (Acorn, Brooks only offer battery operated systems). Please note - there is NO SUCH THING as a "battery back-up"! You either get an AC system or a DC system. No unit does both! The least amount of downtime is with a straight electric system. (Meditek utilizes a unique battery maintenance system for longer battery life.) #2) If you choose to buy a battery operated stairlift - Make sure it is a Meditek and replace batteries every 3 years. If a company advertises "maintenance free DC power" - it is simply not true. No one's batteries last a lifetime. They are merely implying you do not have to add water to the batteries. Somehow, that's not quite how it sounds when they advertise "maintenance free DC power". Remember – when the battery fails – your unit will NOT work. NO ONE makes a unit with a “battery back-up”. The only thing you plug in with a battery system is the battery charger!!!! #3) Do NOT buy a stairlift if the seat does not swivel 45° and 90° at the Top AND Bottom - If and when the rider becomes unstable on their feet, they will need a vertical grab bar mounted on the wall at both destinations. No one can reach behind their back and hold on to a grab bar to assist with entry and exit from the chair if the seat does not swivel. After all, Safety is the primary reason for the installation of a stairlift to begin with! (Acorn and Brooks only swivel at Top). #4)
Do NOT
buy a stairlift that uses a plastic toggle switch/joystick to operate -
a plastic toggle
switch or joystick sticks straight up or straight out and can easily get snagged
by loose clothing and purses and broken off. A large rocker type switch
recessed at the end of the armrest is easier (and safer) to use and will be
there when you need it. Imagine what would happen if you broke off your switch,
had to use your remote, and then laid down your remote and couldn’t find it.
You could be trapped (or forced to walk the steps) until you located your
remote. Not a good situation! Meditek uses a secure metal joystick. #6) Do NOT buy a stairlift with less than a full 5 year bumper-to-bumper warranty - You wouldn't buy a new car with a one year or three year warranty ... why settle for less on a stairlift? If the company doesn't stand behind their product - don't buy it. In reality, a stairlift gets very little use in the average home. A minimum of wear is placed on the motor and working mechanics and a five year warranty should be the minimum you accept. Don't be fooled by a "limited” lifetime warranty on the rail or other component. Make sure ALL of the parts are covered for a minimum of a full unlimited (no questions asked) 5 years. (Jameson Medical offers and Actually Provided a Lifetime Warranty!) #7) Do NOT buy a stairlift that does not offer a wall mounted call/send unit - You should get a stairlift that will not only allow you to call for it from the opposing location … but you should also be able to send it to the other end. This will allow you to get it out of the way when visitors come or simply free up floor space at the top or bottom. Do NOT get a unit with wireless remotes. A remote for your stairlift is no different than a remote for your television set. (You can never find them when you need them!) Do NOT get a unit with floor mounted call/send stations. That is the equivalent of having your doorbell mounted on the ground. #8) Do NOT fall for that "soft start" technology baloney - If your tail can tell the difference between an AC motor and a DC motor ramping up to a whopping speed of 22 feet / minute - you better get in touch with Ripley's Believe It or Not! If that is all "they" have to brag about ... it should make you wonder! (It was an old ad campaign used against chain drive systems. No one makes a chain drive system any longer). #9) Do NOT fall for that stripped down "look alike" brand. (It arrives in a Summit Box). There is ONLY ONE manufacturer in the USA that makes a stairlift you can easily self install. Summit. There is ONLY ONE dealer willing to share the facts. All the facts!
NO ONE
beats Jameson Medical’s PRICE or SERVICE ... |