It’s almost Christmas already, and as we count down to the festive season, it’s worth spending a few minutes making sure that your stairlift will remain safe and secure when your house gets busy.
Christmas means many things, and for a good proportion of us, your house will be filled with friends and family regularly over the festive period.
Grandkids, cousins, nephews and nieces could all visit, as well as family friends and neighbours.
It will all be good natured, but some parties can see guests getting a little too exicting!
Your stairlift will remain as important to you as ever, so how do you ensure that it’s protected and that those around it are also not in danger?
Here are a few tips to keep things safe and secure when your house is busy this Christmas.
Keep It Locked
The best way to ensure that children and other guests don’t get tempted to ride up and down on the stairlift is to lock it so that it cannot be operated.
This means you can concentrate on enjoying your party and not whether or not your stairlift is being used without your knowledge.
If you do decide to lock it, make sure you keep the key somewhere close by so that you can quickly access when its required.
Your own convenience should remain paramount in your considerations.
Fold Away Foot Plate & Arm Rests
With so many extra people in your house, it’s likely that foot traffic up and down your staircase will also increase.
This could be people going up to use the bathroom, or children playing.
As you’ll know, stairlifts can take up a fair amount of space with elements such as the foot plate and arm rests extending out across the stairs.
To reduce the chance of injury, as well as damage to your equipment, it’s worth folding parts of the stairlift away that can be.
It saves space and reduces the likelihood of it being kicked and knocked.
Consider Protective Covering
Most stairlifts come with a cover, or at least have one available to fit, and Christmas may be the time to get it out.
If your house is full of people who are eating, drinking and being merry, then the chance of spillages on your stairlift is greatly increased.
Therefore, ahead of your guests arriving, pop the cover back on the stairlift so that you know it will be safe, clean and undamaged once your guests have departed.
After The Party
Once your event is over, make sure you properly prepare the stairlift for use again.
Remove the cover and fold the footplates and arm rests back out again.
Also, make sure that the track or rail of the stairlift is clear and free of obstacles.
Things can be dropped by guests during festive events and children have a habit of putting things where they shouldn’t!
Therefore, take the time to inspect your stairlift once you have your house to yourself once again.