At Stiltz Homelifts, we know a thing or two about home lifts, the good the bad and the beautiful (we simply don’t do the u-word). This month, we thought we would share some of our knowledge with a handy A-Z of home lifts which will help you to becoming almost as much of an expert as we are!
A – Accessibility
A home lift can make the difference between enabling full access to all floors in our homes. Travelling easily and smoothly from floor to floor at the push of a button and with complete peace of mind opens up access to rooms you can enjoy using throughout the day and offers complete freedom and independence.
B – Balance
Some customers chose to install a home lift because they suffer from vertigo, labyrinthitis or other similar condition which compromises balance. When experiencing a bout of dizziness, walking up or down stairs or even using a stairlift, could be dangerous and may lead to avoidable falls and injury. Installing a Stiltz domestic lift avoids this issue as the user can independently move between floor using a risk-free means of travel. The home lift moves at a steady pace, and for additional safety, all Stiltz lifts operate with weight restrictions. The lift is limited to a carrying capacity of 170kg/27st (Duo) and 250kg/39st (Trio). If this weight limit is exceeded, the sensors will prevent the lift from travelling.
C – Compact
The lift car is the part of the lift we stand in when moving between floors and takes up most of the floor area seeing as the supporting rails are super-slim. This helps the Stiltz home lift lay claim to having one of the smallest footprints in the domestic lift market which in turn means it covers a fraction over half a square metre in total.
D – Dumbwaiter
Many Stiltz customers tell us that one of the unexpected benefits of installing a domestic lift is ability to use it as a dumbwaiter. So, you could be on the ground floor wondering how to get that heavy basket of laundry up the stairs in one go … easy send it up in the lift! What about getting the holiday luggage downstairs ready to go on your travels? No problem, pop the cases into the lift and send downstairs at the push of a button instead of having to drag them down the stairs.
E – Energy
We tend to think of a lift in the home as the equivalent of a ‘gas guzzler’ car, very high in energy consumption. And while this might be true of the lifts you find in office buildings, or multi-storey residential buildings, a Stiltz Homelift, is different. Comparatively light weight and with the mechanics all in one place hidden from view, the lift uses a steel-roped, drum-braked, gear motor drive system. This means it is all the operating equipment is compact and neatly self-contained within the lift’s own roof space. What is more, the domestic lift plugs straight into a standard 13-amp wall socket.
F – Fall Arrest Mechanism
The entire weight of a home lift is carried on two very strong steel cables which are cleverly hidden within the supporting rails. In the unlikely event the cables were to break or lose tension, the patented fall arrest mechanism within the lift’s motor will activate and apply emergency brakes. This ensures the absolute safety of occupants, at all times.
G – Grants
Where a Stiltz customer has a defined disability or after assessment it is felt their property needs to be made more accessible, it is possible they could be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant. These grants are means tested (unless you are applying for a disabled child who lives with you) and exist to provide financial assistance if home modifications are needed. This would include installation of a domestic lift. A Disabled Facilities Grant will not affect any receipt of benefits payments.
H – Height
Given the range of home lifts manufactured by Stiltz are all self-contained, you may be wondering if a particular height from floor to ceiling is needed. The answer is yes, but it is an easy requirement to meet. Downstairs, clearance between top of lift and ceiling should ideally be eight inches to enable the lift engineer to gain access to the electronic and mechanical components when carrying out a lift service. For the upstairs of your home, a Stiltz Lift requires 2,370mm, but, if you have a low ceiling in your property, the cab of the lift can be shortened by up to 150mm. This benefit means that Stiltz through floor lifts can fit into places that hydraulic lifts and traction lifts simply cannot go.
I – Installation
The Stiltz Homelift is the easiest domestic lift on the market to install. Once the aperture in the ceiling has been prepared by either your own builder or one of Stiltz own building teams, installation engineers can usually have the lift operational in one day. Standard installation is included in your initial Stiltz quotation.
J – Joy
Many customers tell us installing a Stiltz home lift has completely ‘transformed their lives’ and, in many cases, enabled them to regain independence and move around their home freely, something which they were unable to do previously. Investing in a domestic lift has also meant customers no longer need to downsize and leave their community by relocating to a later living apartment. Instead, the lift has made it possible for them to stay in the home they love for longer. A home lift, therefore, delivers joy; there is no question about it.
K – Kit Form
Transportation issues, homes with low ceilings and narrow hallways hold no fear for Stiltz lifts. All our lifts are modular, they arrive in ‘kit form’ and are built up in situ by our specialist installation engineers into elegantly designed car and rail systems.
L – (flexible) Location
Whether you want to travel from the master bedroom down to the lounge or from the hallway to the upstairs landing, the good news is the contemporary and compact home lifts from Stiltz can be located almost anywhere you choose. They only need a small amount of floor space and you the homeowner can choose to tuck it away in a cupboard, position it in a discreet corner of the main room or install it to take pride of place in the centre of the room.
M – Meet the Team
Although at 15 years old, Stiltz Homelifts is still a relatively young business we are super proud of our innovative products, our relationships with our customers, and our great teams. Moreover, we are proud to have so quickly become the largest homelift provider in the UK.
N – NO walls needed!
One of the great – and unique – things about a Stiltz domestic lift is it does not require a supporting wall! The lift is a totally self-supporting structure thanks to its unique ‘dual rails’ which it travels on through the floor of the home, so it does not add any extra burden on the property because of this innovative technology.
O – Options
Whilst all Stiltz home lifts benefit from the same clever, attractive lift car design, there are a range of options that can be selected to suit individual users. Flooring, rail and lift car colours can be chosen to suit your preferences and a selection of different seats and handrails are also available.
P – Power Cuts
In the event of power outage, all Stiltz domestic lifts are equipped with a battery back-up facility. This is included as standard with the lift and will allow anyone in the lift at the time of power failure to gently descend to the lower level of the home, exit the lift, and wait until the power comes back on.
Q – Quiet
You might think that having a lift in your home will be noisy? Not a Stiltz. Our lifts are super quiet because the electric motor is cleverly hidden away at the top of the lift car and all working parts are superbly engineered. Unlike other through floor lifts which require a machine room, pump and lots of clunky mechanics a Stiltz lift just plugs into a domestic power socket. It is also quieter than most stairlifts.
R – Residences (of all shapes and sizes!)
Stiltz home lifts have been installed in all kinds of residences, from tiny almshouses right through to a Balmoral Estate property for the use of the late Queen Elizabeth II herself. If you think your house is too small to accommodate a domestic lift, think again, the smallest model, the Duo+, takes up very little floorspace, in fact its footprint is no larger than a very small armchair.
S – Safety (and Servicing)
Many Stiltz customers comment on the absolute peace of mind their new home lift provides them with. These lifts have safety features that are second to none, a safety curtain to ensure the lift does not operate if there is anything obstructing its movement, sensors to ensure the door is closed, sensors top and bottom to detect obstructions and a push button operation for complete user control.
T – Travel Speed
If you were wondering how much quicker a lift would be, compared to a stairlift, quite a lot! Stiltz lifts travel at a smooth, efficient speed of 30 feet per minute, so around 25 seconds to travel between typical floors in a UK home, compared to 40-60 seconds for a stairlift alternative on an average staircase.
U – Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)
For homes located in areas where power outages are frequent, Stiltz home lifts recommends the additional installation of a UPS – Uninterrupted Power Supply – unit. This will ensure a lift remains operational for a period of time during power cuts.
V – VAT
VAT is chargeable on all Stiltz home lifts but if you are disabled or have a long-term illness you may be exempt from paying VAT on products designed or adapted for your own personal or domestic use. This is the case for many existing Stiltz customers. If you think you may qualify for VAT relief, we will invite you to request an exemption form from a member of the Stiltz sales team.
W – Wheelchair-friendly
If you are currently a wheelchair user or know you will need one in the future, there is a lift from Stiltz perfectly suited to your needs. The Stiltz Trio Wheelchair Lift is ideal for users with mobility issues, giving freedom and independence to move around the home without relying on friends or family. The Trio is deeper than the Stiltz Duo Home Lift and can accommodate a standard-sized wheelchair. It is also perfect for users who use a walking frame.
X – Excellent customer service
Stiltz Homelifts work hard to provide excellent customer service at all times. Our motto is to ‘Be Nice & Make It Easy’ and we want our customers to have the best possible experience from our employees and our products. From start to finish, our team is with you every step of the way and the aim is always to ensure that you are 100 per cent happy with your lift.
Y – Your stories
We know our products make an incredible difference but for more reassurance, do not just take our word for it. Read the words of our customer stories or take a look at or Trustpilot reviews.
Z – Zero Mess
Our installation teams are efficient, considerate, and reliable. Once the building work has been completed, the process of installing your Stiltz home lift can often be completed in as little as one day.
Whether building or installing, all work is completed to a high standard. Our engineers are clean and tidy and will not leave any mess or waste behind!