Many UK lift companies supply just hydraulic lifts – these are powered by electronic pumps that transmit hydraulic fluid to a jack with the lift pushed up and down by a piston at the base.
Secondly, there is the option of a traction lift – this moves up and down a shaft using ropes and sheaves with a counterweight to balance the weight load.
Stiltz Lifts has introduced a totally unique option to the home lifts market – a non-hydraulic domestic lift. The Stiltz lift is a ‘real’ through floor lift and is powered instead by a roped drum-braked gear system that plugs straight into any normal 13-amp power socket. There are no additional external power packs required or any hard wiring.
Unlike hydraulic or traction lifts, all of the mechanics of the non-hydraulic lift are contained at the top of the lift car and hidden from view. Stiltz lifts also do not require load bearing walls as the Stiltz lift uses a unique dual rail system that creates a self-supporting structure in the home.
When the lift moves up and down, the weight of the structure and the lift is carried in compression through the rails and into the floor of the home with no added extra weight burden on the home.
Traction lifts are typically cheaper and more energy efficient than hydraulic lifts due to the counterweight which reduces the amount of weight needed to be lifted in the car.
With hydraulic lifts, on the other hand, the pump works against gravity to push the car up which loses energy when the lift descends on its own weight. Stiltz’s non-hydraulic domestic lifts, however, use less power than an electric kettle on ascent and even less on descent.
Hydraulic lifts tend to use up less space than traction lifts that use large components but the Stiltz lift has the smallest footprint of any home lift available of just 0.62m2. The unusual shape of the lift means that it is not a simple rectangle so it can be fitted almost in the home and in more places than hydraulic or traction lifts.
Traction lifts are quicker than hydraulic lifts which is why they are more used in large office buildings. Stiltz’s lifts are designed for the home, can comfortably take two passengers from one floor up to the next in less than 30 seconds and cannot be matched for speed. There is also a wheelchair lifts version of the Stiltz Lift which is deeper and wider to fit a standard-sized wheelchair.
For a free site survey contact Stiltz Lifts today.