Can I Afford Stair Lifts?

Stairlifts can be a quite expensive addition to a household because most of the costs would be paid by you. Insurance and programs like Medicare will not cover the installation of stair lifts. Medicare does not pay for home modifications but does pay for some medical equipment. Due to these costs, you must be fully informed about a stairlift purchase and all the possible alternatives and options.

Medicare does not cover stair lifts, but programs like Medicaid do if you find a participating dealer. Outside of these programs, you can find grants, loans, or financing from dealers.

The doctor has to be able to justify your purchase or you will not be able to get insurance to pay for any of the stair lifts. It is important to keep this documentation just in case of any claim denials.

Straight stairlifts will always be more affordable than curved stairlifts. The reason is mainly due to specific manufacturing and customizations. Standard models will be readily available for installation while custom ones can take a few weeks to acquire after all the measurements are taken. Stair lifts can be adjusted to fit most stairways even if you think they are too narrow or too lengthy.

Stair lift dealers will usually always give you a payment plan or offer financing. Since a stair lift is considered a home improvement modification, you can take out a home loan to purchase and then deduct the interest costs on your taxes. If purchasing a new stairlift is outside of your range, you can instead opt for a rental.

Stair lift rentals are also great for anyone with a temporary disability. Stair lifts can be removed fairly quickly and easily but a professional technician should be consulted.

Used stairlifts are also considerably cheaper than new stair lifts. Only purchase a used stairlift from a reputable dealer because older stair lifts that have a lot of wear on them can lose their function and may make loud noises.

This may be a last option but moving out of a multi-story building into a single floor home can be a reasonable alternative, if you are unable to afford a stair lift or not allowed to install a stairlift. It also reduces the chances of injuries from walking up and down the stairs. Climbing the stairs is a substantial health risk for the elderly and disabled.

Find out more about the costs and get more details about purchasing stair lifts before making this home modification. You may be surprised by the actual price of owning your own stairlift. Discover other handicapped equipment that can help improve your lifestyle.

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Tags: Stair Lifts, Stair, Lifts

Getting a Spiral Staircase

Are you looking to build a spiral staircase in your own house? If you want to build a good looking staircase, and you don't want to have a serious developer install it for a vastly overpriced amount, you can try to build and put the stairs in yourself. To do this, you will need to buy a spiral staircase kit--a kit that makes it easy to build and install the stairs. This is a modular kit, good for many sorts of houses and shapes.

If you want fast and easy assembly, and a staircase that doesn't take up too much space, go for the spiral variety. Because it is a spiral, and not a flat staircase, it will wind around a common center, taking up much less space than a normal staircase. This looks great in any house or building.

Unfortunately, it will be a little bit more annoying to climb than a regular set of steps, because of its spiral nature. However, the tradeoff is well worth it, because in the end you can buy an easy to install by yourself set of stairs that you can install yourself.

You can find these kits online or at several hardware stores. Go check your local Lowes and Walmart, and look online for the types of stairs you are most interested in. I guarantee you'll find what you're looking for. You should definitely look for one that fits the color and design of your house, and also the shape and size.

Jack Goldhammer is an expert staircase builder. He has written about modular home plans and spiral staircase kits.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Goldhammer

Tags: Spiral, Staircase, Getting

Laminate Flooring How To - Covering Wooden Stairs With Laminate

You've just installed a laminate floor and you think you'd like to finish your wooden stairs in laminate for a unified, cohesive look. What tools will you need and how should you proceed?

What You'll Need on Hand

To accomplish this task, you'll need:

* a skill saw for cutting the laminate planks to fit the stair treads and risers

* PL200 or a similar, strong construction glue

* a brad-nailer

* a chop saw to cut metal stair nosings, (if you're using metal)

* screwdriver (electric)

* a broom

How to Proceed

Begin by sweeping the stairs to rid them of any shavings or dust. You'll need a clean surface for the glue to adhere properly.

Start with the risers first. Measure, mark and then cut each plank to fit the riser with the groove side facing down. Glue the back of each plank and fit it into the riser, making sure the groove is facing downwards. Use a brad-nailer to secure each plank in place while drying.

Once the risers are covered in laminate, it's time to start on the stair treads. This time, measure and mark each plank so that the groove is facing inwards to meet the laminate riser. (Having the groove of the laminate riser meet the groove of the laminate treads provides a corner with a nice, clean edge and it looks professional.) Glue the back of each plank and fit it to the stair tread, making sure that groove is facing the right way. Use a brad-nailer to secure each plank while drying.

You're almost there--all that's left are the stair nosings. The nosings fit over the lip (or nose) of the tread. Nosings come with pre-drilled holes to secure the screws in place. All you need to do is measure each one, cut it to fit and screw-nail it into place. There you go! Enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done.

Note: the method described above for installing stair nosings assumes that you're using metal nosings, which are stronger and more durable. You can use laminate nosings--these are not a standard size and rely on a track-type installation which is a little trickier as the track needs to be laid in exactly the right space for a flush fit.

Marion Taylor is an experienced writer who has combined skills and resources with her husband--a flooring retail owner and operator--to create a series of how-to flooring videos. Their latest effort is a laminate flooring how to video.

Copyright of this article: 2008, Marion Taylor. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marion_Taylor

Tags: Laminate, Covering, Wooden, Stairs

Stair Lift Prices - How Much Do Stair Lifts Cost?

Worried about a stair lift cost? You do not need to worry much because it does not cost much. A stair lift is used to take people who have difficulty in walking and moving up and down the stairs.

It is attached to the stairs and it uses a rail to move up and down. It was invented as early as the 1920's. A man called CC Crispen who was a businessman in Pennsylvania invented a thing which was almost like a stair lift. He named the model as Inclin-ator.

The modern models are based on the model of the Inclin-ator. You might be thinking the present day models cost a lot. But it is a truth that it costs less than the other alternatives you have of it.

You can visit any shop or a website for a survey of the cost. You will find that you can get one which costs less than $2000 and some of them cost as much as $15,000.

The stair lift price will vary depending on what you want. If you want one that is of a top range and a great model with lots of features then obviously you have to pay a good price for that.

If you have a straight staircase at your home then you need not worry much about the cost but if you have a curved stair lift then there is a steady increase in the cost.

Prevention is always better than cure. If you have problems in walking and still you go up and down the stairs, you have a great chance of falling prey to a mishap. One fine day you can fall down from the stairs which means rushing to the hospital.

The treatment in the hospitals will then cost you more than what your stair lift cost would have been. If you have a medical insurance its fine, but if you do not have one you will almost lose all your money paying the hospital bills.

So try and invest in one to save yourself from the pain of the hospitals. Accidents are much more painful than losing money.

The stair lift will restore your peace of mind because you would not have to worry about the safety of the disabled person while he or she is going up and down the stairs.

Discover the cheapest stair lift prices online. If you are on a budget, learn more about stair lift rental.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Lim

Tags: Stair, Lifts, Cost

Following Building Codes - Vital in Installing Stair Railings

Stairs serve an important purpose to people whether it's installed in a home or building. But apart from providing access to people in going to and descending from upper levels, a vital component of the stair also ensures the safety of users.

The stair railings protect people from falls during their ascent or descent. These are made up different parts - baluster, newel post, guards, landing newel and handrail. The balusters are the ones that protect people from falling off while the handrails help users in keeping their balance while going up and down the stairs. These same parts give the stairs its unique style.

As stairs come in different types, shapes and designs, they also need to be constructed in a variety of ways. Depending on the available space in a home, stairs can be gradual or steep, wide or narrow, hidden or grand. The tread part or the one you step on can also either be an open or closed type. In addition, stairs can be built right in place or you can have one ordered according to your specific requirements.

Another thing to take into consideration when installing stair railings is to be aware of the building codes in your locality. Any stairs need to comply with codes to ensure their safety to all users. The codes pertain to the heights of risers, depth and width of treads as well as placement of handrails. While there are national standards, local codes vary and feature different restrictions. Your city or county building department is your best source for the local requirements.

The restrictions normally are on the types of stairs, their measurements, head-height clearance, placement and construction of railing. If you're installing a spiral stair, for instance, you need to follow codes concerning measurements. A tread depth of 9 to 10 inches at 12 to 14 inches from the narrow side is usually required by many codes.

For the balusters, the opening or spaces between the vertical posts should be from a minimum of four inches to a maximum of six inches. This is so because a wider space in between can allow small kids to get through which may result in accidents.

The handrails need to comply with certain codes as well. For stairs situated against the walls, the required handrail height in the U.S. should be from 30 to 38 inches only while for open stairs, it should be from 34 to 38 inches. In Canada, the allowed height is 32 to 36 inches. A handrail is a must if the stairs are above 24 inches high.

It is also critical that stair railings include handrails that can be easily grasped by users. There have been many cases of slips and falls from places that use wide handrails whether made from wood or metal. The flat and wide types used in stair railings are not advisable because they are not friendly to the hands.

Protection is the foremost goal of stair railings but this can only be achieved if the proper building codes are followed during installation.

For more information on Stair railings, please visit BuyRailings.com, a leading distributor of railings, hand and foot rails, curtain rods and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kalyan_Kumar