Blog Layout

How to Operate Your Stair Lift

Oct 29, 2018

How to Operate Your Stair Lift

Safely Using Your New Stair Lift

stair lift chair

You had a stair lift installed in your home because you wanted convenient, easy access to the upper and lower levels of your home. However, once the installation was complete, you might have found that operating it isn’t as easy as you thought it would be. But there’s no need to worry. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you operate your new stair lift safely and efficiently.


Print this guide out or view it on a tablet or cell phone the first few times you use your new stair lift. We promise that soon, using your stair lift will be second nature!


Operating Your Stair Lift


  1. Make sure the stair lift is ready for use. This means that the chair should be swiveled away from the stairs, both armrests should be up and out of the way, and the footrest flipped up.
  2. Seat yourself in the stair lift. This is mostly like sitting down in a normal chair; however, the chair will be a bit higher than most chairs because of the machinery used to move you up and down the stairs. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
  3. Fasten your stair lift’s seatbelt securely. This will keep you safe if you lose your balance or the stair lift encounters an obstacle.
  4. Prepare the stair lift for transport. Swivel the chair so that faces across the stairway and is locked into place. Flip the footrest down and put your feet on it. Flip the armrests down, too.
  5. Activate the stair lift. Usually there will be a rocker switch on one of the armrests. If the switch is flipped one way, the stair lift moves in one direction; if it’s flipped the other way, it moves in the opposite direction.
  6. Wait to reach the top of the stairs. Most stair lifts have an emergency cutoff switch, so if your stair lift runs into any obstacles, it will stop and return you to the other end of the stairs.
  7. Prepare to dismount from the stair lift: swivel the stair lift away from the stairs, unfasten your seatbelt, and flip both armrests and the footrest up.
  8. Dismount from the stair lift and move on with your day!


Have More Questions?

If you ever have trouble operating your stair lift, don’t be afraid to ask the experts at Complete Access for help. We’ve installed dozens of stair lifts in homes across the Bay Area, including San Francisco, CA; Berkeley, CA; Oakland, CA; and Alameda, CA. Our team can walk you through operation and standard troubleshooting.


Give us a call today if you need our help. We’re here to make sure you have complete access to your home!

Who Should Use Stairlifts?

11 Apr, 2023
Complete Access is a stairlift company serving Oakland, CA. Click here to learn more about who should use stair lifts in their home!
stair lift

What type of stair lift is best for your needs?

By lemaster • 19 Feb, 2019
For the most part, stair lifts fall into two major categories: straight and curved. If the staircase involved is a straight shot, constructing a stair lift is pretty straightforward. But if the staircase is curved, the stair lift must be customized to best fit the shape of the staircase, so the lift does not encounter any obstacles. If you’re left-handed, it’s no problem at all! We can easily put the stair lift controls on the other side for you.
Wheelchair Lifts

Choosing Between Stair Lifts & Wheelchair Lifts

By lemaster • 10 Aug, 2018
Stair lifts and wheelchair lifts are both used to transport people up and down staircases. However, these lifts can especially be of use in outdoor settings, such as public access buildings, as well as outside private homes to allow users easy access in and out of the house. Wheelchair lifts typically use much heavier construction, as the lift must support the weight of the wheelchair as well as the weight of the person.
Stair Lifts

What are the Benefits of Stair Lifts?

By lemaster • 09 May, 2018
When you’re old or disabled, getting around the house can be difficult, especially when you live in a two-story home. Getting upstairs isn’t as easy as it once used to be, but it doesn’t have to be that way for everyone. There are always new technological advancements developing for those with an injury or physical disability, or of old age, but there’s one that’s timeless: the stair lift.
Wheelchair Ramp

What to Consider When Adding a Wheelchair Ramp

By lemaster • 18 Aug, 2017
Making the decision to invest in a wheelchair ramp is the first step toward a more independent way of living. Not only do wheelchair ramps provide the freedom of getting in and out of your home whenever you want, they’re also the safest option for wheelchair users. Since most people don’t have a lot of experience with wheelchair ramps, it’s important to know what you need to consider before building one.
Chair Lifts

Why Choose Chair Lifts?

By lemaster • 15 May, 2017
As we get older, it gets harder and harder to walk up and down the stairs. Your legs just can’t handle what they used to, but that’s okay! It doesn’t mean you won’t be able to use the stairs ever again.
Share by: