Wheelchair lifts, or Vertical Platform Lifts (VPLs), are designed to ensure the safety of the passenger. If one of the many checkpoints along the chain of safety is breached, the lift will not move. With the redundant safeties available on VPLs it can sometimes appear that everything is fine, but the lift will not run.
Read MoreWheelchair Lifts/Vertical Platform Lifts
Home Wheelchair Lift or Residential Elevator: Choosing the Best Product for You
When assistance between floors of the home is desired, there are a number of options available. Not all people that need assistance are in wheelchairs, many use walkers, canes, crutches or other mobility devices. Determining your expected use, timeline, space available and budget will help you to determine whether a wheelchair lift or residential elevator is the best fit for your situation.
Read MoreElevator Options for Churches
Inside a church or other place of worship, there are a number of areas where accessibility is critical. While it may seem like a difficult task, providing access to those that are mobility impaired is not as complicated as it may sound and there are a number of options available.
Read MoreOverview of a Vertical Platform Lift Installation
A vertical platform lift or VPL is a lifting device designed to transport a mobility impaired person from one elevation to another. The VPL typically consists of a platform, platform sidewalls and a machine tower. The platform is the surface that carries the passenger. The sidewalls contain the rider in a safe manner. The machine tower houses the drive equipment.
Read MorePlanning Your Conveyance Project
You have taken the time to plan the best accessible route, and done your best to know the local building and accessibility codes, but have you reached out to the people with the most knowledge of accessibility in your local market; the installing distributor? Accessibility is an industry that is heavily regulated by code.
Read MoreADA Versus Building Code
While sometimes blurred, ADA compliance and compliance with building code are not the same thing. When determining what access is required for your project, it is important to understand how they work together and what distinctions exist.
Read MoreThe Americans with Disabilities Act and Building Accessibility
When designing or altering a building with vertical barriers, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and/or the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) is critical. There are many ways to make a building accessible including single level design, ramps, Limited Use/Limited Application (LU/LA) elevators, commercial elevators, and Vertical Platform Lifts (VPL).
Read MoreElevator Operation
Residential elevators are comprised of 3 primary functional elements; the car, rail structure and the drive system.
The car is the most visible portion of the home elevator. It can be made in a variety of sizes and configurations and there are a number of ways that you can customize your home elevator car to match the décor of your home. The elevator car is the piece that transports passengers from landing to landing.
The Beginning of Accessibility
Did you know that twenty-two years prior to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal government was already making strides to increase accessibility in federally funded building projects? In 1968 Lyndon B. Johnson signed a law entitled The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA).
Read MoreAccelerated Screw Drive for the Vertical Platform Lift
For those who prefer the speed of a hydraulic lift but the simplicity of a screw drive, the Symmetry Accelerated Screw Drive option is an excellent choice. The industry standard speed for a vertical platform lift with a screw drive is 10 feet per minute. The Accelerated Screw Drive travels at 20 feet per minute.
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