First it depends how you want to hook up your stairlift. Some stairlifts can be installed with a simple power cord that plugs right into a nearby electrical outlet. This is obviously the easiest way.
Other stairlifts need to be set up on a dedicated circuit and hard-wired into the electrical wires inside your walls.
Obviously this can add expense to your installation.
In some states, such as Washington, state law requires that all stairlifts be hard-wired on their own circuit.
If this is the case for you, you’ll need to get an appropriate electrical permit and have a qualified electrician come and do the work before your stairlift installers arrive.
Stairlifts can be powered by electrical cords
And although the added cost won’t be welcome, there are advantages to direct-wired lifts. First off, you don’t have yet another electrical cord lying on the ground presenting a tripping hazard. Secondly, there’s no risk that the cord will come out of the wall and leave the chair in an uncharged state, which could be a safety and/or convenience hazard.
Check with a local stairlift installer about whether an electrical permit is required in your area.
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