So, you are considering buying a stairlift and all the warranties are different,
but what does this really mean?
The purpose of this blog is to explain what is covered by a stairlift warranty, and what is not. Does a lifetime warranty really mean what it says? Does the warranty cover labor, or not?
Purchasing a stairlift is an investment. You are spending a lot of your hard earned money on an item that will enhance your personal living experience in the home that you love. No one wants to be forced to move out our home just to move to a one level home, nursing home, or assisted living facility. Most people would rather "age in place" at their own home. It is important to make this decision carefully and with due dilligence as an informed consumer. I hope to shed some light on making this decision a little easier to understand.
There are many topics that I will add to this blog over time, but one of the most frequent questions I answer about stairlifts is "what is the warranty?". So, here is some information about stairlift warranties.
The information applies to most of the major stairlift manufacturers, such as but not necessarily limited to; Acorn, Ameriglide, Brooks by Acorn, Bruno, Handicare by Sterling, Harmar, Meditek, Savaria, and Sterling Stairlifts
Q.What does my warranty cover?
A. Stairlift warranties, like most home medical equipment warranties, cover "parts". The warranty provided by the manufacturer specifically is described and listed as a "parts warranty". This means that labor is not typically covered by the manufacturer. It will be up to the dealer that actually sells you the stairlift as to whether or not they will donate their time and labor to complete any warranty repairs you may encounter. Also, the warranty doesn't cover breaks or damage due to abuse or misuse, only defects and failures.
Note: For any stairlift sold by Access Mobility Equipment, we provide a free labor warranty that matches the corresponding manufacturer's warranty. So, if you purchase a stairlift that has a 3 year manufacturer's parts warranty, you are getting 3 years of Access Mobility Equipment labor warranty for free. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that we stand behind what we sell. See more at The Access Mobility Equipment Website
Q. Is the warranty the same for the entire stairlift, or are there different coverages for different parts?
A. Some manufacturers do have a warranty policy that varies depending on the part of the stairlift that might fail. For instance, the Pinnacle SL600 Stairlift by Harmar Mobility has a 3 year transferrable "bumper to bumper" warranty, while the motor and gear rack have a 10 year warranty. Most stairlifts have either a 3 year or 5 year warranty that covers your stairlift in its entirety. Acorn stairlifts only have a short 1 year warranty that covers the entire lift while they offer a lifetime warranty on the motor. It is important to note that while a longer warranty on the motor and/or gear rack may sound nice in terms of "10 years" or "lifetime", stairlift motors "almost never fail". A consumer is more wise to purchase a lift that has a 3 year warranty that covers the entire lift for things such as switches, circuit boards, etc because those parts are more likely to fail than a motor and 1 year of coverage simply is not long enough warranty for a $2000-$4000 stairlift.
Note: Access Mobility Equipment proudly sells, installs, services, and offers for rental quality stairlifts such as Handicare, Harmar, and Savaria. All of these lifts have comprehensive warranties that include all parts of your stairlift for a 3 year period. Becuase Access Mobility Equipment also provides you with the free labor warranty, you will be comfortable knowing that your lift is covered 100% parts and labor for 3 years. (remember, some of our lifts have warranties longer than 3 years - the 3 year note is "a minimum of" 3 years). Visit us at Our Stairlift Page for more detailed information on each lift.
Q. Is it really a lifetime warranty?
A. If a stairlift manufacturer is trying to sell you their stairlift direct without using a local dealer and telling you that the lift has a lifetime warranty, BEWARE. One stairlift manufacturer likes to sell direct and tries to convince you that cutting out the middle man (your local dealer) is a good idea. Here are some important points to consider:
1. the "lifetime warranty" they speak of is "motor only". This is not complete coverage for a lifetime and their basic warranty on the rest of the stairlift is only 1 year short.
2. the pricing is not significantly less than your local stairlift dealer in most cases
3. they might have a "semi local technician" within a few hundred miles of your location, but they do not have a local presence in your area unless you live near their corporate office which is only in one place in the USA
4. the labor rate for both warranty and non-warranty repairs is an important question to ask
5. you may wish to visit This Stairlift Complaint Log at Consumer Affairs for more information.
I hope that some of this information about stairlift warranties is helpful. If you have any questions about stairlifts, I would would be happy to assist in any way that I can.
Jim Clore
Access Mobility Equipment
PO Box 141
Thornburg, Virginia 22565
(866)717-0808 or (540)288-4905
jim@accessmobilityequipment.com
We provide sales, service, installation, and rental stairlifts in Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Our installers are located in Summerville SC, Fredericksburg VA, Baltimore MD, and Gaithersburg MD. We look forward to assisting you with all of your stairlift needs.
