With the cost of living crisis taking hold and squeezing our finances, you might be looking at how you are spending your money. Perhaps you are more conscious about switching things on and off around your home. Maybe you are watching the energy usage graphs on your account on the provider’s app. Whilst we might be wanting to switch some sockets off, there are other things we need to keep plugged in and ready for action. How much electricity does a stair lift use?
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What Is A Stair Lift & Who Might Have One?
A stair lift is a machine that is installed on a staircase. It is used for safely lifting people between floors of buildings. Typically these are used for those with disabilities or mobility issues. If you have issues getting up and down stairs, installing a stair lift can help retain your access to your entire house. It can also give your loved ones peace of mind that you have an easy way to get up and down stairs without the risk of falling.
They are installed on a rail and simply plugged into the mains. The stair lift then runs on a battery which is charged up whenever the stairlift is not in use. This also allows the stair lift to be used in the event of a blackout or power outage. You might also find them out and about when you are shopping. There might be stair lifts at doctors or dental surgeries that are set over multiple levels.
How Much Electricity Does A Stair Lift Use?
If you have a stair lift installed, you might be able to get it installed for free by claiming back the cost via financial aid. There can be an outlay for a stair lift and that is before taking into account the cost to run the machine.
When looking for an answer to the question of how much electricity does a stair lift use, we must consider a number of factors. The actual amount depends on variables including the make and model of the stair lift. It will change depending on how often it is used and also the length of the stair lift. Someone living in a townhouse, for example, might have a stair lift that winds its way from the ground floor up to the third floor. Someone with a standard ground floor and first-floor house will likely have a shorter railed stair lift. It will also use electricity being on standby, plugged in and ready to use. On average, you’d be looking at around 24 watts of electricity per hour. As different people pay different amounts for their energy, let’s use an example of £0.28 per kWh. That’s about 7p an hour.
While the exact amount of electrical use will depend on the model and how often it’s used, on average a stair lift requires as little as 0.024kWh per hour. You will be looking at around £10 a year to operate your stair lift.
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Saving Energy & Saving Money
There are lots of other ways to save energy and save money around your home. Switching lights off when you aren’t using them is an obvious one. As is ensuring that the bulbs used in your lights are energy-saving or LED. Buying other energy-efficient products is also a great idea, from your fridge freezer to your washing machine.
Washing your clothes at a lower temperature will save you a considerable amount. This is because most of the energy used in a washing machine is to heat up the water. If your boiler is old, you might be able to save money by installing a new one. A smart thermostat can help you to save money and energy. Drop it down a couple of degrees and put a jumper on! Double glazing keeps the warm in and the cold out. Make sure those drafts are sealed up too.
When we know the answers to how much energy costs and how much electricity does a stair lift use, we can see where we are wasting both energy and money and implement changes to make a difference.
