Mobility Scooter Maintenance made Easy

For many people, a mobility scooter is a lifeline. Just like how a stair lift, is for many people, it helps people get up and down the stairs with ease.  Less restrictive than a wheelchair, a mobility scooter is faster and more versatile, and it can offer someone who has difficulty walking, a new lease on life.  If you’re a mobility scooter owner yourself, you will already know and appreciate the benefits of these three or four wheeled wonders. Let’s face it, they’re not cheap, so to ensure that your scooter serves you for many years to come, there are a few things that you should check every day, or every week, to keep your scooter running in tip-top condition.

The tires are probably the most important part of your mobility scooter, since without them you are going nowhere.  Whether you have a three-wheeled or four-wheeled model, it is essential that you check the tire pressures every day before riding.  Low tire pressure can cause your tire to slacken, causing greater strain on the electric motor.

As well as your tires, you also need to make sure that your wheels are well-aligned, are not wobbly and will not throw you off balance when out and about. When purchasing a new scooter, it’s important to get the highest quality wheel bearings possible – as this will lead to a longer wheel and tire life.

Also don’t forget about the battery!  Probably the second most important part of your scooter is the battery in the motor. To increase the life of your battery, remove it and keep it cool when not in use and before charging.  Heat causes resistance to electrical charge, so a hot battery will be fully charged more slowly that a cool battery. Also, remember that batteries don’t last forever, even rechargeable ones. If you find that your scooter is beginning to lose charge much more quickly than it used to, it’s probably time to think about getting a new one.

Never use a battery that is showing signs of wear, leakage or acid erosion – it’s safer to get this repaired by a certified repair center since electrical defects can cause serious injury and further damage to your scooter.  Furthermore, if you need to replace an old or damaged battery, be sure to dispose of it correctly – any good scooter retailer should be able to do this for you.

Finally, don’t forget the little things – check fuses, nuts and bolts, drive chains and belts, lever controls and cables.  If any of these small components are loose or damaged, get them fixed sooner rather than later as a small problem can quickly escalate into a bigger problem.  Washing your scooter is also a necessary maintenance action too – keeping dirt and mud off of your scooter will not only make it look cleaner, but will help to prevent rust and water damage too.

Looking for a scooter?  Visit www.electric-wheelchairs-101.com
 


Mobility Scooters Defined and Described

Many people think that just because you have difficulty walking that you must sacrifice your independence and freedom, and this stands for not just inside of the home, but outside of the home as well.  This does not have to be true if you own an adult mobility scooter.  Adult mobility scooters are engineered to provide dependable and reliable service as it carries a seated individual around their home or other area.

The reasons for limited mobility are numerous. Many people who suffer from joint problems such as arthritis have difficulty bending their knees, which makes it very difficult to walk. Others may have been involved in an accident or it may simply be age that makes walking difficulty. Whatever the reason, difficulty walking can make it very hard to go to the grocery store or fill prescriptions. Any activity, like going to the park, that requires a good deal of walking can become a very hard task. An adult mobility scooter is a personal movement aid that can be used to make these tasks doable again.

There are several different styles and designs of adult scooter available. The specific needs of the rider will in many ways necessitate the type of scooter that should be purchased.  For indoor use a 3 wheeled scooter is probably best.  A mobility scooter with only 3 wheels has a much shorter turning circle, which makes it great for navigating around furniture or other obstacles.  They can not support as much weight, however, and also are not as stable as a 4 wheel scooter.  This causes the 3 wheeled models to be less suited for outdoor use.  While most 3 wheeled mobility scooters can handle grass and packed dirt, a 4 wheeled scooter will provide much better service over rough terrain.  Some even utilize 4-wheel-drive, which greatly improves traction.

The tires on an adult scooter will either be solid and puncture proof or require air much like a car tire. The solid tires are great because they never need any air and also are resistant to nails and screws, but do not provide the same traction that is provided by an air filled tire. Air filled tires also provide better support for higher weights and are not apt to slide. For this reason most heavy duty outdoor scooters utilize an air filled tire.

The weight capacity of these units varies, but most can support at least 250 pounds. It is a good idea to always allow for about 20% extra weight when calculating your riding weight. For example if you weigh 210 pounds, then you would not want to use a scooter that was rated for less than 250 pounds. This will improve the life of the battery and also ensures that if you need to carry some extra belongings on your scooter, you will not become overloaded. Several models, called heavy duty scooters, can support in excess of 500 pounds and there is one for every size.

If you are in the market for a personal movement device, then a mobility scooter is probably the best choice available. They can take you anywhere you need to go, with some having ranges of over 30 miles per charge.

Are you looking for a mobility scooter?  Then visit ElectricScooters4Less.com.

Linking Areas of the Home With a Dumbwaiter

If you’re a stair lift user, then you’ve probably started wondering how you’re going to take your goods with you to the second floor.  I mean, a stair lift is a fine and dandy tool for taking yourself up the stairs, but what about any items or goods that you want to take with you.  For this reason, many people have been talking about installing a dumbwaiter in their home.

There are many advantages to having a dumbwaiter in the home. These devices help make it much easier to do the many chores around the home. For instance, bringing groceries up from the garage, is much easier when you can simply load up the dumbwaiter car and push a button. They can also make it much easier to bring laundry to and from the laundry room.  Dumbwaiters, can also ease the burden for caregivers who need to bring food or supplies upstairs on a regular basis.

There are a variety of stair lifts available, however the two most common forms of stair lifts are the electric dumbwaiter and manual dumbwaiter.  Each has it’s pros and cons.  The electric dumbwaiter is the most common type used, but some people prefer a manual dumbwaiter instead. The disadvantage of a manual dumbwaiter is that it will only be able to support less weight than an electric dumbwaiter. Also since you must use your own power to raise or lower it, they can be rather unpractical.

If you’re thinking seriously about getting a dumbwaiter, don’t forget to do some planning first.  A dumbwaiter though a useful device, can cause some great problems within the infrastructural of a house, which is why that it’s important to think about installing a stair lift during the building process first.

In retro-fit situations finding a space can be an issue, but usually most homes have an area that will work. The car can often be configured so that the door opens on different sides, so this means you could configure it to open on one side in the kitchen and a different side upstairs.

There are many people that choose to install a dumbwaiter in their home. These lifts make it much easier to take care of tasks around the home.

For more information about dumbwaiters visit the AmeriGlide Express Dumbwaiter.