Wheelchair Ramps for Your Home

Families call all the time wanting to rent or purchase a wheelchair ramp to bring a loved one home from the hospital or for a visit.  People are always surprised by how long the wheelchair ramp needs to be to make the inclines comfortable for both the wheelchair and the pushing assistant.  But that shouldn’t discourage you.  We can usually help find a solution for your temporary home access need.  It doesn’t need to be an overly complicated transaction.  Let’s look at the basics of residential wheelchair ramps.

ADA Requirements

ADA is the gold standard.  If you have the space and can fit a portable wheelchair ramp long enough to meet ADA inclines, then you are lucky.  Most people don’t’ have the space or the funds to install a temporary ADA compliant wheelchair ramp at their home.

If you or your loved one will be self-propelling in a manual wheelchair, then you will need to invest in an ADA compliant wheelchair ramp system or explore other options like stairlifts or platform lifts.

Wheelchair with Assistance

Most people needing temporary wheelchair ramps at their home are accommodating a visitor or someone transitioning to home care from a hospital or skilled nursing setting.  Generally, these uses are temporary, and a portable ramp will work well because the wheelchair will be pushed up the ramp.  The incline guidelines for this use are steeper than ADA and this means you can get by with a shorter ramp.

What size ramp do you need?

Most steps are 7-inches high.  You will need to measure your steps to determine the length of portable ramp required.  If you are going up two steps into the house, and they measure 7-inches each, then you will need 7-feet of ramp:

7-inches per step x 2-steps = 14-inches of incline / 2 = 7-feet of ramp at 9.5-degrees

If you are using  the ramp for a motorized mobility scooter, then you can get by with even less ramp.  The formula for a motorized scooter is going to be:

#-inches incline / 3 = #-Feet Ramp

So for the same two step installation calculated above, you would need a 5-foot long ramp (14-inches / 3) when using a motorized mobility scooter.

Portable ramps are usually 30-inches wide (most wheelchairs are 25-inches wide).  ADA requires 36-inches in width with handrails for any ramp with more than 6-inches incline.

What do they Cost?

Aluminum ramps can be an investment.  The material is lightweight and durable, looks nice and is easy to clean.  Furthermore, a portable ramp can travel with you for convenience.  At our store we only carry Made in USA, high quality aluminum ramps.  The longer the ramp, the higher the cost.  In general, portable ramps range from just $170 to $1100.  Stop by today to see the ramps and get pricing, or give us a call any time.  We offer free local delivery.*

 

 

*Call for details.