If you depend on wheelchairs for your mobility then you understand that you can’t climb stairs. You may also face several challenges entering a public place or vehicle that does not have proper wheelchair access. Thus will not only reduce your social interaction but also make you uncomfortable moving around the house. In addition to this, your life is also at very great risk. Since accessibility and safety are some of the most important things, you need to get the best wheelchair ramps or even affordable wheelchair ramps? But what are wheelchair ramps?

Wheelchair ramps are special devices that are designed to allow wheelchair users to move around their houses, freely independently and safely. It’s just an inclined plane which provides one with thresholds and accessibility over steps. Portable wheelchair ramps even allow the users to carry them around wherever they needed. Nowadays, there are a wide variety of wheelchair to meet someone’s needs including portable wheelchair ramps, permanent wheelchair ramps, threshold ramps, briefcase ramps, and portable wheelchair ramps. If you are searching for the best wheelchair ramps click here to read our in-depth review about the best ones.

Benefits of wheelchair ramps

The best wheelchair ramps increase mobility. This is one of the major benefits of wheelchair ramps. Since wheelchair ramps increase mobility it allows the elderly and the disabled people to enter and leave their residences comfortably. These ramps can, therefore, reduce the chances of injuries that might occur or even accidents during trips to and from the market. Whether you are living alone or with your loved one you’ll, therefore, find these ramps a real boon.

• Ramps can help you navigate doorways with a lot of ease. Some homes are designed with obstacles in the doorway such as thresholds. This means wheelchair users can have a difficult time going over them and they may need to use a lot of effort to go over this. Thankfully there are wheelchair ramps that are specifically designed to tackle these obstacles and allow wheelchairs to glide over them with a lot of ease. This will provide them with easier navigation around the home and ensure that they reach where they need to reach with relative ease.

• Wheelchair ramps make one independent. If there is something that wheelchair users don’t want then, it’s being a bother. Luckily with the right wheelchair ramps, the users will get the independence that they need to get around the house and home with the ease that they need. The good thing is that they can always be installed outside the house, inside the house and in the car. They, therefore, provide an independent lifestyle for users who don’t want to disturb people around.

• They are easy to installs. As things that aid mobility to wheelchair users, wheelchair ramps are always very to install. In fact, cheap portable wheelchair ramps for stairs can even be separated into two lightweight sections so that each section gets its own carrying handle that makes it easy to store carry and even install anywhere. In the home or around the house.

• The best ramps can allow them to shower in the bathroom. With the best wheelchair ramp person with a disability can enter the bathroom and shower with a lot of ease. This means that they can always get all the privacy that they need to get on with their activities.

They can enter and exit a car. There are some wheelchair ramps such as car wheelchair ramp that are specifically made for cars, vans, and SUVs. The type of wheelchair ramps used, therefore, depends on the car, wheelchair user and safety measures that are needed. Generally, the wheelchair ramps that are designed for the cars will allow them to use to enter and exit the cars with the ease that they need. This means they can always drive the car alone without depending on a family member or any caregiver.

• Wheelchair ramps can allow them to run errands independently. The best car wheelchair ramps allow wheelchair users to run their errands independently. All tasks such as going to the mailbox, grocery shopping and running small errands, therefore, become very easy.

• The best wheelchair ramps enhance the resale value of a house. Installing the right ADA wheelchair ramp can significantly boost the resale value of your home and even make it much more appealing to the buyers who want to come to your home. This means that buyers who have family members who use wheelchairs walking stick crutches and other devices may always be more inclined to buy your home and this means more financial benefits for you. For more information, check out www.nationalwheelchairservices.co.uk.

• The best ramps provide you with safety on a rainy day. By using the best wheelchair ramps or aluminium wheelchair ramps, wheelchair users can always navigate any obstacle that they experience and move over anything that they may meet along the way. Wheelchair ramps will, therefore, provide one with a safe alternative that they can use to access the grassy areas of the front of their houses with relative ease.
They come in different sizes and shapes. Since there are several wheelchair ramps including 12-foot portable wheelchair ramps, 2 step wheelchair ramp, 3 step wheelchair ramp, 4-inch wheelchair ramp, and 8-foot portable wheelchair ramp, one can always choose the best one for his or her needs. This means you don’t have to stick to one that doesn’t work for you.

Types of wheelchair ramps

Just like most products out there wheelchair ramps usually come in a wide range of styles and sizes that offer different functionality. Although the aim of the collapsible wheelchair ramp and the detachable wheelchair ramp is to allow walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs to move up and down the stairs, they also help a lot with thresholds and getting in and out of the vehicle. Here are some of the main types of wheelchair ramps

Threshold wheelchair ramps

According to National Wheelchair Services, these discount wheelchair ramps can either be made of rubber or metal. And are designed to butt up against the lip of the curb or threshold. Typically they are half-inch to 6 inches in height, very lightweight and can be used on both the outside and the inside of the doorway. As compared to other doorstep wheelchair ramps, they are not only simple but also cost-effective solutions for those who have scooters, wheelchairs, walkers and other walking aids.

Portable style wheelchair ramps

Unlike other wheelchair ramps, these refer to the ones that can always be carried from one place to another. These ramps are therefore useful and convenient for those who use vehicles such as minivans, trucks and have short lengths in the form of stairs that they may have to climb while moving in and out of the house. A portable wheelchair ramp prevents the need to constantly rely on someone to assist you with your movements from one place to another. With the best portable wheelchair ramp, you can always access any place or building provided carry them along with you.

Folding wheelchair ramps

These wheelchair ramps consist of either bi-fold or tri-fold panels with hinges between each panel. While the bi-fold rams fold over only once the tri-fold one comes with three folds. However, since these wheelchair ramps do not come with handrails and are not ADA compliant they are best suited for personal use. They can also be used to access wheelchair accessible vans and can be also be placed over a small set of stairs while getting in and out of your home.

Modular wheelchair ramps

Modular wheelchair ramps are the types of wheelchair ramps that are designed for permanent or long term use to access the buildings. Although they are a bit expensive, these systems have the benefits of many people who have conventional ramps systems. The first benefit is that if the user can easily disassemble and take them with them wherever they want to go to. The second thing is that if they are no longer needed you can always donate or even sell them to someone who needs them. Modular wheelchair ramps may, therefore, include landings, platforms, self-contained support, levelling systems among others. Many manufacturers of these ramps also offer custom dimensions hence will ship all the parts with the instructions that you need to install them.

Suitcase Wheelchair ramps

These are wheelchair ramps that come with handles to make them easy to transport from one place to another. Typically, these ramps are between 2 and 6 feet long and can support even up to 800 pounds. Since they can be laid directly over a small step at home they are the most suitable ramps for accessing the homes. However, since most of them are not ADA compliant they should only be purchased for personal use.

Telescoping Wheelchair ramps

Threes wheelchair ramps typically consist of two different channels that are not only narrower but can also retract and extend to fit the desired height that’s needed. These channels are placed side by side and fitted with the wheels for the wheelchair. Thee wheelchair ramps are normally sued to access a wheelchair accessible van. However, since the wheels are usually in line with each other they are also suitable mobile scooters.

Permanent wheelchair ramps

As compared to all the wheelchair ramps discussed above permanent wheelchair ramps or metal wheelchair ramps for homecare usually made from wood, metal or concrete hence cannot always be adjusted or even moved once they’re been set up. This is why for you to set them up you require a proper building permit. As compared to the modular ramps they are constructed on the site and they take a much longer time to construct and install.

Vehicle access wheelchair ramps

Currently, there are several vehicle wheelchair ramps out there hence you can always choose the best for your needs. Apart from the portable ramps, there are some wheelchair ramps that are permanently attached to the inside of the vehicle to allow the vehicle user to use them.

How to use a portable wheelchair ramps

Portable wheelchair ramps are made in such a way that they should be dependable and affordable in different situations. Apart from being strong, they are also easily storable. More so, many of them are made in such a way that they can always fold up and fit the back of van or trunk and make the movement very easy. Most models also come with built-in handles to ensure that carrying them around the home is very easy. Since you don’t need to install them you can always move with them regardless of where you want to go. The best way to use this is just to roll them out when you want to use them and fold them up when you are on the move. This is perhaps the reason why they are known as folding wheelchair ramps.

Three important tips for building a wheelchair ramp

Decide whether you want to do the work or hire someone. Before anything else you need to decide whether you want to do the work alone or hire someone to do it on your behalf. Since the cost of building one is not that expensive if you don’t have the necessary skills to install lightweight folding wheelchair ramps or indoor wheelchair ramps one the best thing to do is to hire someone to do it on your behalf.

Choose the entrance. Depending on your house there may be several doors that are options for entry via wheelchair ramps. Some of the things that you need to consider therefore include the width of the door, how easy other areas of the door is and how long the wheelchair ramp will have to be.

Building permits and approvals. Most areas will require you to get a building permit before you can install a wheelchair ramp. You, therefore, need to look for this if you don’t want to get into any problem with the authorities. You just need to check out with your local authorities and ensure that you have all the requirements and that your wheelchair ramps also meet the code that’s needed for building the ramps. If you have a homeowners association in your area do not forget to check out with them for the approval needed.

Build the wheelchair ramps in pieces

The best way to build a wheelchair ramp is to do it in modules so you can assemble it at the location where you want it to be instead of building one long ramp in a chosen place. When you build your wheelchair ramp in pieces adjusting it in future will be easier especially if something needs this if something goes wrong. Also, if you longer need the ramp you can always disable it and donate it to someone else or even sell it out.