Expert Stairlift Installation in Upper Saucon, PA

A straight stairlift in a standard Center Valley colonial takes about 3 hours from arrival to final test. Curved lifts take 4–6 hours because the custom rail needs precise alignment at each bend. Outdoor units on porch steps take about 3 hours. Luis arrives with the rail pre-assembled in sections, bolts it to the stair treads (not the wall), plugs the unit into a standard outlet, tests every safety sensor, and walks you through operation before he leaves.

No. The rail bolts directly to the stair treads, not to the wall or drywall. This matters especially in Coopersburg's 19th-century stone and brick homes where wall anchoring would be difficult and destructive. The bolt holes in the treads are 5/16-inch — barely visible. If you ever remove the lift, the holes can be filled with wood putty in 20 minutes.

Yes — we regularly install on stairs as narrow as 28 inches in the older farmhouses along Lanark Road and in Friedensville. The seat, armrests, and footrest all fold up when not in use, leaving about 17 inches of clear walking space. For particularly tight turns in 19th-century stone homes, we use a slim-rail model that adds only 4 inches of rail width beyond the staircase edge.

Yes — the outdoor models we install in Upper Saucon are IP55 weather-sealed with marine-grade gaskets, a covered gear rack, and a 4Ah battery that runs the lift through a 6-hour power outage. The rail is powder-coated aluminum that won't rust from road salt or snow melt. We've had units on exposed stone porch steps in Weyhill for four winters now — including the January 2024 cold snap with six straight days below 20°F — and they run without issue.

Yes. The VA Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant provides up to $6,800 for veterans with service-connected disabilities and $2,000 for non-service-connected veterans rated 50% or higher. The grant is one-time, tax-free, and never repaid. Upper Saucon veterans fall under the Allentown VA Clinic at 3110 Hamilton Boulevard (part of the VA Wilkes-Barre Healthcare System). The process starts with a prescription from your VA primary care doctor stating the stairlift is medically necessary. From there, the application goes to the prosthetics department — approval typically takes 4–6 weeks.

Yes. Pennsylvania's Community HealthChoices (CHC) Waiver — the state's managed care HCBS program that consolidated the former Attendant Care, Independence, and CommCare waivers — covers home modifications including stairlifts for individuals who require long-term services and supports to remain in their home. CHC is available to Pennsylvanians 21 and older who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, or who have a physical disability and meet the nursing-facility level of care. The stairlift must be deemed medically necessary, and a prior authorization from your CHC managed care organization is required. In Lehigh County, the Area Agency on Aging can help with the assessment.

Yes — two key programs. First, the PA Accessible Housing Grant (part of the Keystone Communities Program administered by DCED) funds home modifications for low-to-moderate-income residents with permanent disabilities. Grants are distributed through county and local agencies — Lehigh County has utilized these funds for accessibility projects. Second, the PA OPTIONS program, run through the Lehigh County Area Agency on Aging, provides in-home services and can cover home modifications for residents 60 and older who want to age in place. Both require an assessment and have income guidelines.

No. Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) does not cover stairlifts — it classifies them as home modifications, not durable medical equipment. Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans offer supplemental home-modification benefits, but coverage varies by plan and is usually capped at $500–$1,000 per year. If you're on a Medicare Advantage plan, call the member-services number on your card and ask specifically about 'home accessibility modifications.' Most Upper Saucon families we work with use a combination of the HISA grant (for veterans), CHC Waiver (for Medicaid-eligible residents), or financing at $79/month.