Sometimes the hardest steps aren’t inside the house at all. They’re the porch steps at the front door, the deck stairs out back or the steps up from the garage. A chair lift for stairs outside has to handle those steps, plus the weather that comes with them.
The Harmar Summit is one way to do it. Its outdoor version, the SL350OD, is built to live outside year-round. It also runs straight off household power, with no batteries at all. That’s a real plus in some ways and a real limit in one.
How Does a Chair Lift for Stairs Outside Hold Up to the Weather?
An outdoor model is built for it. The Harmar Summit SL350OD has an extruded aluminum track that resists the elements, a marine-grade vinyl seat and a large weatherproof cover. It’s built to handle rain, wind, snow and temperatures from 0°F to 125°F. The rail mounts to the steps, so it doesn’t need a wall.
Around here, outdoor steps see summer sun, spring storms and winter snow. The SL350OD comes with a header cover, an internal chassis cover and a large weatherproof cover. That keeps the lift protected when nobody is riding it.
Harmar Summit at a Glance
- Versions: SL350OD for outdoor steps, SL350AC for indoor stairs
- Power: standard 115-volt household AC, with no batteries
- Drive: cable drive with a slack-cable brake, with no track grease needed
- Capacity: 350 lb on tracks up to 15′ 9″; 250 lb on tracks from 15′ 10″ to 25′
- Outdoor track length: 16′ to 25′ (SL350OD)
- Speed: 20 feet per minute
- Stair angle: 35 to 45 degrees
- Folded: 14″ from the wall
A Stair Lift That Runs on AC Power: The Honest Trade-Off
The Summit runs directly on standard 115-volt household power. There are no batteries in the unit, ever. That means nothing to monitor, charge or replace as the years go by, which keeps long-term upkeep low.
It moves on a proven cable drive, which uses a cable to move the chair along the track. The slack-cable brake is the safety backup, built to stop the chair if that cable ever goes slack. And the track never needs grease.
Now the flip side. Because the Summit has no batteries, it does not run during a power outage. When the power goes out, the lift waits until it comes back.
If you need a lift that keeps working through an outage, a battery-powered stair lift is the better choice. Our post on stair lifts, power outages and batteries explains how those work.
Built for Porch, Deck and Garage Steps
If you’ve been looking for an outdoor chair lift for porch steps, the way the Summit mounts matters. Its rail fastens to the stair treads, not a wall. So it can go on either side of your porch, deck, garage or entry steps, whichever side works best, without a sturdy wall nearby. Call/send controls at the top and bottom of the stairs bring the lift to you.
The ride is simple and comfortable:
- A spacious, thickly padded seat with a three-position backrest
- A fold-up footrest you can set at two heights
- A constant-pressure rocker switch in the armrest: press it to move, and the lift stops the moment you let go
- A seat that swivels 90 degrees at the top, so you step off facing the landing, never the steps below
- A seat belt, a footrest obstruction switch, a swivel-seat cut-off switch and final limit switches at both ends of travel
For an outdoor lift that passersby can reach, the optional key lock is a smart add. It lets you switch the lift off with a key, so no one can use it without your permission.
Who the Summit Is a Good Fit For
The Summit makes sense for straight outdoor steps when you want very little upkeep and no batteries to replace. It’s also a fit if you’re comfortable with a lift that only runs when the power is on. For indoor stairs, the SL350AC version offers optional flip-up armrests that make side transfers easier, plus an optional grocery basket for carrying things up.
Look at other options if any of these sound like you:
- You need to ride during outages. A battery model is the better fit.
- Your outdoor steps curve. The Summit is a straight stair lift. See our outdoor curved stair lifts instead.
- A wheelchair user can’t transfer to a seat. That calls for a platform lift, not a chair lift.
- Capacity is a concern. Harmar rates the Summit for 350 pounds on tracks up to 15 feet 9 inches, and 250 pounds on tracks from 15 feet 10 inches to 25 feet. We confirm the rating for your exact steps.
You can compare more choices on our outdoor stair lifts page or browse our Harmar stair lifts.
What Working With Us Looks Like
Every chair lift for stairs outside starts the same way with us: a free in-home consultation. We measure your steps, look at where the lift will get its power, and give you a clear written quote. If you live in Wichita, we also handle the permit that every job there requires.
Our own installers put the lift in and walk you through how it works before they leave. Because we service what we install, help is one phone call away.
Harmar’s published specifications list a 2-year parts warranty that starts on the day the lift is installed. The warranty certificate must go back to Harmar within 10 days. Our 6-month workmanship warranty adds coverage for the installation itself. See the full specs and options for the Harmar Summit.
Related reading: Stair Lift for Spiral Staircases: How the Handicare Freecurve Fits and Heavy-Duty Stair Lift: The 600-lb Harmar Pinnacle SL600HD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an outdoor stair lift work in a power outage?
Battery models can, but the Harmar Summit doesn’t. It runs directly on household power and has no batteries, so it only runs when the power is on. If outages worry you, ask us about a battery-powered model.
Does the Harmar Summit need a wall to mount to?
No. The rail fastens to the stair treads, not the wall. That means it can go on either side of your porch, deck, garage or entry steps.
How do you keep other people from using an outdoor stair lift?
The Summit offers an optional key lock. It lets you switch the lift off with a key, so it can’t be used without your permission.
How much does an outdoor stair lift cost?
It depends on your steps. The track length, options like the key lock or extra rail, and what it takes to get power to the spot all change the total. Your free in-home consultation is how you get an exact number, in writing.
Serving Wichita, Columbia and Missouri Lake Homes
Home Accessibility Solutions is a family-owned business, based in Wichita since 2017. We serve Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. Along with our Wichita office, we have a second location in Climax Springs, Missouri, that serves lake homes. Families in Columbia and the rest of the state get the same careful measuring and straight answers.
Let’s make your outdoor steps easy again.
We’ll measure your steps, check the power and give you a clear written quote. Book your free in-home consultation or call (316) 361-6220.