Fall River, MA -- (SBWire) -- 10/29/2012 --Purchasing an electric wheelchair is a big investment in both time and money. Doing the research to ensure that you have a chair that meets your needs can take weeks and even months with all of the brands and options that are available. When it comes to cost, you absolutely want to make sure you are making the right choice. BluechipCare.com has a few maintenance tips that will help you keep your powered wheelchair in tip-top shape so that your investment lasts longer and serves you better over the years.

Read the Manual

Your wheelchair came with a manual that has a number of helpful tips and some essential maintenance practices. You need to read the manual and follow the guidelines laid out. Because each brand of wheelchair uses its own specific technology, they all have their own maintenance needs. Step one is to make sure you understand the specific needs of your chair so you don’t accidentally forget to perform the maintenance on a timely schedule.

Keep to a Schedule

Your chair will need servicing at different times. Some items might need weekly, monthly and yearly attention. It’s a good idea to keep a calendar of your maintenance needs in order to stay on top of it. Remember, just like our own health, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Search the Internet

When it comes to maintenance, know that you are not alone. Others out there purchased the same chair that you did. Take the time to look around the internet at forums and blogs to see what kinds of maintenance (or problems) others are having or doing to their chair. Gaining knowledge from other folks who actually use the chair can sometimes be more useful than the information in the manual.

Address Problems Early

If you notice something loose or not right on your chair, don’t put it off until tomorrow – tomorrow never comes! If you have the ability, shore up the problem right away. If you can’t fix it, call someone who can. Small problems that are easily fixed often turn into large problems that are ten times more costly and take longer to repair.

Keep to a Routine

It’s important that you set up a daily routine for your chair. Always make sure that you have a spot where your chair can rest while it is charging up. Make sure that your place is dry and out of the way. Charge your chair every day. A battery that is allowed to have its charge depleted will have an overall shorter lifespan—and batteries can be expensive.

Keep Tires Inflated

Just like on a car, you will want to keep the tires on your powered wheelchair properly inflated. The motor on your wheelchair works best and with the least amount of resistance when the tires are at peak inflation. Under-inflated tires cause greater friction and over inflated tires may burst while you are “on the road.”

You invested a lot in your electric wheelchair and you expect it to last a good long time in order to get a return on that investment. But, mechanical devices need maintenance and care in order to run safely and effectively. Performing simple maintenance that doesn't take much effort will pay of over the years as your powered wheelchair continues to take you places.