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Home Treadmill Maintenance and Care Tips
Treadmills are some of the most popular exercise machines in the United States. Aside from running, companies across the world are creating new fitness routines that people can do on treadmills to stay healthy.
Unfortunately, these machines are also among the most dangerous. Thousands of people each year end up in the emergency services with some form of treadmill-related injury.
There are three reasons why these injuries take place.
The first one is because people don’t learn how to use the machine before jumping on. The second is people overdoing it. And, the third is the machine is not in good working order.
Taking the third reason into account, we’ve decided to share some home treadmill maintenance and care tips that will help you avoid an injury.
Why Should You Look After Your Treadmill?
Even if you have one of the best treadmills on the market today, you’ll have to give it some regular maintenance.
But, home treadmill care is not a fun job. This is one of the key reasons why people don’t do it.
If you want your treadmill to last for the foreseeable future, you may want to get your hands dirty.
Doing regular maintenance on your treadmill will ensure that it continues working as it should. This will help you avoid any injuries and could save you a lot of money in the long run.
After all, if your treadmill breaks down, you’ll have to buy a new one. Or worse, you’ll have to pay for a costly gym membership until you can fix your running machine.
Treadmill Maintenance Tips
When it comes to treadmill care, there are some maintenance tasks you have to do every day, while others you can do on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis.
Daily Maintenance
Every time you use your treadmill, you must wipe it down, especially if you’re working up a sweat. Over time, if too much moisture enters the machine, it will rust. It could also become home to bacteria and fungi.
Additionally, listen to the sound your treadmill makes everytime you use it. If it starts making any strange noises, stop using it while you work out the root cause of the problem.
Weekly Maintenance
Check the walking belt and deck on your home treadmill each week. you should check for wear and tear. You should also make sure it is straight. By this, we mean it shouldn’t be scraping against either side of your machine.
Clean the area around your treadmill every week. If too much dust and dirt gather around the machine it will end up inside it, thus causing you further problems in the future.
Monthly Maintenance
With regular use, a home treadmill can start to vibrate. These vibrations loosen up the nuts and bolts keeping your treadmill together.
Check these nuts and bolts every month. Tighten the ones attaching the console to the frame on a regular basis. These are the ones most likely to become loose.
Yearly Maintenance
Once a year, you have to clean the motor compartment of your treadmill. You should also move your running machine and vacuum underneath it.
Before cleaning the motor compartment, unplug your treadmill. Also, be sure not to touch any of the electrical components as they’re fragile. If you damage them with your vacuum, you could be in for a whole world of trouble!
You also have to lubricate your treadmill every year depending on the amount of use it gets.
What You Need to Maintain Your Treadmill
There are some supplies you need to have on hand if you want to perform regular maintenance on your treadmill.
For starters, you’ll need lubricant. To choose the best treadmill lubricant, you should look at your manufacturer’s manual.
You’ll also need a walking belt adjustment wrench. This should come with your machine. If it doesn’t, check your owner’s manual for the right size before buying one.
How to Lubricate Your Treadmill
The best treadmill lubricants have wax in their components. This wax lubricates the treadmill as you use it. Only lubricate your home treadmill when necessary. If you do it too often, you may damage the components.
Also, to lubricate your treadmill, follow the instructions outlined in your user’s manual.
How to Align the Belt
From time to time, you will have to realign your treadmill belt. The best way to know if you need to align your belt is if it doesn’t run straight down the deck’s center.
To align the belt, you will have to adjust the bolts at the back of the treadmill. Make one small adjustment at a time. If you can’t get it quite right, check your user’s manual for further advice.
Checking the Belt Tension
When you buy your home treadmill, the belt will most likely come pre-adjusted.
But, over time, the belt will stretch.
When the belt is loose it will slip. This can cause unnecessary wear and tear to the deck and the belt. The belt could also be too loose. If this is the case, it could cause damage to the rollers and the motor.
To check if the belt is loose, turn on your treadmill at a slow speed. Then, walk with heavy footsteps. If it slips, it needs tightening.
Replacing the Belt
Whichever treadmill you have in your home, it is likely that you will have to change the belt at some point or another. By replacing it, you will protect your deck.
You should check for signs of wear every 3 months. If the belt feels rough, you may have to change it.
Protecting Your Treadmill’s Electrical System
Modern treadmills come with electronic consoles. Power surges tend to damage these consoles.
To make sure your console stands the test of time, connect it to an AC outlet. This outlet should be grounded in the correct way. If possible, use a dedicated circuit specific to your treadmill.
Choosing the Best Treadmill
Treadmill maintenance is essential to all types of treadmills. That said, choosing the right treadmill will ensure that your machine stands the test of time.
At Simply Fitness Equipment, we rate some of the best running machines available at the moment.
If you want to find out more about some of the best equipment and workouts you can do, visit our blog today.
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