Maintaining a Treadmill
When you purchase some large piece of exercise
equipment, such as a treadmill, regular maintenance is very important.
Ignoring maintenance on your treadmill will all but guarantee that your
treadmill breaks down earlier than it was meant to, which can cost you a
great deal of money to fix and/or replace. Here are several different things
you should do to maintain your treadmill.
1.
Dust Often And Wipe Away Sweat and Dirt
Dust may seem harmless, but it has the ability to
get deep into parts and cause a number of different problems especially as
it builds up over time. You should dust all parts of the treadmill often,
including the screen, underneath the belt, on the sides of the belt and even
on the handles. Anywhere that dust can build up should be cleaned whenever
possible to reduce the likelihood of wear and tear. Wiping away sweat and
dirt is important as well, as those can be corrosive.
2.
Set Up Your Treadmill on Flat Ground
Something as simple as treadmill setup can make a
huge difference in how long your treadmill lasts and how well it performs.
Treadmills are meant to be on flat, level ground, preferably on some type of
mat so that they do not move around when you run on them. A moving treadmill
that tilts at all is going to receive a great deal of abuse and will break
down easily.
3.
Don’t Go At the Fastest Speeds Often
Treadmills have a horsepower system that affects
how fast they can go. If you bought a walking treadmill – one that is only
designed to go as high as 6 miles per hour – you should not be running on it
often. 6 miles per hour is a 10 minute mile and a perfectly acceptable pace
for most aerobic exercisers. But on a walking treadmill with a 6 mile per
hour maximum, that 6 MPH represents the motor working at full time as hard
as it can. If you are planning on running at 6 MPH, make sure you are buying
a treadmill that can run easily at 12 MPH, so that the motor isn’t working
as hard when you run at 6.
4.
Tighten and Replace Belts
Belts are some of the first things to wear down on
a treadmill. Try to tighten them often in order to improve their lifespan as
well as help your treadmill work more seamlessly. In addition, try to
replace the belt whenever it appears to be wearing thin in order to keep
yourself safe.
5.
Get Regular Maintenance
If you have a professional maintenance person check
your treadmill once every year or so, you can avoid many of the major, more
expensive problems that can occur that would call for complete replacement
of the system. There are various professional equipment maintenance
professionals that are more than willing to come to your house to check out
the equipment and make sure it is all in working order, and the small cost
can save you a great deal of money in the long run.
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