Buying a home treadmill is a great alternative if you don't want to go to the gym. Better still, it will allow you to burn calories and exercise regularly at home instead of going for an outdoor run.
Unfortunately, this can also be a big problem, especially if you plan to use the treadmill in apartment buildings. One reason is that treadmills are heavy equipment and can be very noisy during use. Also, you need to consider whether the floor of your apartment will handle the treadmill weight and other variables like space.
Therefore, you have to devise creative ways to help you exercise in an apartment without disturbing neighbors or damaging the floor surface. In this article, I'll look at all the variables to help you decide whether using the treadmill in an apartment is viable!
Can You Use a Treadmill in an Apartment?
Using a treadmill in an apartment offers various benefits since it allows you to exercise in the comfort of your home. However, before you buy an apartment-size treadmill, there are some essential details you need to figure out. They include:
⦿ Lease agreement
The first thing you need to do before you bring a treadmill to your apartment is to go through the lease agreement. This is because some lease agreements forbid treadmills. In some instances, landlords do not consider treadmills when drafting lease agreements. Instead, the contract may refer to the treadmill indirectly by terming it as a noise agreement. If you think the lease is unclear, seek confirmation from your leasing office or landlord.
⦿ Apartment size
Treadmills are available in various sizes. So, before you settle on a specific model, check whether your apartment has adequate space to accommodate it. If the treadmill is large, you'll have difficulty fitting it in your apartment.
At the same time, you've to consider how you will get it into the apartment. Besides, most elevators have a weight limit that dictates the maximum amount of load they can handle. You can easily pass this limit with a heavy treadmill and all the people needed to carry it.
On the bright side, you can easily find an apartment-size treadmill with so many types of treadmills available. These treadmill models are smaller than the larger units intended for commercial use in the gyms. Better yet, most treadmills come unassembled, allowing them to fit through the doorway easily.
All in all, it's important to measure the available space in your apartment to determine the ideal treadmill size for you!
⦿ Electrical requirements
Like other home treadmill models, you need to consider when you'll plug in your treadmill in the apartment. It's essential to have access to the appropriate power outlet to work out with your machine.
In that regard, most home treadmills are plugged into regular 120v grounded dedicated power outlets. Moreover, you may need to use a surge protector if you don't intend to unplug your treadmill after every use.
On the other hand, industrial treadmill models usually consume more electricity and require specialized outlets. In addition, such models cannot be used in apartments since you cannot change the outlets. So, avoid buying a treadmill that needs a special outlet if you want to take it to your apartment.
⦿ Time of use
Running on a treadmill produces noise, which can disrupt your neighbors. For that, you've to consider the time you'll use the treadmill in your apartment. The noise level will undoubtedly be an issue if you intend to use the treadmill in the late evening or early morning hours. Besides, you don't want to wake up your neighbors or keep them up since they're much more likely to complain to the landlord.
Instead, use the equipment during specific times when others are at work or not home. This will give you more freedom regarding noise produced when using a treadmill in an apartment. Also, notify your neighbors when you're planning to use the machine and observe that schedule.
If your treadmill is still loud, I'll show various tips you can use to make it quieter or reduce the impact of its noise on the surroundings!
How to Reduce Treadmill Noise in an Apartment
First, it's essential to understand that treadmill noise comes from 3 sources. That is, your feet while running/ walking, treadmill vibrations transmitted to the floor/ wall, and the noise of the treadmill belt/ motor.
With that in mind, the following tips will help you minimize the noise generated by these sources;
⦾ Use a noise-reducing exercise mat for the apartment
Putting a thick, rubber mat under your treadmill in the apartment helps reduce the vibrations from the exercise equipment and cushion the steps you take while running. In addition, the mat protects the flooring and offers the equipment a longer life. Even better, it keeps the treadmill in place, making it more stable by preventing it from moving around when placed on slippery surfaces like wooden floors and tiles.
⦾ Soundproof your apartment
If you want to maintain peace between you and the neighbors, you should consider soundproofing your apartment to minimize the noise from the treadmill. You can accomplish that by putting your treadmill on a carpeted area, anti-vibration treadmill mats or cork isolation pads. This will help to minimize noise transmission to adjacent apartment units. Also, ensure that the machine doesn't come into contact with any wall.
Secondly, consider installing a few wall panels in the room you're planning to set up the treadmill. This will help reduce sound vibrations from the treadmill, allowing you to enjoy the health benefits of treadmill training without disturbing your neighbors.
⦾ Look for a silent treadmill for the apartment
The easiest way to reduce noise in an apartment is to buy a pretty inexpensive treadmill. Some treadmills are equipped with quiet motors, while others have loud motors. This often varies based on the power of the engine & quality of the treadmill. Also, you have to consider the type and thickness of the material used to house the motor since it determines the amount of noise from the machine.
Nowadays, foldable treadmills can fit into small spaces such as closets. Better still, these compact models are designed to run quietly and even have wheels for easy transportation from one area to another.
⦾ Wear the right running shoes
Wearing the right pair of running shoes helps reduce the impact noise of feet on the treadmill belt. If possible, look for shoes that have sound-absorbing materials. For example, shoes with shock-absorbing gel help reduce treadmill noise and absorb the impact from your feet during the exercise.
⦾ Replace worn-out bearings
If your treadmill produces squeaking noises during use, check for worn-out bearings and rollers. The directions are attached to the rollers, so you may need a little time to access them. If you find out that the bearing is broken or worn out, replace it to reduce the squeaking and improve the overall function of your piece of equipment.
⦾ Lubricate the treadmill belt regularly.
As part of treadmill maintenance, it's important to lubricate the running belt regularly. Proper treadmill lubrication reduces friction in the machine's moving parts and lowers the noise produced by the engine during use. However, to accomplish that, you need to loosen the treadmill belt first and use a proper lubricant.
In addition, ensure the treadmill is fully maintained and its belts are tightened appropriately. On the same note, check the horsepower motor to ensure it's free from debris and dirt buildup.
⦾ Perform a quieter run or walk at an incline
Most treadmill noise comes from the impact of feet hitting the running belt while working out. So, if you want to lower the noise, you should try performing a quiet run. At the same time, you should consider the height you're lifting your feet from the treadmill to increase the efficiency of your quiet running.
Alternatively, you can try walking at a high or medium incline instead of running. This will help reduce the impact noise since your feet will not hit the belt that hard. Yet the exercise will be as effective as jogging and help to improve your overall health and performance.
⦾ Set Up your treadmill in a strategic location
Your treadmill will consistently produce some noises, even after doing everything we've mentioned above. For that reason, it's essential to put it strategically where it can be making noise without distracting the neighbors.
For instance, you should put the treadmill away from interior walls and as far away from spaces like the study room and bedroom.
Where Should I Put My Treadmill?
The best place to put a treadmill in the apartment is near a corner. This will ensure great support underneath your treadmill and prevent the building from bouncing too much when you start running or jogging.
On the contrary, avoid putting the equipment in the middle of the room. This is because the center of the floors tends to move a lot compared to the edges, leading to unnecessary vibrations and noise.
Similarly, avoid putting the machine in uneven spots since it will start squeaking once you begin to jog or run. To prevent this vibration, ensure the treadmill sits on a flat surface. This will ensure that its base sits on a uniform surface, preventing it from bouncing with every step you take.
Can You Use a Treadmill in an Upper Floor Apartment?
f you live in a condo or apartment, using a treadmill on the upper floor is perfectly acceptable. However, using the treadmill upstairs may be less than an ideal option. More importantly, there are specific implications you need to consider before you set up your workout space. You have to ask yourself questions like;
⦿ How much weight can an upstairs floor hold?
If the apartment building is structurally sound, its floors can easily hold the weight of a treadmill and anyone using it. In short, the maximum weight an upstairs floor can have will depend on the apartment building's construction.
Generally, a properly built floor can support about 50 pounds per square foot. Therefore, a 100 sq. ft. room can hold 5000 pounds without risking structural damage.
Getting back to the issue of using fitness equipment in an apartment, you have to consider the weight of an average treadmill. In most cases, the heaviest home treadmills weigh about 350 lbs, but some models reach up to 455 lbs. In that case, if a 300-lb person uses a 350-lb pound, that is a combined weight of 650 lbs. Although that may seem like a lot, an adequately built floor will comfortably support that weight without any problem.
However, if you're still concerned about the treadmill weight, put your fitness equipment above a load-bearing wall. Alternatively, you can set up the treadmill directly on top of the floor joist for extra weight-bearing capacity.
The other option is to look for a lightweight treadmill for apartments. Although most floors can support even the most massive treadmill, lighter models are considered the best exercise equipment for an upstairs apartment since they're easier to move into position.
⦿ Will the treadmill damage my floor?
Exercise equipment, with its heavy weight, vibrations, and moving components, poses a possible risk to your home floors. They can cause permanent damage to your carpeted or hard floor, especially if you put them in a permanent position without placing a floor protector underneath. As a result, most treadmill manufacturers advise owners to put a mat under the treadmill to prevent potential damage to the flooring.
Here's How the Treadmill Can Damage Your Floor! First, when using the fitness equipment, its parts and impact might dig into your floor surface and dent/ scratch hard floors. Also, the machine may snag your carpet flooring or crash its fibers. On top of that, treadmill lubricants may leak out and accumulate underneath the equipment over time, thus staining the flooring.
To protect your floor from the treadmill, put a sturdy, thick rubber mat underneath the equipment. The mat will stabilize the machine and protect your floor surface.
In addition, lift up the treadmill completely from the floor surface when moving it from one place to another with the aid of another person. Pushing the treadmill across the floor may cause gouges or scratches on hard floors or snag the carpet. And if your treadmill has wheels on the bottom, make sure you lift it up from the floor until the transportation wheels touch the floor.
⦿ The mat will stabilize the machine and protect your floor surface.
Despite being small and compact, apartment-size treadmills can still be heavy and bulky. Therefore, it's good to have a plan before you take the treadmill into an apartment.
That said, the following tips with you to get the treadmill into your apartment with ease;
1. Choose a foldable treadmill
Look for a treadmill that is easy to fold down or disassemble to make it less bulky. Also, learn to secure and properly fold the machine before carrying it around.
2. Check for transportation wheels
Treadmills with wheels are easier to handle and move from one place to another. If the treadmill doesn't have tools, consider using alternative tools like a furniture dolly to move it to your apartment.
3. Measure the stairs
Measure the door frame as well as the width of the elevator/ stairs of your apartment building. This will help you choose a treadmill that will fit through your apartment.
4. Look for assistance
A treadmill should be moved by at least 2 people, especially if stairs are involved. More notably, ensure the stronger person is stationed at the bottom since that is where most weight is handled.
5. Wrap corners
Lastly, wrap the corners of the treadmill with a padding material like blankets, especially if they're sharp or metallic. This protects the people carrying the treadmill into your apartment from being hurt or injured.
Conclusion
Having a treadmill in an apartment is a great way to ensure that you train regularly at home to stay fit and healthy. Unfortunately, you may continually receive noise complaints from the neighbors, limiting how often you use the equipment.
To avoid that, it's essential to look for ways to help you use the machine without distracting the neighbors. Interestingly, the tips in this article will show you how to use a treadmill in an apartment without disturbing your neighbors. Essentially, they'll show you how to reduce treadmill noise in an apartment while preventing the floor from being damaged!
FAQs
1. What are the best treadmill alternatives for an apartment?
If your lease agreement prohibits using a treadmill in the apartment because it may disturb other tenants, look for quieter options. These include; rowers, versa climbers, ellipticals, stationary bikes, edges, and air walkers.
2. Is it safe to set up workout equipment on the 2nd floor?
Yes, It's safe to use a treadmill on the 2nd floor of an apartment or modern home, provided it complies with the current building codes. Most second-level floors can support a significant weight capacity, including the average weight of a treadmill and the person running on it.
3. Can I use a Peloton tread in an apartment?
Generally speaking, you can only use a Peloton treadmill if you live on the bottom floor. This is because Peloton treadmills are usually heavier and more difficult to carry around than stationary bikes. Moreover, they make significantly more noise compared to lighter treadmill models.
4. How to get a treadmill upstairs?
Remove all objects and furniture that may get in your way while you're moving the treadmill. Put a treadmill mat where you will set up your treadmill. Look for at least one person to help you move the machine. Lift the running belt and fold it up towards the treadmill console until it locks into place.
Slightly tilt the treadmill towards the treadmill toward the floor. Lift it up from your end while your assistant lifts the opposite end. Take the machine up the stairs, taking a break when necessary. When pausing to rest, make sure you either set the lower or upper part of the treadmill securely on a step and have one person hold it steady from the opposite side. Take the equipment to the intended location and put it on top of the mat.