As gasoline or petrol costs are rising, finding a reliable treadmill for your home is becoming a very tempting option for many fitness enthusiasts nowadays, rather than going out of their way to work out at their gym. However, finding the perfect spot inside your home for your new treadmill can be tough, as treadmills aren’t small machines.
With limited space available inside most homes, most people opt to put this huge piece of equipment in their garage instead. But is the garage really the best place for your treadmill?
Let’s first consider the pros and cons of storing your treadmill in your cold garage. Then, here on Treadmill Guru, we will also outline some short tips, quick fixes, and solutions to some of the common issues people face while storing treadmill garage if you decide that the garage is the best place for your treadmill.
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Pros Of Treadmill In Garage
- One huge advantage of putting the treadmill in your garage is that you can isolate the noise output of the treadmill away from the rest of your household. You do not have to worry about waking the kids up with the noise or disrupting your partner’s quiet unwinding every time you are in the mood for a treadmill workout.
- With a treadmill in the garage, you won’t have to risk life and limb by running in the rain or snow. Instead, you can stay safe and warm inside your garage during your run and focus on proper running form.
- Since treadmills generally don’t match your home’s decor, you get to avoid ruining your home’s interior design with a bulky machine.
- The garage is the perfect place to keep this huge piece of equipment out of the way of your already busy house.
- If you have small children at home, then it’s definitely much safer for them to have your treadmill stationed and locked inside your garage instead of in the house where your children can easily access it. Young children who don’t understand the dangers of the treadmill could get their hands caught in the belts of the treadmill or try to join you during a run. These things you can prevent by keeping your treadmill in the garage.
- Keeping your treadmill in the garage can help you stay cooler during your workouts. As treadmill exercise can leave a room muggy, having your treadmill in your cold garage can fix the issue of overheating during your runs, leaving you more inclined to exercise regularly.
- Most of all, you don’t have to worry anymore about making your house smell like a gym every time you use your treadmill.
Cons Of Treadmill In Garage
- Extreme weather such as cold winters and the height of summer can adversely affect your treadmill. Heat usually isn’t as much of a problem, as your garage will shield the treadmill from the direct sun. However, the cold can damage many of the parts of your treadmill like the LCD screen and belt. In fact, treadmill manufacturers strongly advise against storing your treadmill in your garage, especially the cold, unheated garage.
- Aside from the cold during winter and the heat during summer, if you live in a humid area, the moisture might cause problems for your equipment. Other people who have their treadmills stored in their garage have been using groundsheet or plastic cover to put over treadmills when not in use in order to stop the cold, damp, or moisture from getting to the treadmills too much.
- There is no scenery in the garage unless your garage has windows, which most do not have any. This lack of view can make using your treadmill in the garage very boring unless you set up an entertainment system.
- The garage is usually not the cleanest room in a house. It’s a place where dust, dirt, grass, and leaves collect over time. The dirt and dust build up in the garage can get into the parts and into the grooves of your treadmill and possibly into the motor and ruin it.
- If you do decide to store your treadmill in the garage, you will likely need to clean it more often to keep from having dirt, grime, or dust from building up and damaging your treadmill.
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Additional Treadmill In Garage Safety Tips and Precautions
Aside from the temperature, dust, and dirt issues, safety is also one of the most important factors to consider first before deciding to store your treadmill in the garage.
For one thing, if you do speed workouts or run at higher speed levels, it can be dangerous to do it out in the garage. While the appeal of the sound-canceling garage is still there, if you slip and fall while running at a high speed, no one may come and check on you for a while. Also, garages often are packed with tools and the family car, which are not things you want to fall on if you get thrown by your treadmill.
So, as a safety precaution, position your treadmill in an area that has ample space to protect you from potential injuries if something goes wrong during your run.
A good rule of thumb for placing your treadmill is that there should always be a minimum of five feet of open space behind the treadmill. Garages come in different sizes, layout, and spaces, so if you don’t have that enough space for your treadmill in your garage, you might want to put your treadmill in some other place inside your house that has more space. This crucial step can possibly protect you from severe injuries.
Consider Options Before Putting The Treadmill In The Garage
Many people still choose to store their treadmills in their cold garage, mainly because of the lack of space inside their house. Those who claim that their treadmills have been living in their garage for 2 years already say that their treadmill is still going strong, which implies that it is still fully functional. However, it’s best that you don’t just take their word for it and instead, weigh the pros and cons for yourself.
If you want to buy a new treadmill and have no place to store it, except in your garage, just follow the tips that we gave you above to help protect your investment and keep an eye on your treadmill during the coldest parts of the winter to ensure that it is doing okay.
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What temperature is “cold”? I figured with the title and all those words at least that would have been mentioned
Jimmy,
Thanks for your comment. Most treadmill companies recommend maintaining an ambient temperature no lower than 50 degrees. Anything colder than this can impair the motor function. If you live in a moderate climate and/or have an insulated garage, you should be fine. If you live in a cold climate where your garage temperature regularly drops below 50 degrees it could negatively affect the machine.
Do you know the best treadmills that hold up best in cold temperatures. I need one for long run in winter. I live in Wisconsin and no option to heat garage. Thanks
Michael,
We’d recommend the Sole F80. It is durable and should hold up well in the cold. When not using your treadmill, we recommend covering it with a blanket or other insulating fabric to keep it as warm as possible.
Would it be better to choose a treadmill without motor?