Should You Turn Off And/Or Unplug a Treadmill After Use?

Do you enjoy running on a treadmill? Did you recently purchase a treadmill for your home gym? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may be wondering: Should I turn off and/or unplug my treadmill after each use?

You should definitely unplug your treadmill after each use. Unplugging electronics while not in use is a great way to not only save money on your electricity bill but also prolong the life of those devices. You might also consider adding a power surge strip for extra protection.

It might seem like a small change, but you’ll be able to enjoy some long-term benefits when you unplug your treadmill after each use. Let’s talk about the benefits, as well as what can happen if you do not unplug your treadmill.

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Turning Off Vs. Unplugging

When you simply turn off your treadmill, there is still electricity running through your machine. This constant flow of electricity can actually in time damage the machine and can make it die way sooner than it should. When you unplug the machine from the wall, you are cutting off the source of electricity from the machine and forcing your treadmill to take a break to reset. Just like how smartphones occasionally need to be fully turned off to reset, your treadmill needs this to work at its full potential.

Power strips or surge protectors with a power switch can help the treadmill from drawing power but doesn’t protect against all instances like a lightning strike. Unplugging your treadmill is much easier than replacing all the electronics.

Suggested post: How much does a treadmill cost.

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Benefits of Unplugging

There are many benefits of unplugging your treadmill after each use. Continue reading to learn of some.

Electricity Bill

While simply turning off the treadmill will turn off most of the electricity which is flowing through it, if it is still plugged into the wall, there is electricity constantly flowing through the treadmill. You will be paying for the electricity which is going through your machine and not being put to use.

Life of Your Machine

When you stop the flow of the electricity from your machine while not in use, this protects the mechanics of your machine and will prolong the life of your machine. Your machine will last longer and will stay in better shape for longer if you continue to unplug and let your machine have a break.

Read more about taking care of a treadmill’s electronics in this post.

If your machine is constantly running electricity, it’s at risk of spontaneously stopping. This can be dangerous for the runner if the belt on the treadmill suddenly stops and you continue running. The best way to prevent this from happening to you is by unplugging your treadmill after each use.

Unplugging your treadmill is one of the things you can do to extend the lifespan of your treadmill. Staying on top of maintenance is another. Suggested post: Guide to treadmill maintenance.

Safety

When your machine is simply turned off and still plugged into the wall, it can be turned on start moving with a simple click. Unplugging the machine is a safety precaution, especially if you have small children living in the house with your treadmill. Treadmills and heavy machinery can be very dangerous for children and adults alike. It is always safest to unplug from the wall when the machine is not in use. This prevents many accidents which might be caused by careless actions.

As mentioned above, unplugging the machine also prevents damage caused by a constant flow of electricity, which causes your treadmill to suddenly stop. That can be a very dangerous situation, one which is best prevented by simply unplugging your machine.

Is 30 minutes on a treadmill enough to see results?

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What Would Using a Power Surge Strip Do?

Generally, power surge strips hold three benefits. (1) they allow for more chargers to be plugged into the same port and (2) they prevent some of the damage which is caused from having a constant electricity flow. (3) It’s easy to turn off the treadmill because most surge strips have a power switch. That switch will cut al power to the plugged in devices.

Despite the power surge strip preventing some of the electricity from going through the machine while not in use, the only way to ensure the electricity is not damaging your machine is by simply unplugging from the wall or the power surge strip. A lightning strike can still jump across even when the power switch is turned off.

Suggested post: How much does a treadmill motor replacement cost?

Another problem with surge strips is that treadmills require a lot of power. Especially if you’ve got a model with higher powered motor, it requires quite a few amps. 15 amp for a 3 HP treadmill is common. Most manufacturers recommend to plug their treadmill into an outlet that can provide 15A or preferably 20A. Most surge protectors have a lower rating than that. It might not use that all the time but there can be power spikes on acceleration or during the footfall.

Power strips come in higher power ratings and it’s easier to find a power strip with switch and 20A power rating. Power strips don’t have any protection against power surges but flipping the switch will keep devices from drawing power.

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Maintaining Your Treadmill to Last

Aside from unplugging after each use, there are a few things you can do prolong the life of your treadmill.

Suggested post: Guide to treadmill maintenance.

Keeping it Clean

Even though you are running inside on your treadmill, you are still getting sweaty and this can get on your treadmill. Wiping off your treadmill after each use is one of the best ways to ensure there is no sweat or dirt leftover on your treadmill.

Regular dusting and cleaning off dirt and sweat is a great habit to get into when you are the owner of a treadmill.

About once a month, (or more consistently if you run enough on it), you should be doing a deep clean of your treadmill. This can be when you take a disinfecting spray and clean your machine. You should never spray directly onto the machine, as the liquid may damage some of the mechanics. Instead, spray the disinfectant onto a clean towel and use that to wipe down the machine for a thorough cleaning. You can also use this method to clean the belt which you run on.

Cleaning your machine regularly will prevent any damage which may be caused by dust, dirt, sweat, and more. This is a simple task that has a great outcome.

Putting your treadmill on an appropriate mat helps keep the dust out longer.

Inspecting Your Treadmill Regularly

Regular inspections of your treadmill can prevent any accidents from happening. During these inspections, you should be looking for anything which looks out of place or is broken. If you ever notice anything which is out of place or broken, you should immediately get them fixed or replaced.

If you have a warranty on your treadmill, you should contact the company where you purchased your treadmill to see if they can fix or replace the part for free. Warranties will often cover problems that were caused by the manufactures.

Tightening Pieces of Your Treadmill

While you are completing your inspections, this is a great time to go through and tighten any bolts which you see on your treadmill. When the machine is often in use and moving around, some of the bolts may loosen over time and can cause serious accidents. Tightening the bolts regularly can prevent any of these accidents from happening to you.

You should also tighten and align the conveyor belt of the treadmill. This can be pushed out of place over time and should be put back in place to prevent accidents from happening to you.