A home treadmill is one of the best investments if you are a fitness freak. But if you live in the second or third floor, then you must think that can treadmill be used upstairs?
In this article you will see if it’s actually safe to put a treadmill in your upstairs level. Most people want the luxury of working out at home, but they want the free space in the layout of their homes or their small apartments. This causes a problem when it comes to treadmills because I’m sure that you’re aware that treadmills are not the smallest pieces of fitness equipment. Even though there are some pretty compact treadmills on the market today, they still take up a considerable about of space.
That is why you may want to put your treadmill in a room on a second floor of your house in a room that isn’t used as much as a room on the first floor.
The other option would be to put your treadmill in the basement of your house, but not all people want to workout in their basements.
But if you have decided where to put your treadmill and that decision has let you to choose the upstairs of your home, then this article will help you determine if it’s safe and right for your particle home.
Contents
Can treadmill be used upstairs?
This is a tricky question and the answer to this particular question depends on various factors. In the case of a well-structured building, it is very much important to know how much weight the floor can take. You should remember the fact that the weight of both treadmill and the person on top of it will be calculated.
The general weight of the residential treadmill should be 350lbs. The weight of the person is 300lb. So, the combined weight is 650 pounds. Your buildings should take this combined weight without any issue.
How much weight can the floor resist?
This depends on the construction of the building where you live. But in general, the built floor can take up to 50 lbs per square foot, this is floor load capacity generally. So, as if your room is 100 square feet, then your room can take 5000 lbs of weight without risking any types of damages. So, your room can take the combined weight of the 350lbs treadmill and 300lb person on it.
But if you are still concerned about the damage fact, then here are some solutions for you:
Place the treadmill against the load-bearing wall
If you are really worried and cannot understand where to place your treadmill then you can place that on the top of the floor joist. That portion has the extra weight-bearing capacity. You can also put it down on the load-bearing wall if you place it on the second floor.
Go for the less weighty treadmill
If you are still in confusion whether you place it on the second floor or not, then you should buy a less weighty treadmill. The lighter model of a treadmill can be easy to manage and set up. Above all, it is not healthy and well to be worried every time you use it. So, the lighter option can solve your problem and wipe out your worries as well.
There are some other solutions for you if you want to place your treadmill on the second floor:
Test the sound projection of the home
Before buying a treadmill for your second floor, you need to check or test how does the sound travel through your building? You can do this by yourself. You can take the help of your friend or the person who live just beneath your floor. You just need to stand on your tiptoes and make the sound with your heel on the upstairs. Your friend or the person who live downstair will help you to listen to that sound. If they listen to the heel dropping sound of yours, then the sound of the treadmill will unbearably loud for the people who live in downstairs.
Use carpet
Some accessories can help you to mute out or decrease the sound of the treadmill. Carpet is one of them. You can also buy the anti-vibration treadmill mats. This will help you to decrease the level of sound and vibration due to treadmill. Apart from this, rugs, carpet and mat can reduce the sound of the treadmill and can also reduce the chance of damage. So, it is a good idea to place the treadmill at the corner if you want to minimize the vibration or the sound.
Apart from this, you can also ask the contractor or the engineer of the building. They know better how much weight your building floor can take up to. So, they will suggest you best. If you are worried to place the treadmill in your second-floor apartment, then you should consider taking help from the contractors of the particular building. In this case, you need to contact the building authority. You can also buy an apartment where you can get to the gym facility.
Before buying a treadmill for your house, you need to have a chat with your neighbor. It is your responsibility to inform him or her about your buying. So, that they are comfortable. You can also fix your treadmill session when they are not home. In this way, you can please them and buy a treadmill.
Final Thoughts
So I hoped that has helped you in answering your questions about using a treadmill on a higher level, other than your first story of your house. If you have any questions that weren’t answered in this article, please leave a comment below and I will respond ASAP.
Also if you don’t feel comfortable with determining if your treadmill will be safe upstairs then contact a local professional to make this decision. There are all kinds of professionals working in your area such as contractors, inspectors, and architects, and engineers that I’m sure would take a look at the structural integrity of your house to determine if putting a treadmill upstairs is right for you.
