Moving a treadmill is very rarely an easy task. It takes a bit of skill, a lot of muscle, and sometimes some strategizing too. The thing is most treadmills are really heavy and it’s not just the weight either. Many of them are awkward and not really designed to be moving-friendly. Even the models that fold up and have wheels can be challenging to move if you can just roll them along to the new location.
If you want to learn more about how to move a treadmill, we invite you to take a look at this quick guide that shares tips and helpful hints. Treadmills are great, they give you the means at home to get in some great workouts and movement. But moving them is much harder than it sounds.
In a moment, we will talk about actually moving the treadmill, but first, let’s take a look at a few details. These things will simply help you plan the move. Some of these details might make moving easier or more challenging so we want to be sure to draw attention to them.
One major factor you will need to be aware of is the size and weight of this treadmill. Is it large, or is it heavy? Do you know exactly where you are moving it to?
Understanding the size and weight can help you plan how many people might be needed for lifting and moving the piece.
You certainly don’t want to try to move a treadmill that’s extremely heavy and bulk and end up with some sort of injury.
Most modern treadmills, even the best manual treadmill options are foldable now. However, there are still some that do not fold. This is one detail you’re going to want to find out for sure. Can you fold the treadmill? If you can’t fold it, you might want to see if you could slightly disassemble it.
Either of these can make it easier to move but might also help to distribute the weight differently as well.
Take a look and see if your treadmill is equipped with wheels. This is yet another modern advantage and most companies have taken to adding wheels. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that every treadmill has wheels still. These machines are heavy!
If you’re planning a treadmill move and yours has no wheels on it to make the task easier, you might want to consider using something like this simply wheeled dolly underneath to make it much easier!
If you’re trying to move a treadmill, using a furniture dolly could be really helpful as well. These dollies come in different types but they have wheels and some sort of support base that you can use to help with the moving process.
You can buy an inexpensive dolly or you can rent one if necessary. If you decide to buy one, chances are you will find other things that you can use it for as well.
There are several things that you can do before you move a treadmill and as you go through the process. The intent behind these tips is to help you find the best way to move your treadmill but also to remember safety while doing so.
Most of the time, you purchase a treadmill for health purposes. Take for example these best treadmills for walking options. You probably make a decision to improve your health or move your body and that prompts the purchase of a treadmill. Which you now have to move.
The thing is, if you’re not careful about moving it safely and properly, you could injure yourself. And additionally, you might actually break the treadmill. Take a look at these tips to help avoid mishaps like what we mentioned here.
Do you know that little booklet that came with your treadmill? It’s got valuable instructions in it that are perfect for a time such as this. Hopefully, you didn’t throw that owner’s manual away when you got the treadmill set up. If you did, do a quick search to see if you can find your manual online somewhere.
The manual will probably have instructions that could be useful for moving. Some manuals have a section dedicated to moving. Otherwise, you might want to look at the steps for folding or disassembling to help with your process.
When you were looking at the size and weight of your treadmill, we hope you noted the width and height. Now, consider walking the path you need to take to see if you are going to have obstacles along the way.
Now, check out the doorways too. Are they wide enough? Is there a chance the door will be in the way when you are moving? You want to be proactive and take care of obstacles or doors before you’re in the middle of making the move.
Here is a quick tutorial you can refer to on how to remove a door.
Now you’re ready to start the moving process. If you can fold the treadmill, now is the time to do it. Remember to grab help for this step if your treadmill is heavy. If it doesn’t fold, hopefully, you already went through the disassembly process with your manual.
Now, it’s time to load this treadmill onto your dolly, unless it has wheels of course. If you take a look at these best treadmills for seniors, you can get a good idea of the different models and how they are designed.
Some fold, some have wheels, and some of them have nothing at all to help you with the move. The treadmill you’re moving could fit any of these categories.
It is important that while you’re moving the treadmill, you be careful with it. It’s not that you aren’t capable of moving it but more that it could get damaged or you could hurt yourself if not careful. Take note that any lifting might need more than one person.
Lift properly to avoid injuries. As you’re moving, try not to bang into things or allow the treadmill to bang around. These could cause serious damages that make a treadmill not work properly when put back together for use.
Take it slow and steady, take breaks if you need to.
Once you reach the final destination, it’s time to get the treadmill set up. Carefully remove it from the dolly if you used one. Again, use two people and lift properly. If you folded up this treadmill, now is the time to unfold it and put it back in its normal position.
If you had to disassemble, this is the part where you’re going to grab the manual and put your pieces back together again. Hopefully, this won’t be a Humpty Dumpty type of situation.
Finally, you’re ready to go but there’s one last thing to look for. It’s important to take a look at any potential damages that might have occurred in the move. Take a look at the frame itself as well as the belt and just look for nicks, bends, or something that looks off.
If this is an electric treadmill, plug it in and let it run for a moment. Watch it move to be sure it goes smoothly and doesn’t show any signs of trouble.
Moving a treadmill upstairs can be more challenging than just moving it from one home to another. Ideally, an elevator would be helpful but that’s not always an option. The number of stairs could vary and you might have anywhere from 8-25 stairs, depending on the height of that case.
You will definitely want a friend when you start moving a treadmill upstairs, even if it folds and rolls. There are more hazards, including each stair that you have to go up. You also want to be gentle so you don’t harm this machine.
Follow these steps:
Slow and steady wins here. If your treadmill folds, you might be able to somewhat roll it up the steps but you should still get help doing so.
Moving downstairs can also be a challenge. Again, the steps add a whole different dimension. It might be easier than going up but you will need to move slowly to avoid falling or stumbling down with a treadmill in tow.
Here are some steps you can follow:
The individual moving backward will need to be very careful. One wrong step could cause a tumble, which could injure you and the treadmill.
The size of a treadmill can vary. It ultimately depends on the treadmill and any type of additions it might have. The lightest treadmills often weigh anywhere from 80 to 100 pounds. And the heaviest treadmills could weigh up to 1,000 pounds in some cases.
When you move a treadmill to another house, you can fold it up or use a dolly, depending on your machine. Always have someone to help with any lifting throughout the process. Be careful with the treadmill to avoid potential damage.
In most cases, to move through a doorway, it’s much easier to just remove the door. This is typically simple and you can just remove the pins holding on the door. It should also go back on easily by replacing those pins when you finish.
You might be capable of lifting the treadmill or even trying to move it on your own. However, we recommend always having help just to be safe about the moving process. Don’t try to push it and end up with an injury. Not only will your treadmill be heavy but it’s also bulky and awkward to move alone.
If you’re moving a heavy treadmill, the best thing to do is disassemble it. This can help spread the weight out more. You also need to plan to have at least two people, and possibly more if it’s a really heavy machine. Some commercial machines are very heavy.
Storing a treadmill differs for everyone. If it folds away, this is the best way to store it. If it doesn’t, it could be too heavy to move all the time so you want to consider a permanent placement.
Treadmills are great appliances until you have to figure out how to move them. Then, they can present a lot of challenges. When you’re purchasing a treadmill, you may want to look for options that fold and have wheels. If you ever move in the future, these details will help you a ton. It helps with storage too.
Here, we’ve gone through several tips to better understand how to move a treadmill. Use these tips to protect yourself as well as the treadmill no matter where it is being moved to. Keep in mind proper lifting techniques and use a buddy to help prevent injuries. Don’t forget to be cautious with the machine itself to avoid causing any damage.
