Should You Maintain And Service Your Gym Equipment?

Whether you own a private gym or a commercial facility that’s open to members of the public, we have absolutely no doubt that the idea of equipment maintenance has occurred to you on more than one occasion. But does it need to? Is it important to maintain and service your gym equipment?

It is important to regularly service and maintain gym and fitness equipment in order to maximise the life of the equipment and ensure continued use with minimal downtime.  By incorporating a regular maintenance schedule, you can be sure to get the best out of your kit. 

To better understand why it’s an important part of running your gym, continue reading.

Why Is It Important To Maintain Gym Equipment?

Gym equipment tends to have a lot of moving parts. If those moving parts fail, then the gym equipment will not work as intended. Aside from ensuring that the kit works correctly, there is also the health and safety aspect to consider.   Poorly maintained and serviced equipment could put your members at risk of injury.

Maintaining gym equipment ensures that it stays in good working order and that it remains safe to use.  Keeping your equipment in full working order is also important for member retention.  One of the most frustrating aspects of visiting a gym is when certain pieces of equipment are out of order.  If this is a regular occurrence in your gym, you could run the risk of members defecting to your nearby competitor.

A high footfall gym will, every now and then, have a machine that requires some form of repair.  When this happens, keep the downtime to as little as possible to keep your members happy.

Regular maintenance could also save you money in the long term. After all, properly serviced gym equipment is much less prone to breakage. If you can catch those minor niggles early, then it is less likely that they will spiral into major, and more costly, problems.

How Often Should I Service Gym Equipment?

Servicing of gym equipment should be carried out at least once per year.  If the gym has a high footfall, it may be necessary to undertake this more often.  General maintenance and cleaning, should be done on a daily basis to maintain hygiene and health & safety standards.

Some gyms have contracts in place with either the equipment supplier or a third-party company.  Such contracts include for yearly servicing of the equipment and call outs in the event of a machine breakdown.

When it comes to more general tasks such as checking for loose bolts, pulleys and cables.  This would ideally be done on a more frequent basis, such as daily or weekly.   It’s inevitable that repeated use of equipment can cause parts to work their way loose so keeping on top of these checks by way of a maintenance schedule would be ideal.

If you have a home or garage gym, such requirements will not need to be as stringent.  However, always be sure to undertake inspection of things such as cables, bearings and weight stacks to ensure they continue to run smoothly.  When it comes to motorised equipment, such as a treadmill, it would be a good idea to employ the services of a gym equipment maintenance company who will have the necessary tools to service such machines correctly.

How Do I Stop My Gym Equipment From Rusting?

One of the primary causes for rust on gym equipment is down to the humid environment of a gym.  Large numbers of people working out will typically break a sweat.  It’s this sweat that increases the humidity in a gym and as sweat contains salt, this exacerbates any problems with rust.

However, rust can also be caused by improper equipment maintenance.   Whilst, cleaning the kit is vital to limit any germs and subsequent illnesses.   It’s important to consider the cleaning methods, parts of the equipment being cleaned (for example, the upholstery or the framework) and the products being utilized.

Nowadays, it’s expected that members will clean down touch points of equipment pre and post use with the gym owner undertaking a more thorough clean once or twice daily.

When it comes to cleaning of framework this can be cleaned with an appropriate antibacterial cleaner. However, make note of any exposed metal (where the paint has chipped for example).  If this is made wet with a water based cleaner, overtime, this will rust.  It’s a good idea to touch up chip marks with paint to protect the bare steel beneath.

When it comes to parts such as rails on a leg press, these should not be cleaned with a water based cleaner.  This is due to their material, which will most likely be mild steel.  Not only is it necessary to avoid water on such parts but regular oiling is vital to ensure continued smooth use.

If you’d like to know more about why cleaning is important in your gym read our article; How Dirty Is Your Gym Equipment

Which Fitness Equipment Requires The Most Maintenance? 

Motorised gym equipment, such as a treadmill, will require the most maintenance.  This is due to the number of parts that make up the machine along with it being an electrical item.  Whilst tasks such as checking for loose bolts, ensuring any belts run correctly and topping up any lubrication oil can be undertaken by the gym owner, a more comprehensive service is usually carried out by a third-party gym maintenance company.

If your treadmill/s get a significant amount of use, then don’t be surprised if you have to replace components every so often. Assuming that you have purchased a quality treadmill, the spare parts should be pretty easy to obtain.

On the other side of things, the gym equipment that will require the least maintenance will be your freeweights, such as barbells and dumbbells.

Gym Equipment Maintenance Checklist

In this section, we want to give you an overview of the things that you should be doing on a regular basis to maintain your gym equipment. Do bear in mind that this is a very general overview. We do not know what type of equipment you own, how often it is being used, or even the legal requirements in your area. However, most public gyms will follow this rough schedule.

Daily Wipe Downs

Every day, you should wipe down your gym equipment with a surface appropriate, anti-bacterial cleaner.

Weekly/Monthly Oilings

If you have resistance machines or equipment with a lot of moving parts, then you should lubricate them at least once per week. Your user manual should tell you how to do this.

You can also oil and clean your barbells and dumbells at least once per week, but most gyms will likely do this once a month.

Weekly Checks For Wear 

Every week, you should be checking your gym equipment for wear. Look for any cracks in the equipment and loose parts. Check to ensure that the components are in good working order, etc.

Remember, the earlier you catch issues, the easier they are to fix.

Conclusion

Whether you have a home gym or run a gym that is open to the public, it is important that you regularly maintain and service your equipment. If you don’t, then not only can you end up with gym equipment that breaks prematurely, but you could end up with gym equipment that could be unsafe for your members.