Preventative vs. Reactive Maintenance: Which Saves You More?
Intro
There are two ways to manage fitness equipment: wait until something breaks… or prevent it from breaking in the first place.
Most gyms lean too heavily on reactive repairs, which leads to downtime, higher costs, and frustrated users.
Here’s how preventative maintenance stacks up — and why most commercial facilities need a blend of both.
Not sure which approach your facility really needs? Let’s take a look.
What Is Preventative Maintenance (PM)?
Preventative maintenance is scheduled service that includes:
- lubrication
- adjustments
- safety checks
- belt tensioning
- cleaning of key components
- firmware updates
- early part replacement
PM keeps your equipment running smoothly and dramatically reduces emergency breakdowns.
What Is Reactive Repair?
Reactive repair happens after something fails.
This includes:
- broken belts
- dead motors
- console failures
- cables snapping
- “Out of Order” shutdowns
Emergency repairs are unavoidable — but they’re also expensive and disruptive.
Why PM Saves Money
Preventative maintenance reduces:
- part replacement costs
- labor hours
- equipment downtime
- user complaints
- warranty claim denials
Every brand — from Life Fitness to Matrix to TRUE — recommends consistent PM for lifespan and warranty protection.
The Best Strategy? A Hybrid Plan
Your facility benefits most from:
✔ Regular monthly or quarterly PM
+
✔ On-demand repairs when something fails
This combo keeps your gym running while avoiding expensive surprise breakdowns.
Treadmills, ellipticals, and strength machines are engineered to run quietly.
If you’re hearing:
- grinding
- thumping
- squeaking
- clicking
…it usually means belt misalignment, worn bearings, loose hardware, or failing drive components.
Don’t ignore it. Noisy machines almost always lead to major repairs.