There are several reasons why a treadmill mat is important. For many people there isn’t a discussion necessary to understand why every treadmill owner should either have a mat or be shopping for one immediately. But in the event that there are those who do require further dissection into the topic here are the top five reasons why an equipment mat makes a world of difference to the treadmill and the user.

1. Shock absorber. The most obvious purpose for having a mat underneath your exercise machine is to minimize the amount of vibration being transferred from the machine into the floor. There is a lot of energy exerted by both the machine and the user during a workout session. The reverberation off the floor will also inevitably wear down the frame of your machine.
2. Noise control. Since the shock and vibrations are being absorbed by the mat there is a significant reduction in noise surrounding the treadmill during use. Your neighbors and housemates will appreciate this.
3. Keep carpet fibers out. Some people think that since they have carpet to cushion the impact of a treadmill in use that they do not need a mat. This is actually another reason why the treadmill equipment mat is important because carpet fibers will get loose and the stirring of the air will cause these fibers to enter the underside of your treadmill. The accumulation of dust and carpet fibers will build until the mechanical parts are clogged and require attention.
4. Keep grime off your floor or carpet. The reason to keep a mat under your treadmill goes both ways since the treadmill will also drip the sludge that was once the lubricant to the machine’s moving parts. These drips will create ugly stains in the carpeting or hardwood floors.
5. Aesthetics. There are people who have a room dedicated to their exercise equipment and like to show off their treadmill at the center of the room. To these people the all black mat under the bulky machine helps center it among the rest of the items in the room.

There are several reasons to keep a treadmill mat underneath the treadmill. All of them are worth the small price of the mat in their own right so there is no reason to pass on something that could cost less than on hundred dollars but save you much headache in the long term by preventing premature repairs and wear to your treadmill.