Maybe you can relate to some of these questions
Q -Why does my portable vacuum have poor suction and will not pick up anything?
A – A couple of things could be happening. First you may have a clog in the hose or in the channel where the dirt moves into the bag or into the dirt container. You may also have a filter that is clogged and won’t let air movement through it. Second, If your vacuum has a rotating brush roll , you may have a belt that is broken or stretched and this won’t allow you to pick up anything either. In both cases a simple inspection can solve the problem – Please feel free to call or stop by the store to allow us to assist you.
Q - How often should I change the belt on my vacuum?
A- Belts will stretch over time and should be inspected every 6 to 8 months. If you have height adjustment on your vacuum and your setting is too low, you may stretch the belt too quickly. If the brush roll appears to bog down or slow down when it makes contact with the carpet, it may be time to change the belt.
Q - How often should I change the vacuum bag?
A- When you notice a reduction in suction, check the bag to see if it is ¾ full. If it is, change it .
Q - How often should I change my filter ?
A- In most cases filters should be changed every 6 months. As the filter gets dirty, the vacuum will start to emit dust participles into the room. A dirty filter can also cause a reduction in suction as well as overheating situations with the vacuum motor due to air flow restriction
Q -How often should my portable vacuums be serviced?
A – If you vacuum between 30 to 60 minutes a week, your vacuum should be serviced every 12 months. Servicing should include belt and filter inspections, check for any clogs, check the brush roll bearing or bushing for early wear. A General cleaning is always a must for the vacuum as well
Q- The store I purchased my carpet from told me not to use a power head on the carpet as the rotating roll will damage the fibers. Is this true?
A – There are many types of carpets in the market today. For most common carpet fibers or carpet densities, rotating brush rolls will not do any damage. In fact you need a brush roll to separate the fibers it passes over to allow the suction to remove dirt from the base of the carpet. If you own a vacuum that has a brush roll that also has a raised bar on the roll beside the brush strip, this is called a beater bar and this bar could possible do damage to the carpet fiber from constant pounding on the fibers over a period of years. Most vacuums do not have this beater bar any more. If you own a India or Persian area rug with wool content, I would also recommend NOT using a brush roll on it due to the fiber content and makeup of these types of carpet. If you own Shag carpeting, I would recommend using a carpet rake or a shag vacuum brush to clean it. If you use a brush roll, the long fibers may catch and spin around the roll and cause belt breakage or fiber damage.
Q- My vacuum is hard to push. WHY ?
A – If you have a vacuum with height adjustments try raising it up a notch. You could also check to see if the belt is broken as this will stop the brush roll from rotating and make it very hard to push. If this doesn’t work bring the vacuum into us and we will inspect it for you .
Q – What do I do If I smell a burning smell from my vacuum?
A – In most cases this smell is a stretched belt on the brush roll and needs to be replaced. If the odor is more of an electrical burning smell, turn off the vacuum and have the vacuum motor looked at.
Q – We always hear vacuums advertised with 12 amps. Does this mean more suction?
A – 12 amps measurement is for power draw only and is not an indication of suction power. Suction power can be measured in many ways. Air watts is one way, with the higher the air watts the higher the suction. You can also be the judge. Hold your hand over the vacuum hose of different vacuums and test the suction for your self.
Q - I have very little suction in my central vacuum system. Why?
A- A few things may have happened. You may have a clog in your vacuum tubing in the home or you may have a clog in the vacuum hose. To test the hose, plug it directly into the vacuum inlet either on the front of your central vacuum or beside you vacuum. These inlets are usually the closest ones to the canister and if the hose has lots of suction here, than the problem will be somewhere in the lines in the home. Call us to do a service call to correct the problem. If the hose has little suction then you probably have a clog in the hose. Bring it in to us. Another area you can check is the vacuum inlets to make sure that a door is not broken or to see if the rubber gasket is still seated inside the flap. If either of these has occurred, you need to replace the inlet valve.
Q –What type of vacuum do I use to clean my hard wood floors?
A – Never use a vacuum with the brush roll rotating on hard wood floors. This could scratch the surface. You should always make sure the vacuum you use has real rubber wheels for ease of use on the wood and you should use a hard floor brush only with soft bristles to avoid surface scratches. In most cases, canister vacuums would be a better fit for all users to clean any type of hard floor surfaces, not only hard wood.
Q- Bagless versus bagged vacuums. Which are better?
A – Great question!! Here is some food for thought!
- Are you allergic to dust or dogs or cats? If you are, you may have a problem with exposed debris as you empty the container. Bagged models are easier to just dispose of the bag
- If you are not allergic and you have lots dog and cat hair maybe a bagless model is for you, but remember not all bagless models are equal.
- Check out the cost of the replacement filter s for the bagless model versus the cost of the bags.
- When looking at bagless vacuums ,remember the only thing stopping the dirt and dust from blowing back into the room is the vacuum filter. If it is dirty or clogged, you are vacuuming up the dirt and just blowing it back in the same room
- Indoor air quality has been proven to be better with a bagged vacuum versus a bagless vacuum and simply because the bag keeps more dirt inside of it. More than a plastic container and filter.
- If your decision is to go for a bagless model make sure you are willing to pay for a good one. If not, less expensive models tend to leak a lot and have a shorter life span.
- The market is changing and we have noticed a reduction in sales on bagless vacuums in favor of bagged models. We have also noticed that these same customers who have used bagless in the past have changed to bagged canister models instead of upright vacuums. Interesting!! Cleaner Air – easier to use!
