With most people, a vacuum cleaner isn’t really an inspiring machine. If you don’t care about how it works, then you probably don’t want to vacuum to start with. At the same time, no one wants to live in a pig sty or dirty home even.
These days however, things have began to change for the better, and people’s attitudes are changing as well. Vacuum cleaners are becoming interesting and it’s all thanks to James Dyson, the inventor of the Dyson vacuum cleaner.
All thanks to Dyson, vacuum cleaners have taken on a personality and life of their own. These very same tactics are even employed by the likes of
Apple to successfully ploy their iMacs and iPods to the masses have now been used with tremendous results with vacuum cleaners.
Now, let’s take a look at the decision that faces you when buying a flashy vacuum cleaner. First of all, you have the choice between the upright or canister versions. The upright style of vacuum cleaners will require you to use them in the traditional push and pull fashion, although the latest vacuum from Tyson, the DC15, has even turned this technology on its head with “Ball Technology” that will let you glide around your home with the greatest of ease – in any direction you please.
Canister vacuum cleaners on the other hand come with a hose attachment for great control and flexibility, as you can quickly and easily get to all of the hard to reach places. There isn’t really a lot of difference between the two, and it’s mainly down to your personal preference, even though the upright vacuum is best suited to larger carpets.
You should also consider the power of the motor and efficiency of the filtration system as well. Those that suffer from allergies will want to pay close attention to the filtration. Dyson for one has been very successful by marketing the benefits of its patented “Cyclone” technology, which doesn’t use a bag nor does it ever get clogged up.
If you feeling really daring and adventurous and want to stay ahead of the curve, you could go for one of the very popular robotic vacuum cleaners such as the ZA01 from Electrolux or the cheaper iRobot from Roomba. While you amuse yourself or do other things, the robot will move around your home on it’s own will, vacuuming your entire home until it is spotless. The robot even has the technology and intelligence to return to the base when it is running low on battery power and recharge itself.
If you want to be different and unique, a flashy vacuum cleaner is the way to go. There are many different models and types to choose from, from cheap vacuums to those that cost hundreds of dollars. All you have to do is meet your creative side halfway and let the fun begin!
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Vacuum cleaners are devices that use an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dirt and dust, normally from carpeted floors. Most homes that have carpet floors have a vacuum for cleaning. The dirt that is pulled up from the carpet is collected by a filtering system or even a cyclone for later disposal.
There are several type of configurations possible for vacuum cleaners.
Upright
Upright vacuums have the pump mounted directly above the suction intake, with the bag mounted directly on the handle, which will rise to waist height or so. The upright type designs normally employ mechanical beaters which often rotate brushes, to help disturb dust enough to be vacuumed up. These beaters are normally driven by a belt that is attached to the vacuum motor.
Canister
Also known as cylinder vacuums, the canister type designs have the motor and bag in a seperate canister unit that connects to the vacuum head by a flexible hose. Even though upright units have been tested as being more effective, the lighter and more maneuverable heads of the canister models are quite popular. Some models have power heads, which contain the same type of mechanical beaters found it upright units, although they are driven by a seperate electric motor.
Wet vacs/dry vacs
These types a specialized form of the canister vacuum and they can be used to clean up wet or liquid spills as well. They will commonly accomodate both wet and dry soilage, with some being equipped with a switch or exhaust port that reverses the flow of air. This is a very useful function for everything from clearing clogged hoses to blowing dust into a corner for easy collecting.
Back pack vac
These types of vacuums are commonly used for commercial cleaning, as they allow you to move about quickly and efficiently in a large area. They are basically canister vacuum cleaners, except for the fact that straps are used to carry the canister on your back.
Built in or central
These types of vacuum cleaners will move the suction motor and bag to a central location in the building and provide vacuum inlets at strategic places throughout the entire building. You only need to carry the hose and pickup head from room to room, while the hose is normally 25 foot long and allows a large range of movement without changing vacuum inlets.
The plastic piping will connect vacuum inlets to the central unit. The vacuum can either be unpowered or have beaters that are operated by an electric motor or an air driven motor. The bag in the central vacuum system is normally so big that emptying it or changing needs to be done less as often, sometimes only once a year.
The wet/dry vacuum cleaner combination is no longer just for a workshop. Over the years, the driving technology has improved a great deal, deceasing the loud screeching noises that the vacuums were so very well known for.
When you go out to buy a wet/dry vacuum with both wet and dry features, you’ll need to know some of the details. The vacuums are available in a variety of different sizes and HP, ranging from 6 – 22 gallons and 1.5 – 10.5 HP. The capacity of the wet/dry vacuum should match your needs in the following ways:
1. Wall mount vacuum cleaners with 1.5 HP and a 1 gallon tank are available for quick and easy cleanup jobs, such as spills. You can also hang this type on the wall as well, which will keep it out of your way.
2. The six gallon vacuum cleaners are ideal for smaller jobs and are easy to maneuver and store than a larger model. Keep in mind however, that the smaller wet/dry cleaners are much louder and also more prone to tipping over. The smaller the tank, the more often you will have to stop and empty it.
3. Higher capacity models are recommended if you have a workshop or garage where larger spills occur. A large capacity tank will decrease the number of times that you have to empty the tank.
When you looking for the best wet/dry vacuum for you, you should look for the following options and features:
- The pleated cartridge filter. It is reusable and rinseable, and provides more filtration area than the flat filter and it doesn’t need to be removed when you switch from the dry to wet vacuum function.
- An automatic shut off device is available with most newer vacuum cleaners. This mechanism will shut off the motor automatically once the tank has become full of water, which will prevent it from overflowing.
- A wide set of wheels will help to prevent the vacuum from tipping over.
- There are some of the larger models that have the ability to convert to a leaf blower, which is great if you have a lot of trees in your yard.
- Some wet/dry models have a built in pump attachment as well. This type of attachment will allow the water to be pumped through a garden hose that attaches to the vacuum.
- A handy drain valve or sprout will make emptying the vacuum cleaner a snap. If it doesn’t have this feature, you’ll have to remove the lid and tip the vacuum to the side to empty all of the water. Depending on how much water you have in the tank, you could easily and accidentally spill it on the floor. The smaller types of wet/dry vacuums normally don’t have a spout or drain option.
- Wider hoses and floor nozzles are great to have as well. The wider the hose and nozzle are, the less likely the vacuum will be to clog up on you.
If they aren’t provided with the vacuum you decided on, you can also purchase the following attachments:
1. Crevice tool – this handy tool will easily get in tight corners and around floor edges.
2. Extension wand – this will make the hose longer for hard to reach areas.
3. Hose couplings – this will join the extension wand to the hose.
4. Combination nozzle – this helps to alleviate the need of switching nozzles before you switch functions.
5. Gulper nozzle – this tool is ideal for the wet vacuum function.
6. Round brush – this nifty little tool is ideal for scrubbing.
7. Cleaning kit – this kit will include everything you need to clean delicate upholstery and other areas as well.
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Unlike the use of wheels that most vacuums have, the Dyson DC15 upright vacuum has a large yellow ball that will allow the vacuum to pivot and roll with the greatest of ease. With the DC15, you simply turn your wrist and the entire vacuum cleaner will change direction. The ability to maneuver this easily is something that is commonly associated with canister style vacuum cleaners.
In addition to the unique yet innovative ball design, the Dyson DC15 also offers quite an interesting filtration system. No matter what you may think or hear, Dyson vacuums don’t use filters in the way that most vacuum cleaners do.
With the Dyson DC15, the air and dirt are sucked into the container where the outer cyclone removes large particles such as food, hair, and even fibers. The air will then move into the shroud and inner cyclone where it is rotated with a higher velocity to drop fine particles of dust out of the air.
From the inner cyclone, the air will move about through a washable inner foam pre filter where a majority of the particles will remain trapped. This feature helps the DC15 to keep dirt and debris trapped inside and out of the motor.
The last step in the system after moving through the motor is the trip through the final HEPA filter. The DC15 has a very strict filter system, which will prevent 99.9% of bacteria and mold from getting to your home. The vacuum will suck it up and keep it inside of the vacuum where it belongs.
Even though they aren’t very well known, Dyson has been around for many years. They aren’t as popular or as well known as the bigger companies such as Hoover, although they offer you great quality and performance with their vacuum cleaners. Unlike Hoover, Dyson works to improve on their own products as well as the competition with each product they release.
The Dyson DC15 is truly a great vacuum to hit the market, as it is the first and only vacuum cleaner to feature the very unique ball. Even though robotic vacuum cleaners are becoming the most popular types of vacuum cleaners, the DC15 is ideal for housewives who want a traditional vacuum cleaner with a twist.
The Dyson DC15 is also known for its suction power and attachments as well. With the ball assembly, using attachments are a breeze. The only problem you may have, is getting the hang of things.
The attachment wand is stored inside of the handle of the vacuum and is always attached. To use it, you lock the handle in the upright position then push a button on the front of the handle that will allow you to telescope the wand for use.
PPPPP
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Even though it may appear to be a very complicated machine, the conventional vacuum cleaner is actually made up of six essential components: intake port,
exhaust port, electric motor, fan, porous bag, and a housing that stores all of the other components.
When you plug the vacuum cleaner into the outlet and turn it on, the following happens:
1. First of all, the electric current will operate the motor, which is attached to the fan, which resembles an airplane propeller.
2. As the blades begin to turn, they will force the air upwards, towards the exhaust port.
3. When the air particles are driven forwards, the density of the particles will increase in front of the fan and therefore decrease behind it.
The pressure drop that occurs behind the fan is similar to the pressure drop when you take a drink through a straw. The pressure level in the area that is behind the fan will drop below the pressure level that is outside of the vacuum cleaner.
This will create a suction inside of the vacuum cleaner. The ambient air will push itself into the vacuum cleaner through the intake port because the air pressure that is inside of the vacuum cleaner is much lower than the pressure on the outside.
Picking the dirt up
The stream of air that the vacuum generates is just like a stream of water. The air particles that move will rub against any loose dust or debris and if it is light enough, the friction will carry the material around the inside of the vacuum cleaner.
As the dirt continues on to the exhaust port, it will pass through the cleaner bag. They tiny holes in the vacuum cleaner bag are large enough to let the air pass through, although too small for the dust particles to fit through. Therefore, when the air current gets into the bag, the dirt and debris will be collected there.
You can stick the bag anywhere along the path between the intake tube and the exhaust port, just as long as the air current passes through.
Suction
The power of a vacuum cleaner’s suction will depend on several factors. The suction can be stronger or weaker depending on:
1. Fan power – In order to generate a strong suction, the motor needs to turn at a good speed.
2. Air passageway – When a lot of debris builds up in the bag, the air will face a greater level of resistance on the way out. Each particle of air will move slowly due to the increase in drag. This is the reason why a vacuum cleaner works much better once you’ve replaced the bag than when you have been using it for a while.
3. Size of the intake port – With the speed of the vacuum fan being constant, the amount of air that passes through the vacuum cleaner per second is also constant.
There are many places that you can use to find parts for a vacuum cleaner that is broken, providing you have someone around that is handy enough with tools to take a swing at fixing it. The part that breaks the most on most less expensive vacuum cleaners is the drive belt. It’s the rubberized belt that is around 6 inches long, that when stretched out turns the brushes on the bottom of the vacuum.
When you take the vacuum over objects that don’t belong in the vacuum cleaner, such as pieces of rope or a cat’s tail and the unit comes to a screeching halt, the burning smell that will soon fill up the air is your drive belt slowly melting away.
Luckily, the drive belt is available at several locations, so many in fact that your local drug store may even carry them! They are cheap to buy and a snap to replace with a screwdriver and a bit of common sense. For other types of problems that you may encounter, there are a lot of resources at your disposal just in case you decide to tackle the problem on your own.
You should never forget that when you buy parts for your vacuum cleaner, most of the parts you’ll need are going to be specifically made for your particular brand name and model. With the exception of basic items such as drive belts and most bags, most parts aren’t interchangeable between brands and between different models of the same brand.
The first thing to try when you need a part for your vacuum cleaner is the local Yellow Pages book. Inside of the Yellow Pages, you’ll find many listings for appliance parts and suppliers. You’ll have to call each one of the individually to find out if they carry parts for your model and brand. In the rare event that they don’t carry what you need, they can normally order it for you quickly and easily. If that fails, you can always call the company direct that manufactured your model of vacuum cleaner and order the part that way.
Most of the time, you won’t have any problem getting your hands on a part for your vacuum cleaner, unless it is a more intricate part that isn’t readily available. Parts such as the intake or exhaust port are very tricky to replace, and you will probably want to have a professional fix these types of problems.
Drive belts, vacuum bags, and little problems such as these are a snap to replace. With the older style of vacuum cleaners, you don’t have to be an expert to fix a majority of the problems. The newer models however, require quite a bit of skill and technique.
One of the most common problems that will happen is clogging. If your vacuum stops picking up dirt and dust, chances are it has become clogged, which is normally not a parts problem. All you need to do to fix it is take the front assembly off, then manually clean out the agitators and the housing where the dirt makes its way upwards through the vacuum cleaner. This is very easy to do, and won’t take you but a couple of minutes.
Anytime you encounter a parts problem with your vacuum cleaner, you should always take things one step at a time and don’t rush. You can almost always get a hold of a part. If the part is more expensive than you anticipated, you can always scrap the vacuum cleaner and buy yourself a better one – which will save you a lot of time and headache in the long run.
As with most things in life, there is really nothing free. The two most claimed advantages to bagless vacuum cleaners were lower operating costs and better performance. As far as the cost issues go, all vacuums must filter the exhausting air they use to carry the dirt into the collection area, as they would otherwise simply pick the dirt up from the floor and spit it right back out.
Whether you have a bagless HEPA filter, a pre-filter, or disposable bags, they all need to be changed at some point. With the average life of a vacuum cleaner, you can expect to spend the same on either collection system for filters, but if you value your time, you can expect to spend quite a bit more on
a bagless system.
To keep your bagless vacuum cleaner operating at peak levels, you’ll need to empty the dirt container when it is full and perform regular maintenance on the filter. The type of filter the vacuum uses will determine just how much service will be required, although most use a pleated HEPA filter.
Cleaning Even though the claim of better airflow performance with bagless vacuums is true in a sense, over the life of the vacuum you’ll get the same, or maybe even better performance from a bagged vacuum cleaner system.
With bagged vacuum cleaners, the performance will start at 100% with each new bag then slowly drop as the bag starts to fill. Just how quickly the performance drops depends on how well the bag is constructed. With the average vacuum and the average bag, you may replace the bag every 3 – 4 weeks
with 90% of performance the first week, 70% in weeks 2 and 3, then 50% of less in the fourth week.
The short cycle will insure that you get a 100% peak cleaning every 3 or 4 weeks from the vacuum cleaner. The filtered cyclonic machines have filters that are designed to last 6 months, 12 months, and even up to 18 months before they need to be replaced.
Pets
If you have dogs or cats, whether you see it or not, almost all domestic animals shed their fur on a regular basis throughout their lives. Pet owners often wonder as well, which vacuum is the best to remove pet hair.
For pretty much the same reasons that fur sticks to the carpet, it will also stick to your bagless vacuum’s pleated filter cartridge. The fur will reduce the performance of airflow, and is also a pain in the neck to clean off the filter.
Over time, the fiber that makes up the filter can retain odor from pets, even if you clean the filter well. If your filter requires replacing only once a year, you could end up with a vacuum that spits odors that will stink up your house pretty bad.
Bagged up
Those vacuums that use bags will often provide for neat disposal of a full bag. There are some brands such as BOSCH that actually engineer bag disposal into the system. With BOSCH canister vacuums, the replacement of bags is a single dust free step. The new mega filt bags have a built in closure system that upon removal, will slide shut and trap the dirt and debris inside of the bag, making removal quick and easy.
Still, there are many people out there who love bagless machines. Bagless vacuums will continue at a slow place to gain market share, and people will continue to buy them. For many, a bagless vacuum can be the right vacuum to have.
Bags are the technology of the past, while bagless is the technology of the future. There are many reasons as to why you should go bagless. For the vacuums of tomorrow, cylinder and bagless is the key.
The wet/dry vacuum cleaner combination is no longer just for a workshop. Over the years, the driving technology has improved a great deal, deceasing the loud screeching noises that the vacuums were so very well known for.
When you go out to buy a wet/dry vacuum with both wet and dry features, you’ll need to know some of the details. The vacuums are available in a variety of different sizes and HP, ranging from 6 – 22 gallons and 1.5 – 10.5 HP. The capacity of the wet/dry vacuum should match your needs in the following ways:
1. Wall mount vacuum cleaners with 1.5 HP and a 1 gallon tank are available for quick and easy cleanup jobs, such as spills. You can also hang this type on the wall as well, which will keep it out of your way.
2. The six gallon vacuum cleaners are ideal for smaller jobs and are easy to maneuver and store than a larger model. Keep in mind however, that the smaller wet/dry cleaners are much louder and also more prone to tipping over. The smaller the tank, the more often you will have to stop and empty it.
3. Higher capacity models are recommended if you have a workshop or garage where larger spills occur. A large capacity tank will decrease the number of times that you have to empty the tank.
When you looking for the best wet/dry vacuum for you, you should look for the following options and features:
- The pleated cartridge filter. It is reusable and rinseable, and provides more filtration area than the flat filter and it doesn’t need to be removed when you switch from the dry to wet vacuum function.
- An automatic shut off device is available with most newer vacuum cleaners. This mechanism will shut off the motor automatically once the tank has become full of water, which will prevent it from overflowing.
- A wide set of wheels will help to prevent the vacuum from tipping over.
- There are some of the larger models that have the ability to convert to a leaf blower, which is great if you have a lot of trees in your yard.
- Some wet/dry models have a built in pump attachment as well. This type of attachment will allow the water to be pumped through a garden hose that attaches to the vacuum.
- A handy drain valve or sprout will make emptying the vacuum cleaner a snap. If it doesn’t have this feature, you’ll have to remove the lid and tip the vacuum to the side to empty all of the water. Depending on how much water you have in the tank, you could easily and accidentally spill it on the floor. The smaller types of wet/dry vacuums normally don’t have a spout or drain option.
- Wider hoses and floor nozzles are great to have as well. The wider the hose and nozzle are, the less likely the vacuum will be to clog up on you.
If they aren’t provided with the vacuum you decided on, you can also purchase the following attachments:
1. Crevice tool – this handy tool will easily get in tight corners and around floor edges.
2. Extension wand – this will make the hose longer for hard to reach areas.
3. Hose couplings – this will join the extension wand to the hose.
4. Combination nozzle – this helps to alleviate the need of switching nozzles before you switch functions.
5. Gulper nozzle – this tool is ideal for the wet vacuum function.
6. Round brush – this nifty little tool is ideal for scrubbing.
7. Cleaning kit – this kit will include everything you need to clean delicate upholstery and other areas as well.
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