Belts And Performance

The belts for vacuum cleaners can come in many styles
and hundreds of different sizes.  Normally, vacuums
use a belt to drive an agitation device, which
is also known as a brush roller.  With very few
exceptions, most vacuums will use either a flat
belt, round belt, or a geared style belt.

The type of belt that your vacuum uses is very
important, not only for durability, but performance
as well.  The condition and type of belt your
vacuum uses will have a lot of impact on the systems
ability to clean carpet.  The proper use of
agitation is almost 70% of the cleaning ability of
a vacuum cleaner. 

Suction is also very important.  The suction is
what pulls the dirt that is removed from the carpet
into the collection area of the vacuum.  The
suction, or airflow, is the key when cleaning
hard surfaces or when using attachments.  Without
suction, a vacuum cleaner could only bring more
dirt to the surface of carpet.  Even though both
agitation and suction are important with vacuuming,
the agitation is what actually cleans them.

Almost all manufacturers use brush rollers that
are made of wood, metal, or even plastic that
is driven by a suction or brush motor through
the use of three different kinds of belts - round,
geared, or flat.

The round belts are the earliest type as they
were easy to produce and easy to engineer.  The
round style, unfortunately, is normally run in
the same space as vacuumed dirt.  What this means,
is that almost all of the dirt, staples, and
hair you vacuum up will pass around the belt;
cutting, nicking, or even scratching it along the
way.

Vacuum cleaner belts have to stretch quite a long
way, placing even more stress on the roller and
the motor bearings.  The round belt is still
common, and used even today.

The flat style of belts are most often run in a
circular fashion as well, unlike the twisted
route the round belt takes to deliver the
performance in the proper direction. 

The style allow manufacturers to run the belt off
of one side of the brush roller, instead of the
center where all of the dirt is.  This is truly a
great innovation, as you can eliminate premature
failure due to the soil and dirt in the belt path.

The latest belt design is considered to be the
best in the industry.  Even though there are many
variations out there, the geared belt is the
most efficient means to drive a brush.  The
geared belt is also known as a positive brush system
because the energy of the brush motor is
transmitted directly to the brush.

Both the brush and the motor are locked by
fixed teeth to each other through a cogged belt
without tension.  The resulting direct connection
results in higher cleaning efficiency because
the brush can be driven at a faster speed
regardless of the age of the belt. 

The flat style can stretch as they become warm,
which will cause them to lose tension.  When
you use your vacuum, the belt is always going to
stretch.  Believe it or not, it will lose it's
tension the moment you put it up to rest in the
closet.

There is however, one real drawback to geared
belts - the cost of the vacuum.  Geared belts
are normally used on two motor vacuums.  Not
only does this require a separate suction and
brush motor, but it also requires electronic
sensory systems to tell you when something is
wrong with the brush.

Bagged Versus Bagless

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.

Buyers Guide for buying vacuum

Deep cleaning vacuums
The typical features with these types of vacuums
include rotating brushes that agitate the carpet
pile and loosen the dirt for better clean.  There
are some models that offer a handy automatic tool
conversion button or switch that you can push or
flip as you move from carpet to hardwood floor.

Hand held vacuums
Hand held vacuums are light weight, can be corded
or cordless, and you can even mount most of them
on the wall if you prefer.  The performance of the
cordless models will depend on the charge of the
battery, as the battery power drops, so will the
suction power.

The two types of hand held vacuums include straight
suction and suction with a power brush.  If you
are considering a hand held vacuum cleaner, you
should consider its primary purpose, if you plan
to use it on a regular basis or occasionally on
smaller jobs.

Broom vacuums
Stick or broom vacuums are great for smaller type
apartments, quick clean ups in the kitchen, or
a family room.  The benefit of a broom vacuum is
the light weight.  If you have trouble pushing
your heavier upright around, the broom vacuum
may come as a relief.  You'll also have the option
of getting your vacuum corded or cordless.

They usually weight 2 - 7 lbs. and allow you to
easily store them in the closet, as they take up a
minimum amount of space.  For quick disposal of
the dirt and debris, most models are also bagless
as well.

Wet or Dry vacuums
The wet/dry vacuum combination may very well be the
most versatile vacuum cleaner on the market today,
with numerous attachments and functions it is a
very handy machine to have around your home.  The
canister types can vary from the smaller 6 gallon
sizes to the larger 22 gallon sizes.

The HP ranges as well, from 2 to 10 HP.  You should
always try to match the size of the unit to the
size of the job and frequency of use. 

Upright vacuums
One of the most popular features of an upright
vacuum cleaner is the bagless system.  In addition
to the increased performance, there is no need
to purchase any bags.  Emptying the canister can
be a little dusty, although it's still better than
messing with bags.

Most upright models come with a standard set of
attachments that may even include an upholstery
tool, a crevice tool, and even an extension wand.
A retractable cord and manual or automatic pile
adjustments are other common features.  A HEPA
filter is another common and popular feature found
with most upright vacuums.

Canister vacuums
Canister vacuum cleaners normally include retractable
cords.  Considering the fact that most cords are
around 25 foot in length, this feature will prevent
you from having to drag the cord around and
possibly damage furniture.  A push of a button or
a slight tug on the cord will retract it into the
canister of the vacuum.

The nozzle can be one of two types, nozzle or
power nozzle.  To get your carpet as clean as
possible, it is recommended that you use the power
nozzle, which will agitate the carpet and loosen
up the dirt for deeper cleaning. 

Another feature worth looking for is a suction
control switch, as this allows you to adjust the
flow of air for cleaning delicate material such
as upholstery and drapery. 

When choosing your vacuum cleaner, you should always
choose the one you like best.  The best vacuum for
the job is the one you should choose, as things
will work out much better that way.