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How To Maintain Your Vacuum Cleaner with a Bag

 

This is a guide for routine maintenance. To avoid unnecessary service calls, check the bag, belt, brush roll and filters (if applicable) often. Consult your owner's manual.

Turn off switch and unplug vacuum cleaner before servicing vacuum cleaner. Belt pulley can become hot during normal use. To prevent injury, avoid touching the motor pulley when checking the belt.

Brush roll

As the brush roll turns, it agitates the dirt out of the carpet and combs the carpet nap. Hair and threads collect on the brush roll from normal use. To keep your vacuum working at peek performance, remove these from the brush roll. The brushes must touch the carpet to clean properly. Test brushes length by holding a business card or credit card against the under side of the vacuum cleaner over the brush roll. If the brushes don't touch the business card or credit card replace the brushes strips or brush roll depending on your make and model. (refer to owner's manual)

Brush roll belt (belt)

The belt turns the brush roll to agitate the dirt out of the carpet and combs the carpet nap. Check the belt to make sure that it is in good condition. Check for cracks, tears, or loss of tension. hair or threads may wind around brush roll or belt pulley. Replace the belt. Remove any threads or hair. A build up could cause the belt to slip.

Disposable paper bags (bag)

The bag's job is to trap dirt. As the bag traps dirt it also must exhaust air out. If the bag becomes clogged so that there is no exhaust, the vacuum cleaner will not be able to pick up, no matter how powerful the motor. If you vacuum fine particles such as carpet fresheners, plaster dust, or powders, you will need to change you bag more often to keep you vacuum cleaner working at peak performance.

Filters and HEPA Filters

Most newer vacuums have at least 2 filters.
 
1. Secondary filter it is under the bag. The secondary filter job is to trap dirt that gets past the bag. Recommended to change every 3 months to 1 year depending on make and model. (refer to owner's manual). 

2. Exhaust filter it is usually on the side or back of the vacuum. The Exhaust filter job is to trap dirt that gets past the bag and secondary filter. Recommended to change every 6 months to 1 year depending on make and model. (refer to owner's manual).

If the filter(s) become clogged so that there is no exhaust, the vacuum cleaner will not be able to pick up, no matter how powerful the motor. If you vacuum fine particles such as carpet fresheners, plaster dust, or powders, you will need to change you filter more often to keep you vacuum cleaner working at peak performance.

Vacuum is not picking up

Turn off switch and unplug vacuum cleaner before servicing vacuum cleaner. Belt pulleys can become hot during normal use. To prevent injury, avoid touching the motor pulley when checking the belt.

  • Check to see if brush roll is turning. If brush roll is not turning, remove brush roll. (Refer to your owner's manual). Make sure your brush roll turns free. If brush roll does not turn free, try to free up by removing hair or threads that may have wound around brush roll or belt pulley. A build up of old rubber, threads or hair could cause the belt to slip. If you cannot free brush roll replace brush roll and or bearings and belt.
  • Check the belt to make sure that it is in good condition. Check for cracks, tears, hour glass shaping, shiny or groves on the under side of belt and flat spots or loss of tension. Caution belt pulleys can become hot duing normal use. To prevent injury, avoid touching the motor pulley when checking the belt. If belt is worn, replace it. (Refer to your owner's manual).
  • Check for worn brushes.

    • The brushes must touch the carpet to clean properly. Test brushes length by holding a business card or credit card against the under side of the vacuum cleaner over the brush roll. If the brushes don't touch the business card or credit card. Replace the brush strips or brush roll depending on your make and model. (Refer to your owner's manual).
    • The brushes may become soft or worn at a angle and still appear long enough, but just lay on the carpet and don't clean properly. Replace the brush strips or brush roll depending on your make and model. (Refer to your owner's manual). Brush strips or brush rolls last from one year to three years depending on the amount of vacuuming you do.
    • When you replace the brush strips or brush roll always replace the belt.
    Vacuum cleaner vibrates and/or makes a loud noise

Turn off switch and unplug vacuum cleaner before servicing vacuum cleaner. Belt pulley can become hot during normal use. To prevent injury, avoid touching the motor pulley when checking the belt.

  • Usually something large or hard was picked up in your vacuum cleaner and has broken a blade off of your impeller (fan). When this happens, you can replace the impeller (fan). But this is usually a difficult task and it is our advise to take you vacuum to an authorized service repair center nearest you.

My machine blows out dirt instead of vacuuming it up

Turn off switch and unplug vacuum cleaner before servicing vacuum cleaner. Belt pulley can become hot during normal use. To prevent injury, avoid touching the motor pulley when checking the belt.

  • Check you bag to make sure your bag is not overly full. If you just installed a new bag check the bag to make sure you have the proper bag for your make and model of vacuum cleaner. Next check to make sure you have properly installed your new bag. (Refer to your owner's manual).
  • Check all openings to make sure there is nothing obstructing the suction of you vacuum. Sometimes a clog may be deep inside your vacuum, so you will need to take you vacuum to an authorized service center.