Vacuums
How to Identify and Fix Common Vacuum Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced Vacuum Technicians :
Should the brush not rotate freely there may be debris tangled around the ends of the brush, carefully remove any obstructions or replace the brush with a new one. We recommend that you fit a new belt and brush once per year to keep your Reactive vacuum working efficiently.
Often when your machine is not picking up it is due to loss of suction. If your vacuum cleaner turns on but won`t pick up on carpet or bare floors, something is impeding suction. You may need to change the vacuum bag, unclog the hose, replace/clean the filters, replace the hose, change the belt, or repair the motor.
A possible cause might be that the tank is not properly seated. To assure the tank is seated properly, pick it up and re-seat is so it sits snugly on the unit. If this doesn`t fix the problem, make sure the tank is assembled properly. To make sure they are both latched properly, pick the tank up by its handle.
The powerful airflow from the vacuum can help shake dirt and debris loose and pull them into the vacuum. Without the fan, a vacuum couldn`t work at all. But the roller brush is critical, too. It`s necessary in dislodging deep dirt and stuck debris, and it helps clear a path for air to carry dirt into the vacuum.
Clear the brush roll of any hair and debris and inspect by placing it on its end and spin. The brush should spin freely. If it doesn`t spin; it may be time to replace.
If the roller brush is not spinning, it cannot pick up dust. One reason could be that the power button is not set to position II, which runs the roller brush. If the button does not work, here is the link to the power button replacement guide. Another reason is that the roller brush could be broken.
1. Motorized Brush Head. Sometimes called the “power nozzle,” this large attachment has a rotating brush to clean carpets more like an upright.
To reset the Brush bar press the Brush bar control button twice or switch the machine off and back on. Please note: In normal use, the Brush bar automatically turns off when the machine is upright and automatically turns on when the machine is in the vacuuming position.
The brush thumbnail in the Tool Options bar reflects the brush changes as you adjust the brush dynamics options. You set brush dynamics options by selecting a brush tool and then clicking Brush Settings (or Advanced, for some tools) from the Tool Options bar. Controls the distance between the brush marks in a stroke.
Low suction or poor pick-up may be due to a clog in the vacuum cleaner. If you notice a change in the sound of the motor or a reduction in the spinning action, check for clogs. First, remove the Easy Empty dirt tank from the vacuum and discard all dirt and debris.
The level you set your vacuum depends on the height of your carpet. For bare floors, use the lowest or bare floor setting, for short and medium pile carpets use a medium setting and finally, for plush carpets use the highest setting.
While extreme suction power may offer peace of mind to homeowners who want to feel confident that their vacuums are effective at sucking up dirt and germs, it can be very damaging to your carpet and should be avoided! For high pile and premium soft carpet, be sure to avoid vacuums with concentrated or sealed suction.
Push harder than you pull.
Many people naturally exert more force when they`re pulling their vacuums back than when they`re pushing them forward, but this can leave dirt on the floor. Vacuums are designed to be pushed forward at a rate of about 12 inches per second and pulled back at a rate of 6 inches per second.
A vacuum cleaner`s brush roller also called the beater bar assists in cleaning your carpets and depending on your vacuum model, a variety of floors. The brush roller is usually located under the vacuum cleaner and some in the attachment tool.
Use an electric carpet sweeper or a light-duty handheld vac without a beater bar.
What`s happening with your vacuum cleaner is that a clog has built up and debris being agitated by the roller is spitting out or stirring up dust without sucking it in.
Putting in the incorrect amount of oil, putting in the wrong type of oil, and oil contamination can all cause the pump to not reach full vacuum. For this reason, you must check the oil regularly to ensure that it is not only clean, but also properly filled.
The most common cause of vacuum cleaner not picking up dirt properly is clogged air filter. Remove the filter and either clean or replace it as needed.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Can’t get the adjustment correct after removing the beater brush – won’t pick up on carpet
ANSWER : You say you removed the beater brush–
Is this on a power nozzle, or an upright vacuum?
Is this on a power nozzle, or an upright vacuum?
Is there an adjustment that you step on, to set at various heights?
(Or like on Most Power Nozzles,– there is one a ‘new
and a ‘worn setting.– In the latter you have to open up the Power Nozzle, and reverse a brush height setting piece— it only has 2 adjustments.)
Tell us more about your machine–
Make and model might help–
But what you have done, and what are the clues– those will help us the most.
Mack B
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My model F5906-900 — problem is the brushes have stoped working… I pulled the brush assembly out by holding the two tabs, and all seems clean and the brush assembly rotates easly… onced the brush assembly is removed. What I did notice is the female driver slot (found in the main assembly unit) that drives the brushes seems stuck..Is that normal when the machine is not hooked up to power? How can I get the brushed going??? it is a good machine, but the brush options is important too it’s ab
ANSWER : (1) Assure the Brush Control on the hood is NOT set to the OFF position.
.(2) Remove the brush assembly by pulling/unlatching it from base on each side.
.(3) Does one of the brushes have the drive pin present? It should be about ¼ inch square, and two inches long. It attaches the brushes to the drive mechanism.
.(4) Remove and clean the intake filter. One the base of the cleaner, behind the brushes, squeeze the two red abs together and pull the panel down to access the screen. Clean the hair/debris off the screen and reassemble.
.(2) Remove the brush assembly by pulling/unlatching it from base on each side.
.(3) Does one of the brushes have the drive pin present? It should be about ¼ inch square, and two inches long. It attaches the brushes to the drive mechanism.
.(4) Remove and clean the intake filter. One the base of the cleaner, behind the brushes, squeeze the two red abs together and pull the panel down to access the screen. Clean the hair/debris off the screen and reassemble.
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The beater bar on my Dyson won’t turn. The vacuum runs and suctions but the bar won’t turn and the belt is not broke. The beater bar did get a carpet fiber caught and wrapped around it which stopped the bar and I removed the bar to cut the fiber loose and replaced it and now it won’t turn
ANSWER : The belt doesn’t have to be broken to make the vacuum not work correctly. If the belt is stretched the vacuum won’t operate the way it is supposed to. You can get replacement Dyson Belts here:
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Keep getting message ‘please remove and clean Roomba’s brushes’. Have removed and cleaned brushes and even fitted new one’s but still getting message. Also brushes sometimes rotate, sometimes not and not picking up very well at all. Help!
ANSWER : Must be your inbox is full, Delete old / unwanted messages. It should resolve the problem
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Brushes won’t spin on carpet
ANSWER : Belt is stretched replace the belt and all will be well
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Brushes stopped The brushes stopped turning while using the cleaner. I removed the brushes to see if the spindle was broken, it wasn’t. I then removed the top plastic cover and checked the switch that engages the brushes; it didn’t seem to be moving correctly. There’s one spring on the switch – should there be two? Or do you think something has broken on the inside? Thanks for any help
ANSWER : Most likely the turbine is bad, it may just be clogged up, you can take it apart and clean it out real good. That may work, but it may not. Sometimes it is best to replace the turbine.
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Electrolux vacuum brush not turning problem:
was vacuuming and rug got caught auto shut off kicked off power to brush. instead of hitting red button to restart brush I disconnected brush to vacuum some hair in Conner. after i reconnected the brush and hit the red button but no power to brush. Light won’t even switch on. Hope you can help
ANSWER : Under the vacuum, there is a guard..remove the guard , either by 2 screws or by 2 clips..there is a belt under the guard..that is connected to the brush..the belt need to be replaced.
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Hoover steam vac, brushes won’t rotate, have cleaned filter by brushes, removed brushes and they rotate okay when off steam vac, tried to ajust level for carpet cleaning and brushes still don’t move
ANSWER : There are three things to check when experiencing ‘no spin’ on the cleaning brushes. 1) Check the small pull out filter screen under the machine. It must stay clean for air to pass to the turbine which powers the brushes. 2) Check that the long shaft on the brush assembly is not broken off. This shaft inserts into the turbine motor and powers the brushes. If you’re handy you can replace just the long shaft brush rather than replacing the whole brush assembly. Look for the brush on Ebay 3) If you’re handy you can dissemble the machine and inspect the turbine motor which powers the brushes. In all cases the bearings seize in the turbine. You can often free them up and re-lube them to get more service from them or simply replace the turbine assembly. Don’t throw your Steam Vac out because the brushes no longer turn…you can fix it!
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