The Reason Inlet Filters Are So Important For Bagged Vacuum Cleaners

By Alec Nelson

As a vacuum technician I am constantly repairing vacuums that develop problems because the owners were not told how to maintain their vacuum cleaners. I am going to focus on vacuum cleaner inlet filters in this article.

I would estimate that at least 40% of my repairs are related to filter maintenenace in one way or another. When I ask the customer how often they are cleaning or replacing their filter a very common response is that because they paid so much for their vacuum they assumed it would not be neccesay. I agree that in a perfect world vacuums would be self cleaning but the reality is you need to check and maintain your vacuum cleaner filters regularly to get the best out of your vacuum. The good news is it’s easy to do and only takes a couple of minutes.

Even though vacuum cleaners come in a variety of shapes and sizes they are all relatively similar in structure. A vacuum is basically built around a motor which is sealed except for an inlet for air to enter into and another for the air to exit. The will always be a filter at the point that air enters and exits the motor cavity. The main reason for this is to prevent dust and debris from entering the motor and also to stop any material from being exhausted into the air.

If you have a bagged type vacuum, the bag itself is a very effective type of filter. There will always be another filter sitting just behind the bag to protect the motor, on the rare chance that the bag may break. This filter is called a pre motor or disaster filter. One of the biggest benefits of having a bag in the vacuum is that every time you fill it up and replace the bag, you have a brand new filter protecting the motor. It is very important to check your pre motor filter regularly, if it starts to get a build up of material on it the amount of air flowing into the motor will be slightly restricted.

Now this will probably not result in enough of a difference for you to notice that the suction is reduced but it will cause the motor to run at a higher temperature. This will in turn cause the carbon motor brushes to wear out sooner than they would under normal conditions. By simply cleaning or replacing this filter your vacuum cleaner motor will run cooler and last longer.

The ideal way to clean a filter is to use another vacuum to suck the dirt out of the filter, another good way is use an air compressor to blow the dust out. If neither of these options are available I would suggest simply replacing the filter. The cost is far outweighed by the benefit of a vacuum cleaner lasting longer. A lot of people will suggest washing the filter as a good method of cleaning. Generally I would caution against this unless you have a foam or songe type filter. Any other fabric style filters will be affected by the process of washing, they may warp slightly or wear thin which will reduce their efficiency.

Most user manuals will tell you to check the inlet filter every couple of months but it is so easy to do I would encourage you to check it each time you change the bag. A cursory glance can tell you if you need to take it out and give it a good clean or if it is okay to leave in place.

Simple maintenance like this will make a huge difference to the lifespan of your vacuum and can save you hundreds on repair or replacement.

About the Author: Alec Nelson has been in the Vacuum Cleaner business for over 10 years. Initially as a retail only store. Now he has a service centre and two websites VacuumSpot, the best place to Buy Vacuum Bags Online and Nelson Vacuums, The best place to Buy Vacuum Cleaners

Source: isnare.com

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