Vacuum Bags: Is your vacuum half full or half empty?

One of the most common issues we see in our repair shop is a vacuum that has suction issues or intermittent power issues. Most times, these are caused by the same culprit: a full or completely missing vacuum bag. You wouldn't think that something as simple as a bag in your machine would cause issues related to your motor, switch or cord, but it's true! Vacuum motors work by pulling air from the entrance of your brush or wand, all the way through your bags and filters, through the motor itself and out of the exhaust. Any excessive material in the way of this air causes the motor to overheat, amperage to spike and suddenly you have a motor that shuts off to cool or worse, a switch or cord that has shorted out and melted. 

Vacuums that utilize a paper bag typical have an advanced filtration system to ensure the elimination of not just the dirt from the carpet, but also allergens, pollen, dust and more from re-entering the air of the rooms you're cleaning through exhaust. It's important to ensure that the entire filtration system is performing properly not just for optimal cleaning, but for worker and building occupant indoor air quality as well. 

Bags dos and don't s:

• DON'T empty and reuse disposable paper bags. These bags are manufactured to filter out microscopic allergens, dirt and debris. Once they have been used, the paper material is filled and reusing them will lead to strain on the motor and overheating.
• DO check your vacuum before each use to ensure all paper bags and filters are in place. 
• DO follow manufacturers guidelines to change out your paper bag when it is half full and replace external filters every six months or when visibly dirty or damaged. I know it's tempting to want to fill a bag up to the top, but the repairs for overheating your machine can be costly and are largely avoidable by tossing that bag!
• DON'T continue using bags if they've gotten damp or greasy. The debris becomes compacted and heavy and the bag can tear or rip. Moisture can also be pulled into the motor causing damage or voiding the warranty.  

We stock a wide variety of paper replacement bags and filters for backpack and upright vacuums as well as common replacement parts to keep you up and running.