House Keeping Equipment
Choosing a vacuum cleaner for the home or office ought to be a choice that has been well planned out. There have been significantly advancement in the industry in recent years, but with those innovative developments comes variety. Now I do not consider myself to be an authority on vacuum cleaners, however I actually do have extensive experience utilizing the different brands and models.
The first thing to keep in mind is the size of your home.
Vacuum cleaners come in a variety of sizes and weights. While a mid-size vacuum cleaner is able to do an effective job on most homes, some larger houses will require a full size machine. Choose a weight and size that you are comfortable with.
Consider all the attachments
Dust can get everywhere, especially in hard to reach places, so you should also take a very close look at the attachments on the vacuum cleaner you are considering. Some vacuums cleaners will have more attachments than others, however your machine must include, at least, a soft bristled dusting brush, bare floor, upholstery and crevice tools.
Suction
No matter how many bells and whistles your vacuum cleaner has, if it falls short on its primary function then it's an inferior machine. Many vacuum cleaners have a suction control switch which should be available at your fingertips, allowing easy operation. Vacuuming carpet requires more suction than vacuuming drapes, for example, hence the great need for suction control.
Cord Length
Few things are more annoying than being half way through vacuuming your floors only to have the power cord to your machine yanked from the power outlet. When shopping for your vacuum be sure to factor in power cord length. (Min 25 feet is typical). It is also a good idea to choose a machine with an automatic retractable cord.
Canister vacuums
Canister vacuums allow for an easy transition from carpet to bare floors. They are also easy to manoeuvre compared to an upright. Canisters also work on stairs very well and come with a myriad of on board tools. The trade-off for all that versatility however is slightly less suction power compared to an upright, especially on carpets. Canisters are clumsy to store and will take up more storage space than an upright. If you have a mix of carpet and bare floors I recommend investing in a full sized canister vacuum cleaner.
Upright vacuums
An upright will provide you with more suction for less money compared to a canister but they are rather heavy and a bother to move around. Uprights are compact, providing easy storage. A majority of upright vacuum cleaners lack a fully sealed or post motor H.E.P.A filtration system. If you use your vacuum cleaner primarily on carpets or if you often vacuum pet hair from carpets and upholstery then your best choice would be an upright.
The H.E.P.A filtration system
H.E.P.A stands for 'High Efficiency Particulate Air". If you are an allergy sufferer you should seriously consider spending the extra money on a vacuum cleaner with a true H.E.P.A filtration system. A "true" HEPA filter vacuum will trap all particles up to 0.3 microns in size with an average efficiency rate of 97.97%. That is truly amazing, considering the standard vacuum is only capable of sucking in particles 30 to 50 microns in size, spitting the smaller particles back into the air. Most airborne particles are 2.4 microns in size. Allergy sufferers are affected mostly by the smallest particles, about 0.3 microns and should also use a H.E.P.A air cleaner to trap airborne allergens.
A HEPA vacuum is needed to get rid of those particles that have settled on furniture and on carpets preventing them from being stirred up and becoming airborne. If you use a professional cleaning service be sure to request an H.E.P.A vacuum cleaner and nontoxic cleaning products.
- More factors to consider
- Rotating power nozzle for canisters
- On/off rotating brush for uprights
- Long flexible suction hose
- Adjustable telescopic wand for canisters
- Carpet height adjustment.
