Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Interesting opinion piece. 

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2010/09/dyson-vacuum-thief-should-have-checked-consumer-reports-.html

CarmineD wrote:

Hi Carmine,

Your points are all valid but in this situation the owner is claiming that the vacuum is sometimes easy to push OR not easy to push with no changes in handling on her part.  Very odd.  I thought at first she meant she had problems when at work on different types of rugs but she said no, the carpeting was all the same.  Again, she's claiming no changes in the cleaning scenario -- same rug always -- but different effort requirements out of the blue for yet to be explained reasons.  Maybe I was being tested?

Venson

Venson wrote:

Venson:

I wonder if the brush roll is skipping and/or hiccupping over the rug at times causs the revolving brush to stop and go. This will impact negatively on the push/pull weight even if just intermittent and quick when occurs.  Don't know if this is a problem ior not for SEARS Kenmore beltless Progressive uprights. 

Carmine D.

Could be something more simpler like the wheels getting snagged. This reminds me of one particular customer I dealt with many years ago who said her Dyson upright was difficult to push. No surprise really when she brought it in - her wheels were absolutely filthy - stuck on food, goo and some kind of black sticky stuff no doubt fur from the carpet over the years - had stuck to the bits of food giving an "off road" nobbly ride to rugs.

vacmanuk wrote:

Sounds reaonsable Vacmanuk especially in light of your expereince with dyson's wheels.  I suspect the sticking wheels would cause more of a persistent problem pushing and pulling than intermittent.  Unless trhe sticking is just starting to be a problem and will take awhile longer to become more permanent an issue.

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:
Well the wheels were extremely difficult to push on thick carpeting. It didn't take me long to figure it out when pushed along a hard floor. You could feel the upright jumping about as if something was obstructing its natural smoothness.

vacmanuk wrote:

Makes complete sense logically and practically, Vacmanuk.  Thanks for the posts and follow-up.  Hopefully Venson will see this customer again and perhaps have an additional dialogue about the issue. 

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:

Carmine,

Gotta agree with you on this one.  All my carpeted rooms are the same carpet, installed at the same time.  I have 2 rooms that have a section of the carpet where the vacuum is difficult to push and bounces when pulled back across the spot.

The vacuum is also more difficult to push (say north and south) than east and west on most all of the carpet.

HARDSELL wrote:

HARDSELL:

Note the part of your post I highlighted.  Is this the case with a particlular vacuum or all you use on the rug?  Is this the case with and without the vacuum running or just when in use?

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

The lighter vacs are worse.  Kirby and Dyson not as bad as others. 

I have only noticed it during use.  However, I do not push the vac around for pleasure or exercise when not in use.

HARDSELL wrote:

Why did I know you would say this!  Touche.  I was trying to get at the point made by Vacmanuk about wheel design and form.  Though his experience was with sticking dyson wheels.  Wheel design and form, as with your HOOVER lightweight platinum bagged versus say an ORECK, can affect push/pull vacuum weight in addition to the revolving brush rotating against the natural weave of the carpet.  Comparing the push and pull vacuum weight over the rug area in question in the on AND off mode would tell the degree of the impacts.

Carmine D.