By Glyn Booth

So, what do you do if your vacuum cleaner is not working properly? Many people would simply throw it away and purchase a new one. However, there is an other possible option that would save you a lot of money. It is actually to fix your vacuum yourself. You might did not know it, but it is very easy to repair a vacuum cleaner.

There are two common types of vacuum cleaners: upright and canister.

An upright vacuum cleaner uses a motor and fan to pull dirt from a surface and deposit it in a bag. Dirt is loosened and swept into the vacuum with a rotating brush called the beater bar. The upright vacuum cleaner is guided by the operator using the handle on which the bag and controls are mounted. Operation is simple. Maintenance and repairs are easy to perform. On the other hand, a canister vacuum cleaner places the majority of its weight (vacuum motor, filters, bag, and cord winder) in a separate unit to make the power head lighter.

With a long hose, the canister can be placed in the middle of the room and the power head moved more easily. This design allows larger and more powerful motors to be used.

As with the upright, the canister vacuum cleaner loosens dirt with the beater bar, located in the power head and driven by a smaller motor. Dirt is pulled through the hose by the main motor in the canister. Wheels on the canister make it easily portable. Because the fan in a canister vacuum is more isolated than the fan in an upright vacuum, it is generally less susceptible to damage. In order to repair the problem, you first need to determine what is wrong with your vacuum cleaner.

But bear in mind that if you want to fix your vacuum cleaner, it depends on the age of your vacuum, its condition and most important, what is broken. If a main part is broken, it is sometimes better to buy a new vacuum cleaner. Vacuum cleaners typically last 8 to 12 years, depending on their quality, frequency of use, and general maintenance. By maintaining and repairing your vacuum cleaner as needed you can extend its service life and reduce its actual cost.

There are actually not a lot of vacuum parts which malfunction. The most common problem is a belt malfunction. To check out the vacuum cleaner belt, you will want to flip the vacuum on its front so that the brush is facing you. You will notice a small plate around the brush. Unscrew this. Check the belt. It is possible that it has snapped or has wrapped itself around a portion of the brush.

You also will want to check the vacuum agitator brush. Sometimes it can become tangled with hair, pieces of carpet or string. Once it is clean, you can simply replace the belt and screw the plate back on the front.

If your vacuum is having poor suction, you might have something blocking one of the hoses. Remove the hoses one at a time, consulting your owner's manual if needed. Most of the problems you have with your vacuum will be related to either the agitator brush, the belt, or a blockage. You can save yourself a lot of time and money if you do the repairs yourself. You will be surprised how easy it is. If a part of the vacuum cleaner is broken, you can very easily go to a website that provide domestic appliances and buy vacuum cleaner spare parts.

Next time you have vacuum trouble, try these simple tricks. They might save you a lot of money and increase your vacuum�s life.

Glyn is the director of Ezee-Fix, a specialist in domestic appliance spare parts and consumables. http://www.ezee-fix.co.uk

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