Skip Navigation Website Accessibility
Vacuums 101

Getting Started
With so many good options in the market today, choosing a new vacuum can seem like a daunting task. Thankfully, we here at Bert's can assist you with this decision. By answering a few practical questions we can help you narrow down your options. Some questions to consider to get you started:

  1. Are you replacing a vacuum? If so what do you like and dislike about your current vacuum?
  2. How important is filtration? Does anyone in your space that has allergies or sensitive to dust?
  3. Is this for a commercial or residential space?
  4. Will this be your primary vacuum?
  5. How much flooring (sq ft) do you have?
  6. What are the different types of flooring you're cleaning?
  7. Are you on 1 level or do you have stairs?
  8. What are the various tasks you are looking to do with your vacuum (i.e. cleaning floors, dusting, wet debris, etc.)?
  9. Are you currently plumbed in for central vacuum?
With answers to these questions you will have a great base of knowledge of what you need from your vacuum cleaner. From here you can continue to narrow down the machine that will fit your needs.

Bagged or Bagless?

20 years ago this was not much of a question. There were very few vacuums on the market that were truly bagless unless it was a hand vacuum (i.e. "Dustbuster"). Today, this is a question you will want to have figured out before looking for your next vacuum. There are pros and cons to both; however, generally speaking a bagged unit will give you better filtration and a machine that will perform better and last longer than their bagless counterparts. Of course this can vary dramatically depending on the quality of the machine and how well they are maintained.

Bagless

 Bagless vacuums funnel the airflow into the dirt canister causing a vortex. This vortex pulls the large items to the bottom while a filter before the vacuum motor (pre-motor filter) filters out the fine particles in the air. The airflow continues through the motor (cooling it) and is then exhausted through another filter (post motor filter) before that "clean" air is expelled into the air around the vacuum and the room that you are in. When the dirt container is full you simply empty it into the trash. The filters are almost always washable. This all means you don't have to worry about running out of bags! There's something to be said for the instant gratification when you can see the dirt you have picked up with your vacuum.

Unfortunately, many people who use a bagless vacuum see them as maintenance free. Just empty the dirt canister and they're good to go. The filters that don't get cleaned slowly choke off the vacuum motor putting a tremendous amount of heat and stress on them. This doesn't kill the motor right away; however, over time this continued heat and stress slowly eats up their service life. Another inherent problem is that there is no easy way to clean the mechanism that funnels the airflow, also known as a dirt separator. This mechanism will slowly build up dirt in and on it which slowly restricts the amount of air allowing to pass through it. This problem is only exacerbated if there is any moisture added to the mix. Dirt separators can be very simple mechanisms or extremely complicated and vary not only from brand to brand; but, from model to model. If you decide to go with a bagless vacuum, having access to an air compressor is the easiest way of cleaning these and even then it's not 100%. Bert's Vacuums does have a service to accomplish this and it is called a "Restorative Clean". Pricing varies depending on the complexity of the dirt separator.

Pros

- Great for large amounts of pet hair (i.e. golden retriever)
- No extra costs for dust bag replacements
- Ideal set up for stick and hand held vacuums for quick pick ups

Cons
- Shorter lifespan
- Not as good at filtration
- Messy to clean

 
Bert's Vacuums

Servicing Medicine Hat and surrounding areas
 
  • Hours:
  • Monday to Friday: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
    Saturday: 10:00AM - 4:00PM
    Sunday & Holidays: Closed

 
Contact Us