HEPA Vacuum Cleaners Buyers Guide: Which One is Right for me?
HEPA Vacuum Cleaners - A buyers guide
By Mercia Tapping
President
AllergyBuyersClub.com
What size is your Home?
The first thing to consider when buying a HEPA vacuum cleaner is the size of your home. While we have a preference for at least a mid size vacuum cleaner which will handle effectively most people's needs most of the time, a full size canister vacuum cleaner may be more appropriate for a very large house, and conversely the student with a dorm room or an elderly person with a studio apartment needs a smaller sized vacuum cleaner to get the job done.
What kind of flooring do you have in your home?
While we hope as an allergy or asthma sufferer you have limited the use of carpeting in your house, nevertheless we know many of you still have substantial carpeting. With a considerable amount of carpet, you may want to also include as a possibility a high end upright vacuum cleaner like the Sebo Automatic X4 since the suction power on these machines provides excellent value for money. If you have a mix of carpeting and wooden floors you will definitely need a canister vacuum cleaner which can go from carpeting to bare floors seamlessly.
Do you prefer to use canister or upright vacuum cleaners?
Some people have a clear preference for one or the other, and in reality either type can be made to work well for you. If you have never had the experience to compare the two types of vacuum cleaners, try one out at a friend's house you might be surprised at the innovations in the marketplace.
Advantages of upright vacuum cleaners
Upright vacuum cleaners are easier and more compact to store in a closet. They often provide more suction power at a lower price than the canister vacuum cleaners, if carpet vacuuming [for instance of dog hair] is your main concern.
Disadvantages of upright vacuum cleaners.
Most are quite heavy to move around, an exception to this is the Eureka self propelled which has been brought back by Eureka by popular demand. Most uprights do not have a fully sealed or post motor HEPA system. Most upright vacuums are not designed for easy efficient use of onboard tools. The Eureka Sanitaire is a notable exception in both respects.
Advantages of canister vacuum cleaners
The biggest advantages in our minds are the following : canister vacuum cleaners allow for an easy transition from bare floors to carpets. Once positioned in the middle of a room, they are much lighter to push around. Canister vacuum cleaners have on board tools, essential if you are going to do a thorough cleaning. We use ours for dusting furniture, vacuuming bathroom and kitchen tile floors, upholstery and car cleaning, computer equipment to name just a few of the applications for the tools.
Disadvantages of canister vacuum cleaners.
Some people are more used to an upright vacuum cleaner and see it as more convenient to store than a canister. Also, until you buy a full size canister, the power and effectiveness for basic carpet vacuuming tends to be less. If you just have carpets you may be happier with a top of the line upright vacuum.
Why is a HEPA vacuum cleaner is a useful tool for allergy and asthma sufferers?
The word "HEPA" stands for "high efficiency particulate air" and in order for a filter to be rated as HEPA it must retain all particles .3 microns in size or larger at an efficiency level of 99.97%. The most common airborne particles are about 2.4 microns but the average vacuum cleaner only vacuums up particles from 30 to 50 microns in size, blowing the rest of the allergens back into the air. The most harmful sized particulates are about .3 microns in size.
HEPA Air cleaners will only do part of the job needed by an allergy sufferer in order to keep their environment clean. A HEPA air cleaner tends to draw towards its filter those allergens which are already air borne. On the other hand a HEPA vacuum cleaner will clean up those allergens and dust which have settled on furniture floors and carpets These "settled" allergens keep getting stirred up [and subsequently inhaled] by human movement in a room.
Would a built in-central vacuum system be the best solution for an allergy sufferer?
With a built in vacuum cleaner there is no possibility that allergens can be exhausted back into the room, making it unequivocally the vacuum cleaning method of choice for an allergy sufferer. Since they are stationary they often have more powerful motors than portable vacuum cleaners. Dirt is either collected in a container usually located in a garage or basement, or exhausted directly outside a house. The connection hoses for central vacuums have become lighter and easier to manipulate in recent years. However, the biggest disadvantage of central vacuums is they do not have any onboard tools and you need to carry them separately[read stay in the closet].They are also more costly initially to install, requiring at least a half day of professional installer time. In addition, despite design improvements many people find a 30 foot hose awkward to carry around. As with all product choices, there are tradeoffs to be considered. We offer the Eureka central vacuum cleaner, and have had great success with it.
Features to check out before you purchase a vacuum cleaner.
1. Completely Sealed HEPA System
The HEPA filter needs to be positioned post motor so as to ensure the exhaust is emitting allergen free air. This post motor feature is currently only available in canister vacuums.The bag and motor components need to be completely sealed by rubber gaskets so that there is no leakage of dust filled air. This is a "true HEPA" not a HEPA-like vacuum cleaner. Dust and allergens need to kept in the machine and bag where they belong.
2. Two Fan suction motor
A two fan motor can pull in significantly more dirt and allergens than a single fan motor. The power of a vacuum is usually measured in air flow - cubic feet per minute. For instance a Sebo C3.1 Canister Vacuum or Sebo air belt K3 Canister Vacuum is rated at 171 cubic feet per minute making them one of the most powerful machines available for residential use.
3. On board tool caddy
As mentioned before onboard tools are essential in our opinion. The key to good on board tools is how easily they can be changed on the fly. You should be able to change from the floor tools to upholstery or dusting with one quick pull and unscrew motion. In this regard, we think Miele have created the most consumer friendly machine.
4. Rotating Power Nozzle (canisters)
These are better for cleaning carpets.
5. On board hose storage (uprights)
Storing onboard tools tends to be awkward at best in an upright vacuum cleaner. The Sebo Automatic X4 Extra Upright vacuum cleaner tends to do the best job in our opinion of any vacuum in storing tools onboard.
6. On-off rotating brush (uprights)
Ability to switch from the carpet to bare floor at the touch of a switch.
7. Easy to use controls and on-off switch
All these controls should easy to reach and use.
8. Long flexible hose
Some hoses tend to twist and kink
9. Adjustable telescopic wand (canisters) Very important in assisting your ability to go seamlessly in adjusting the optimal distance in reaching high places, furniture or floors. The telescopic wand should adjust easily without having to fiddle with it.
10. Carpet height adjustment
Vacuuming different carpets- from deep pile Chinese carpets to a cotton rug needs the ability to adjust the controls at the touch of a switch or dial.
11. Easy maneuverability
Good quality large size castor wheels increase maneuverability. When using an upright self propelled models such as the Eureka self- propelled, vacuuming becomes easier.
12. Swivel 360 degrees for hose and wheels (canister)
In order for machines to be easily maneuverable they need to have the capability of swiveling 360 degrees without moving the machine.
13. Attachments
At a minimum, a vacuum cleaner should have a dusting brush with soft bristles, upholstery, bare floor and crevice tools as the basics.
14. Long retractable cord (canister)
Good canister vacuum cleaners have automatic retractable cords which make for neater storage.25 feet is a good minimum length.
15. Dust bag change indicator
We like to be reminded that a vacuum cleaner does not work effectively with an over-full bag, and can burn out.
16. Lightweight
No vacuum cleaner or other appliance will be used if it is too heavy. We have found most people are comfortable up to about 15lbs.Over that weight it will feel too heavy for a number of people, especially if you have to carry it up and downstairs.
17. Suction control switch
Suction control switches need to be available at finger tip control or by floor press controls, since vacuuming drapes needs less suction than carpets. This is where canister vacuum cleaners excel.
18. Fan position
It is better design for the dirt to be vacuumed into the dust bag first before it hits the blower fan. This way exhausting allergens into the room is minimized. By no means are all vacuum cleaners built this way. Very often manufacturers have taken an existing design and just added a HEPA filter, but not positioning it in the optimal position.
19. Blower
It is useful to be able to attach the hose in such a way as to blow away dirt in hard to reach places. Allergy sufferers should only use this feature in emergencies as it stirs up dirt and allergens into the air.
20. Quiet
If you like to vacuum late at night or after the children are in bed, noise level becomes important. We have found Miele vacuum cleaners exceptionally quiet.
21. Bag savers and bagless vacuum cleaners
We do not on the whole recommend them for allergy sufferers, as you have to empty an unsealed container full of dirt and allergens. People like them as they save on the cost of vacuum cleaner bags and they like seeing the dirt getting "sucked up". If you insist on buying a vacuum cleaner with this feature like the Eureka Sanitaire Commercial SC5845 Bagless HEPA Vacuum Cleaner get someone who does not suffer from allergies to empty it out for you.
22. Hygienic dust bags
Built in dust flaps which automatically close when you change a bag to prevent dust from escaping.
23. Warranty
Check the manufacturer's warranty period. You can get anywhere from a 1 to 5 year warranty on the motor and one year on other parts.
24. Commercial versus Residential Vacuum Cleaners
Commercial vacuum cleaners are built to withstand usage 7 hours a day five days a week. Residential users only use their vacuum cleaners 1 to 3 hours per week. Our Range of HEPA Vacuum Cleaners |
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