My vacuum cleaner has been getting steadily more and more dodgy over the last couple of years (making much louder noise, not picking things up as well as it used to) and it's now taken to overheating and cutting out until it's cooled down. I'm wondering whether it's worth trying to get it fixed or if it's better to just give up on it and buy a new one - I've got no idea how much it's likely to cost to have it repaired or where to get it done. It's 5 years old and cost about £150 new. I don't want to have to buy a new one if I could get it repaired, but equally I don't want to spend a lot of money on repairing it if it wouldn't last much longer anyway. Any comments?

At 5 years old, a domestic vac has expired its designlife. Don't pay for a repair. If it has had new filters and is still behaving this badly, give up and buy a sebo. Sebo have an Industrial guarantee, and mine is over 15 years old now - so it has more than paid for itself

Let Rotherham Vac Co (http://www.rotherhamvac.co.uk/). sort it. If it can't be fixed economically, they will sort you another vacuum very cheaply. I do their web design and trust them totally.

Yes, think about a Sebo. Better than Dyson for about the same cost.

Yes, think about a Sebo. Better than Dyson for about the same cost.

I agree with that.

The problem I always have with vacuum cleaners is that I have very long hair which seems to get everywhere in the house, and it always ends up caught around the brush underneath the vac. I'm sure this is the main reason mine hasn't been doing very well for a while.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a particular vac that would deal better with this?

The problem I always have with vacuum cleaners is that I have very long hair which seems to get everywhere in the house, and it always ends up caught around the brush underneath the vac. I'm sure this is the main reason mine hasn't been doing very well for a while.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a particular vac that would deal better with this?

If the vaccuum is still actually 'working' (ie the motor runs), and taking into consideration your issue with hair, all it probably needs is a damn good clean. Hair wraps around the brush mechanism, gets hot and eventually melts onto the spindles, which slows it down, and caused the motor to work much harder and overheat.

Just take the assembly to bits (it's usually one or two screws, which are usually big enough to use a knife to undo if you don't have a screwdriver. Cut all the wrapped around hair from the brush roller, and especially the two spindle ends. Use a knife to scrape any gunge from around the spindle seating. Just a thorough de-coke! Also check the pipe leading to the dust collector, to make sure that's not blocked. Spend a half hour doing that, and it will in all probability work fine once again!

The problem I always have with vacuum cleaners is that I have very long hair which seems to get everywhere in the house, and it always ends up caught around the brush underneath the vac. I'm sure this is the main reason mine hasn't been doing very well for a while.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a particular vac that would deal better with this?
Yep - a Sebo has a clutched belt (so shouldn't break, ever), and has a button you push to remove the whole roller brush, allowing you to just run a pair of scissors up it to remove hair - no screwdriver required :)

The problem I always have with vacuum cleaners is that I have very long hair which seems to get everywhere in the house, and it always ends up caught around the brush underneath the vac. I'm sure this is the main reason mine hasn't been doing very well for a while.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a particular vac that would deal better with this?

Get one with a 'turbo head'. That way, there are no belts (there's maybe one tiny one) to get tangled with hair. We dismantle the head of ours about once a month and use scissors to get rid of the hair - both the missus and daughter have long hair.

We've got a Miele cat and dog, btw. I have eczema and need decent filtration from a vacuum - bought the Miele and put a hepa filter in it. We used to have a Dyson but found it heavy, bulky and noisy. Downside of our current vacuum is that we have to buy bags - oh, and a replacement filter.

G

If the vaccuum is still actually 'working' (ie the motor runs), and taking into consideration your issue with hair, all it probably needs is a damn good clean.

I agree, I bet the filters are clogged. I've got a Hoover clone of a Dyson and it has all manner of hidden panels with filters and sponges in.

And even then the cyclone area needs stripping down to get out the clogs every six months.

We had a Dyson once, it was hopeless.

Best vac we've ever had is a Panasonic pull along. Half the cost and has lasted well over 12 years so far...

I'd agree with the cleaning advice by the way...

I agree, I bet the filters are clogged. I've got a Hoover clone of a Dyson and it has all manner of hidden panels with filters and sponges in.

And even then the cyclone area needs stripping down to get out the clogs every six months.

How did you manage to suck up a pair of clogs????....Damn good vaccuum !...Must get one of those! :hihi::hihi:

A vote for Sebo, we've had ours for 12yrs, still going strong.

The problem I always have with vacuum cleaners is that I have very long hair which seems to get everywhere in the house, and it always ends up caught around the brush underneath the vac. I'm sure this is the main reason mine hasn't been doing very well for a while.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a particular vac that would deal better with this?

it sounds like you are laying down whilst vacuuming - try standing up and pushing it around and I think you'll not have too much of this problem.

If the vaccuum is still actually 'working' (ie the motor runs), and taking into consideration your issue with hair, all it probably needs is a damn good clean. Hair wraps around the brush mechanism, gets hot and eventually melts onto the spindles, which slows it down, and caused the motor to work much harder and overheat.

Just take the assembly to bits (it's usually one or two screws, which are usually big enough to use a knife to undo if you don't have a screwdriver. Cut all the wrapped around hair from the brush roller, and especially the two spindle ends. Use a knife to scrape any gunge from around the spindle seating. Just a thorough de-coke! Also check the pipe leading to the dust collector, to make sure that's not blocked. Spend a half hour doing that, and it will in all probability work fine once again!

I have done this a few times in the past (took the entire vac to bits and unblocked all of the pipes and got rid of the hair from around the brush, it took me ages to get it back together again!) but it still isn't right even after declogging everything. It definitely is overheating because the latest thing is that it cuts out after about 10 minutes and won't switch back on until it's cooled down, but it's not long since I did the last de-clog so it can't be blocked already (or if it is, there's something wrong that's causing it to block as it's only been used a few times). It also puffs dust out of the back, smells funny (not a burning kind of smell, more just a musty smell) and makes a really loud noise when you're using it.

it sounds like you are laying down whilst vacuuming - try standing up and pushing it around and I think you'll not have too much of this problem.

*snort*
Thanks for that, I knew I was doing something wrong :P

That happened to my Dyson after I used it for DIY work. I tried to clean out the motor of all the dust but to no avail. In the end I bought a new vacuum and the Dyson is now used solely for DIY.

Wish I'd known about the SEPO vacuums that have been recommended. The bags are cheaper than those for the Miele.