Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old.
Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection
works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of
carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in
ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to fit
a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old. Noise
isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection works
wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of carpet, wood
and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in ways that defy
description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill


I installed a Vacuflow 960 in the shop, and have it extended to the house
we're building. This particular model has twin motors, and is recommended
for use in large systems, in buildings up to 18,000 square feet. Need I
tell you I'm impressed with the performance?

Model numbers may be different now, but I suggest you investigate this
particular name brand. It uses a cyclonic separator instead of filter bags,
and discharges outside. Filters restrict performance, so are not in
anyone's best interest. Discharging out of doors removes fine particulate
matter instead of redistributing it in your home. I recommend this system
highly. Dog hair will be a non-issue.

No, I am not affiliated with Vacuflow in any way. I'm simply a satisfied
customer.

Harold

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:37:19 -0500, Bill Schwab
wrote:

Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old.
Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection
works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of
carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in
ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill
Beam Central Vac has been running over 20 years. No dog, but 2
daughters and 2 cats shed their fair share of hair!!!
Carpet, vinyl and hardwood mix in a 2 story with finished basement -
total just under 2000 sq ft.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:37:19 -0500, Bill Schwab
wrote:

Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old.
Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection
works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of
carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in
ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill

Size is only related to power because that seems to be how they come.
Take the head off a large powerful shopvac and fit it to the cannister
of a small one. Many or most shopvac heads take the same size
filters or bags.

My daughter in London has a Dyson and loves it, but I don't know how
"powerful" it is. She says it does an excellent job, and her space is
small. These use cyclonic separation rather than filters so they
don't have the backpressure of a filter, or at least less so. They
are pricey, though.

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to fit
a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old. Noise
isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection works
wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of carpet, wood
and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in ways that defy
description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill

Hi Bill

I have easy access to the attic in my house. The garage is attached, so
it was easy to mount a good shop vac in the garage and lay PVC tubes in the
attic to access several "outlets in the house. I dropped the PVC down thru
closets where they are easily not seen. I chose closets that had a wall
common to a convenient place to insert a socket for the vacuum.

It can be a big benefit to have the dust/smell/noise in the garage rather
the house.

Jerry

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to fit
a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old. Noise
isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection works
wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of carpet, wood
and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in ways that defy
description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill


We have a 3 year old Dyson DC14. Best vacuum ever made, period. The
ease-of-use is way beyond any other vacuum cleaner design and just like the
ad says: never loses suction, never needs bags. Not cheap but I see the
price has gone down since they were introduced. Still worth every penny.

I don't care how powerful a vacuum is, if it needs bags or filters, it is
obsolete 19th century technology on par with 78 rpm records or pedal-powered
sewing machines.

-Carl

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:20:32 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, "Carl
Byrns" quickly quoth:


"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to fit
a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old. Noise
isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection works
wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of carpet, wood
and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in ways that defy
description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill


We have a 3 year old Dyson DC14. Best vacuum ever made, period. The

Dyson? Hmm, don't they make spheres?

--
Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous
delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.
--e e cummings

On Dec 22, 5:34*pm, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Dyson? *Hmm, don't they make spheres?

I can almost guarantee you that Freeman never built a working model.

http://www.sns.ias.edu/~dyson/

"Carl Byrns" wrote in message
news:Q4gbj.750$OH6.579@trndny03...


We have a 3 year old Dyson DC14. Best vacuum ever made, period. The
ease-of-use is way beyond any other vacuum cleaner design and just like
the ad says: never loses suction, never needs bags. Not cheap but I see
the price has gone down since they were introduced. Still worth every
penny.

I don't care how powerful a vacuum is, if it needs bags or filters, it is
obsolete 19th century technology on par with 78 rpm records or
pedal-powered sewing machines.

-Carl

Sure agree with you on the Dyson. What they say is true.

Tom

"Tom M" wrote in message
. ..

"Carl Byrns" wrote in message
news:Q4gbj.750$OH6.579@trndny03...


We have a 3 year old Dyson DC14. Best vacuum ever made, period. The
ease-of-use is way beyond any other vacuum cleaner design and just like
the ad says: never loses suction, never needs bags. Not cheap but I see
the price has gone down since they were introduced. Still worth every
penny.

I don't care how powerful a vacuum is, if it needs bags or filters, it is
obsolete 19th century technology on par with 78 rpm records or
pedal-powered sewing machines.

-Carl

Sure agree with you on the Dyson. What they say is true.

Tom


i thought that was pure marketing hype (i have a dyson). there were
cyclonic vacuum cleaners before dyson. i think the dyson is heavy clunky
and big. difficult to vacuum under stuff, VERY difficult to vacuum stairs,
sometimes (like when vacuuming heavy shag carpet) the vibrator bar
rattles/clatters LOUDLY against the mouth/housing. if it were me i'd buy a
(two or three) MUCH less expensive vacuum cleaner than the dyson. i'd like
to try the oreck.

Bill Schwab wrote:
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old.
Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection
works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of
carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in
ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill


get a Metrovac. they're small, have a shockingly small canvas filter/dirt
holder, which is a mess to work with, but are more powerful than anything
else I've ever tried.

They should be under $150. You can strap it on and carry it around. The
exhaust will blow everything in the place around so watch out.

Bill Schwab writes:

Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little
old. Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing
protection works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have
a mix of carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and
sheds in ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

I've got a Golden Retriever. Unlike breeds that shed in the summer,
Goldens just shed *more* in the summer.

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap
is worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Got a Dyson a little while ago. And it's the first vacuum cleaner I
can remember us having in almost thirty years of marriage that I
wasn't swearing at within a month of bringing it home. It cost a
mint, but It Works.

I haven't had to try to get clogs of dog hair out of the extension
hose, I haven't had to disassemble it to replace a belt, and it
doesn't use filters. And it cleans.

"William Wixon" writes:

i thought that was pure marketing hype (i have a dyson). there were
cyclonic vacuum cleaners before dyson. i think the dyson is heavy clunky
and big. difficult to vacuum under stuff, VERY difficult to vacuum stairs,
sometimes (like when vacuuming heavy shag carpet) the vibrator bar
rattles/clatters LOUDLY against the mouth/housing. if it were me i'd buy a
(two or three) MUCH less expensive vacuum cleaner than the dyson. i'd like
to try the oreck.

Try one of those less-expensive vacuum cleaners and, after you have to
replace the belt, report on your findings. Bonus points if the belt
failure breaks the belt guide (which happened on our Eureka).

I haven't tried an Oreck -- but they sure look big and heavy to me...
granted, they seem to be the dominant commercial choice which has got
to be a good thing.

Bill Schwab wrote:

Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old.
Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection
works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of
carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in
ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill



My girlfriend and I bought a Dyson about four years ago and that thing
really cleans. With a dog and cat in the house we needed something that
would work and this did.

Jim Chandler

William Wixon wrote:

"Tom M" wrote in message
. ..

"Carl Byrns" wrote in message
news:Q4gbj.750$OH6.579@trndny03...


We have a 3 year old Dyson DC14. Best vacuum ever made, period. The
ease-of-use is way beyond any other vacuum cleaner design and just like
the ad says: never loses suction, never needs bags. Not cheap but I see
the price has gone down since they were introduced. Still worth every
penny.

I don't care how powerful a vacuum is, if it needs bags or filters, it is
obsolete 19th century technology on par with 78 rpm records or
pedal-powered sewing machines.

-Carl


Sure agree with you on the Dyson. What they say is true.

Tom



i thought that was pure marketing hype (i have a dyson). there were
cyclonic vacuum cleaners before dyson. i think the dyson is heavy clunky
and big. difficult to vacuum under stuff, VERY difficult to vacuum stairs,
sometimes (like when vacuuming heavy shag carpet) the vibrator bar
rattles/clatters LOUDLY against the mouth/housing. if it were me i'd buy a
(two or three) MUCH less expensive vacuum cleaner than the dyson. i'd like
to try the oreck.



You must have an older one. I've experienced no such problems. The
only thing I don't really care for is the wand in the handle. It's a
bit difficult to manage and the hose tends to crimp but other than that,
no problems.

Jim

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 20:56:03 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, Joe
Pfeiffer quickly quoth:

Got a Dyson a little while ago. And it's the first vacuum cleaner I
can remember us having in almost thirty years of marriage that I
wasn't swearing at within a month of bringing it home. It cost a
mint, but It Works.

Sounds good.


I haven't had to try to get clogs of dog hair out of the extension
hose, I haven't had to disassemble it to replace a belt, and it
doesn't use filters. And it cleans.

Don't they have a HEPA filter at the top? How else could they work
that well and not transmit fine dust into the air around them?

The only test I know to ensure that your vacuum is working that well
is to pull up the section of carpet at the front door. If there's no
dust and dirt in the padding or on the floor beneath it, your vacuum
is excellent.

--
Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous
delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.
--e e cummings

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 20:56:03 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, Joe
Pfeiffer quickly quoth:

Got a Dyson a little while ago. And it's the first vacuum cleaner I
can remember us having in almost thirty years of marriage that I
wasn't swearing at within a month of bringing it home. It cost a
mint, but It Works.

Sounds good.


I haven't had to try to get clogs of dog hair out of the extension
hose, I haven't had to disassemble it to replace a belt, and it
doesn't use filters. And it cleans.

Don't they have a HEPA filter at the top? How else could they work
that well and not transmit fine dust into the air around them?

There is a washable filter near the motor that has to be cleaned every six
months. It is never very dirty. The 8 little cyclones spin the air so fast
that even smoke particles are removed.

-Carl

Joe,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little
old. Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing
protection works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have
a mix of carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and
sheds in ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

I've got a Golden Retriever. Unlike breeds that shed in the summer,
Goldens just shed *more* in the summer.

I have a black mutt - same deal


If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap
is worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Got a Dyson a little while ago. And it's the first vacuum cleaner I
can remember us having in almost thirty years of marriage that I
wasn't swearing at within a month of bringing it home. It cost a
mint, but It Works.

I haven't had to try to get clogs of dog hair out of the extension
hose, I haven't had to disassemble it to replace a belt, and it
doesn't use filters. And it cleans.

Interesting. I thought I saw one caution about some banging inside of a
Dyson, but they seem to be getting good press.

Bill

Harold,

I installed a Vacuflow 960 in the shop, and have it extended to the house
we're building. This particular model has twin motors, and is recommended
for use in large systems, in buildings up to 18,000 square feet. Need I
tell you I'm impressed with the performance?

Feel free not to answer, but are you building on the same property, or
planning to yank the unit and take it with you? That would probably be
trivial compared to moving your shop My concern is over resale: can
you easily get away with taking the unit with you? I suppose you could
just remove the tubing and patch the holes??

If my mental picture of routing tubes to the unit is correct, it could
make for some UGLY blockages?? Does one put capped tees in the lines
every so often, or would that only lead to problems?

I dread the thought of moving, but in truth have no idea how long I will
stay. The installation would do me some good, but so would building the
furniture I have been promising myself. You are not the only person
advocating a central system - somebody did it with a big shop vac.

Bill

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...

Interesting. I thought I saw one caution about some banging inside of a
Dyson, but they seem to be getting good press.

Bill


The beater bar drive has an overload clutch that rattles like crazy if the
bar gets pet hair or string wrapped around it. I just cut the string off and
it's Bobs yer uncle.
Our Dyson DC14 shuts the beater bar off anytime the handle is in the up
position- a great feature because the bar doesn't gouge up the carpet while
using the wand to get the cobwebs.

-Carl

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Harold,

I installed a Vacuflow 960 in the shop, and have it extended to the house
we're building. This particular model has twin motors, and is
recommended for use in large systems, in buildings up to 18,000 square
feet. Need I tell you I'm impressed with the performance?

Feel free not to answer, but are you building on the same property, or
planning to yank the unit and take it with you?

The shop lies about 30' east of the house, and runs parallel to the side of
the house, with an attached double garage between the house and shop. It
is for that reason I chose the largest unit they made. I pull air a long
distance, so the twin motor unit works out nicely. I installed 2" PVC pipe
from the shop to the house early in the project. One unit serves the shop,
house and garage.

When I made the decision to go with a built in, my first concern was not
having a filter. Few of them work that way, and those that don't promote
how well their filtering system works, but they do that with the idea that
you'll be discharging your vacuum indoors. That's a mistake, as you've
likely noticed if you run any kind of vacuum cleaner now. The smell that
comes from them is the smell of decaying flesh, the dander we all shed in
the course of living our lives. By discharging outside, that is
eliminated, although it comes at the expense of discharging heated air. To
me, it's worth the loss, especially when you consider that fine dust is
eliminated from your environment instead of redistributed by the exhaust.
YMMV.

That would probably be
trivial compared to moving your shop My concern is over resale: can
you easily get away with taking the unit with you? I suppose you could
just remove the tubing and patch the holes??

The tubing isn't expensive. It's very thin walled PVC, made expressly for
the built in vacuum industry. Pretty much all of the manufacturers use the
same tubing, near as I can tell. I have no doubt they have their name
printed on their particular product, in spite of the fact that it all likely
comes from a single source, maybe two. As far as the vacuum unit proper,
it simply hangs on brackets and can be readily removed if need be. That's
important for what little maintenance you may face in the future (brush
replacement, for example). Don't be overly concerned about removing the
installation should you choose to go this route. You could probably replace
the entire setup (tubing and outlets) for a couple hundred dollars should
you choose to leave behind the system. Also, consider that if you own the
property, if you simply leave it behind, it will enhance the resale value,
perhaps actually make you a profit.


If my mental picture of routing tubes to the unit is correct, it could
make for some UGLY blockages?? Does one put capped tees in the lines
every so often, or would that only lead to problems?

My system has no cleanouts, and I'm not aware that anyone puts them in. If
you use the proper fittings, the elbow at each inlet is restrictive (they
accomplish that by making it a very tight bend) and allows nothing to pass
that won't go through the system, all the way to the motor unit, where the
dirt is normally stored. If you desire a large storage capacity, a large
container can be plumbed between the motor unit and the incoming line. They
are readily available from the suppliers.

Having discussed the proper elbows, I didn't do that in my shop, and I had
the misfortune to vacuum up a small parallel one day. It got about half way
through the system and lodged. It took some screwing around, costing me
about three hours, but it eventually moved very near one of the inlets,
where I retrieved it. In order to avoid that in the future, I'll use a
short length of tubing that connects to a collection tank, which, in turn,
connects to the intake of the system. Anything sucked up will be deposited
in the tank, never entering the tubing of the built in system.

Depending on how you install the system, you tend to have downstream hookup
points, so they function, to some degree, as access to the tubing. A fish
tape can be threaded in, although the fittings are directional, so it's
usually best to feed from the motor unit towards the inlet.

It's a long shot getting anything stuck if you use good sense, and don't do
what I did. If you do, it may be a good idea to provide a couple of
access points. My entire system is either underground or poured in
concrete. I can't access anything aside from the connection points, and
the motor unit.


I dread the thought of moving, but in truth have no idea how long I will
stay. The installation would do me some good, but so would building the
furniture I have been promising myself.

You won't regret the installation---it makes life a lot easier, and as I
said, it will enhance the value of the real estate, so you won't really lose
anything should you decide to move.

One thing you should be aware of. When you use any vacuum system, if you
vacuum up combustible material (wood shavings, for example), it's very
important that you DO NO use the system for picking up anything in the way
of sparks. If you do any grinding, don't vacuum the sparks as they leave
the wheel. A fire in a vacuum cleaner is not a good thing, and it's
readily ignited. The velocity of air movement carries the hot sparks right
to the vacuum, and drops them on the shavings.

If you choose to install the system yourself, don't use any tees, where you
get incoming air from two directions that turns at the junction towards the
motor unit. Heavy materials don't follow the air stream and lodge in the
opposite side, eventually packing it off. There's ways to tee, usually
accomplished by offsetting the two lines with elbows, so one flows past the
other. If in doubt on any of this, contact me on the side and I'll go
deeper in the concept. The reason I bring this up is I made that very
mistake, and must be very careful to keep the line open. Funny how making
a bad decision is such a good learning experience.

You are not the only person advocating a central system - somebody did it
with a big shop vac.

Bill

My original plan was to use the large B&D shop vac I own, one that came from
a car wash, a gift from a friend. What changed my mind was checking
larger and better units. You can't begin to understand the difference
between a shop vac with one motor and one of the commercial units with two
of them. The volume of air that they shovel is truly horrifying. You
can vacuum up things that the typical vacuum ignores. A shop vac will
work, it's just not as easy to adapt. Built in vacs have the relay system
that turns them on and off built in.

These units come with muffler (twin motors----twin discharges).

Yeah, I know-----doesn't sound like you'd need them.

I hadn't intended to install the mufflers, but quickly changed my mind.
The unit sounds like a rock crusher when running, but is rendered almost
silent with the mufflers.

Harold

Bill Schwab wrote:
Harold,

I installed a Vacuflow 960 in the shop, and have it extended to the
house we're building. This particular model has twin motors, and is
recommended for use in large systems, in buildings up to 18,000 square
feet. Need I tell you I'm impressed with the performance?


Feel free not to answer, but are you building on the same property, or
planning to yank the unit and take it with you? That would probably be
trivial compared to moving your shop My concern is over resale: can
you easily get away with taking the unit with you? I suppose you could
just remove the tubing and patch the holes??

If my mental picture of routing tubes to the unit is correct, it could
make for some UGLY blockages?? Does one put capped tees in the lines
every so often, or would that only lead to problems?

I dread the thought of moving, but in truth have no idea how long I will
stay. The installation would do me some good, but so would building the
furniture I have been promising myself. You are not the only person
advocating a central system - somebody did it with a big shop vac.

Bill

Bill

I'll also endorse the Vacuflow product. Back about ten years ago we
added a rather large addition onto the house, we also needed a new
vacuum at about the same time so we looked at the central systems on the
market. The only one that impressed me, and the only one I considered
was the Vacuflow, it is true cyclonic with no filters (as Harold has
pointed out) as it discharges outside, and the power head for carpets is
turbine powered by the airflow, not electric as all the others. That
last feature precludes having an AC outlet near each vacuum outlet and
plugging two things in all the time. Pretty much all you have to do to
empty the thing is unlatch two clips and the dust collector bucket is
easily removed for dumping. About once a year I find I have to reach up
in above the collector to wipe off a course screen up there but it's no
big deal. We bought the next bigger size up, because its me, and I
figure we can always take it with us when the time comes, leaving the
tubing in place.

The local dealer was more than helpfull, loaning us a hose kit so I
could figure optimum placing of the outlets, We were able to get by with
just two on the main floor, I also put three in the basement and one out
the side of the house next to the driveway. I did the installation
myself, the dealer loaned me some nice tools to cut and burr the special
pipe. He also sold me extra pipe and fittings, taking back any unused.
As the pipe and fittings aren't readily available at the usual big box
stores this really came in handy, keeping the project going on Sunday
and allowing the use of the best combination of fittings, not just what
even I had on hand.

I was worried about the pluggage issue but it has not ever been an
issue, I did install tee's were runs elbowed back towards the unit
capping the unused port of the tee with an unglued cap. This has turned
out to not be needed but doesn't cause any issues either, so far. Use
care to minimize total degrees of bends as much as possible.

My daughter's long haired cat tends to be hard on the carpet head but
the unit can be disassembled fairly easily for cleanings/dehairings when
required.

I'd buy another if and when we move, I don't even need to look at other
brands. Believe me, I'm not easily impressed by consumer goods but
Vacuflow is well made and engineered, central vacuum systems done right.

Regards
Paul



--
-----------------------------------------
It's a Linux world....well, it oughta be.
-----------------------------------------

Bill Schwab wrote:
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old.
Noise isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection
works wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of
carpet, wood and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in
ways that defy description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

Thanks,

Bill

I know what you mean about the dog hair. We had a Brittany Spaniel
(possibly related to Brittany Spears :-) ) that was a walking hair
machine. That dog weighed about 35 pounds and I swear it lost 50 lbs of
hair a day. We went though a Hoover and a Eureka and then said to hell
with it and bought a Kirby (This was about 1990 or so). That thing was
able to pick up all the hair that dog lost and is still going strong
today. Never had a problem with it. It is a little on the heavy side
but it isn't too bad, and it will not get into small or low spaces. But
it really sucks.

Wayne

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:54:56 -0600, Paul wrote:


My Beam also vents outside and has a turbine brush, but is not a true
cyclonic as it still has a filter, which DOES restrict the power a
bit.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to fit
a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old. Noise
isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection works
wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of carpet, wood
and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in ways that defy
description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

http://www.jondon.com/catalog/produc...ducts_id=17182

Backpack vacs have been recognized in the commercial cleaning industry as
one of the most efficient ways to vacuum. This is one of the better models.
They are not the most powerful, but the mobility and the fact that you can
clean more frequently due to the efficiency is a big plus.

Keywords:
In article , "ATP*" wrote:

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to fit
a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old. Noise
isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection works
wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of carpet, wood
and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in ways that defy
description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

http://www.jondon.com/catalog/produc...ducts_id=17182

Backpack vacs have been recognized in the commercial cleaning industry as
one of the most efficient ways to vacuum. This is one of the better models.
They are not the most powerful, but the mobility and the fact that you can
clean more frequently due to the efficiency is a big plus.

The Cadillac of back pack vacuums is the Nilfisk Backvacuum. They are
very expensive, but they work great. They are light, comfortable to
wear, and powerful. I borrowed one briefly at work, and have been
lusting after one ever since. Too bad they are so pricey.

http://www.bestvacuum.com/nilfisk-backvacuum.html

Doug White

"Doug White" wrote in message
...
Keywords:
In article , "ATP*"
wrote:

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Any recommendations for a vacuum cleaner for home cleaning? Trying to
fit
a big shop vacuum through tight spaces is getting a little old. Noise
isn't too big a deal: a mix of ear buds and hearing protection works
wonders, but size and suction are important. I have a mix of carpet,
wood
and some tiled areas. My dog has long hair and sheds in ways that defy
description, even in winter =:0

If you bought something a little pricey and got a machine truly worth
having, I would like to hear about it. Of course, if something cheap is
worth having, I'd _really_ like to know about it.

http://www.jondon.com/catalog/produc...ducts_id=17182

Backpack vacs have been recognized in the commercial cleaning industry as
one of the most efficient ways to vacuum. This is one of the better
models.
They are not the most powerful, but the mobility and the fact that you can
clean more frequently due to the efficiency is a big plus.

The Cadillac of back pack vacuums is the Nilfisk Backvacuum. They are
very expensive, but they work great. They are light, comfortable to
wear, and powerful. I borrowed one briefly at work, and have been
lusting after one ever since. Too bad they are so pricey.

http://www.bestvacuum.com/nilfisk-backvacuum.html

Doug White


IMHO if it has a bag, it is obsolete. It is a flawed design: the performance
of any bag vacuum starts to diminish the moment it starts to pick up dust,
no matter how expensive it is.

-Carl

Gang,

Thanks to all who replied: built-ins and backpacks are interesting. You
are certainly not the only group with members who swear by Dyson. After
some searching, budgeting, and deliberation, I went to Home Depot with
the expectation of leaving with a Dyson pet vac. Looking at the thing,
I suddenly wasn't so certain. Ok, the real reason was that they were
doing a little bait and switch: sales mentioned on line, not in the
store, or so it seemed. Looking at the web page again, I still see no
indication of a different in-store price. Whether or not they would
honor it wasn't the point: it's slimy.

There is an old joke: to the optimist, the glass is half full, to the
pessimist, the glass is half empty; to the engineer, the damn thing is
twice as big as it needs to be. The more I learn, the more it sounds
like sound judgment vs. a joke So the careful shopper gives way to
the engineer: call me nuts, but the Dyson $550 beast is not built all
that well. There are lots of snap-in plastic parts, avoidably weird
mechanisms, seals that look pretty good today, but probably will not
next year, etc. I could see the duct tape and rubber bands accumulating
with time - not good on something so expensive.

There were some cheap pet vacs, but $110 isn't going to go very far
given all they claim to do. In the middle, there was a Bissell that
looks like a Dyson clone, with (I think???) some improvements, and for
$250. Compared to the Dyson, there are fewer cheap looking plastic
parts, the seals are generally larger (more material, bigger support and
mating surfaces), which will hopefully translate into longer life. It
uses a similar (if not identical) centrifugal action with washable
filter and a replaceable post-motor filter. The release and hands-off
empty business is slightly simpler than Dyson's, but it does the same
basic job. Dyson claims that their HEPA filter never needs to be
replaced (for the "life of the vacuum"); Bissell says to replace theirs
at six months or so. I should be able to buy quite a few replacement
filters for the difference in price.

The machine I bought is not labeled as a pet vac, but it has a small
brush attachment for the hose, which appears to be one of the big
features of them. The attachments are not as elaborate as Dysons, but
again, they look to me as reflecting better design for plastics.
Especially Dyson fans, please feel encouraged to set me straight on the
filters.

If the thing turns out to suck (the bad way), I will let you know. For
now, it looks like a pretty good buy. I hate to tell you what it picked
up in just a few minutes in the entry way (tile), carpet near the dog's
main hang-out, and "the other bath" (more tile and some dusty base
boards) =:0 In a tight space, I notice some heat from it; I don't
find it ominous (no hot motor smells), I think it's just the cost of
moving the air. It isn't terribly quiet, but the aforementioned ear
buds and hearing protection will do nicely in that area. It has not had
time to accumulate any old crud, but there is NO smell while running it.
This is my first exposure to HEPA, so I was not sure what to expect;
I'm impressed. The next test will be to see how long the filters survive.

Wish me luck! Thanks again, and Happy New Year!

Bill

"Bill Schwab" wrote in message
...
Gang,

Thanks to all who replied: built-ins and backpacks are interesting. You
are certainly not the only group with members who swear by Dyson. After
some searching, budgeting, and deliberation, I went to Home Depot with the
expectation of leaving with a Dyson pet vac. Looking at the thing, I
suddenly wasn't so certain. Ok, the real reason was that they were doing
a little bait and switch: sales mentioned on line, not in the store, or so
it seemed. Looking at the web page again, I still see no indication of a
different in-store price. Whether or not they would honor it wasn't the
point: it's slimy.

Is it possible that the point is you wern't ready to spend a lot of money
on something as pedestrian as a vacuum cleaner? g

There is an old joke: to the optimist, the glass is half full, to the
pessimist, the glass is half empty; to the engineer, the damn thing is
twice as big as it needs to be. The more I learn, the more it sounds like
sound judgment vs. a joke So the careful shopper gives way to the
engineer: call me nuts, but the Dyson $550 beast is not built all that
well. There are lots of snap-in plastic parts, avoidably weird
mechanisms, seals that look pretty good today, but probably will not next
year, etc. I could see the duct tape and rubber bands accumulating with
time - not good on something so expensive.

My Dyson DC14 (not the 'animal') is three years old. Nothing's broken,
glued or duct taped. I bought it for $400 on sale at Sears. Don't tell my
wife, but I have used it to clean up the shop and drywall repair dust. The
vacuum looks like new.

Dyson claims that their HEPA filter never needs to be replaced (for the
"life of the vacuum"); Bissell says to replace theirs at six months or so.
I should be able to buy quite a few replacement filters for the difference
in price.

Mine has the original filter. It's washable. It's three years old. Every six
months I clean it (and the entire dust seperator section) in about ten
minutes.
Vacuum cleaner companies count on the insane markup of replacement filters
or bags for the bulk of their profits. When you buy that first-of-many HEPA
filters, think about how little it cost to make versus how much it cost to
buy.

If the thing turns out to suck (the bad way), I will let you know. For
now, it looks like a pretty good buy. I hate to tell you what it picked
up in just a few minutes in the entry way (tile), carpet near the dog's
main hang-out, and "the other bath" (more tile and some dusty base boards)
=:0 In a tight space, I notice some heat from it; I don't find it
ominous (no hot motor smells), I think it's just the cost of moving the
air. It isn't terribly quiet, but the aforementioned ear buds and hearing
protection will do nicely in that area. It has not had time to accumulate
any old crud, but there is NO smell while running it.
Same thing with the Dyson- it doesn't smell like a vacuum because it is not
blowing dust and dead mites back into the room air.
Sounds like Bissell has ripped off er, cloned some elements of the Dyson
design. I don't understand your comments regarding the design- the snap-in
parts allow for quick disassembly in case of a clog (happened to me just
once when it sucked up a cat toy that made through the hose and to the
second turn) and the majority of the plastic parts have some flexibility (
and impact-resistance) that shows a bit of subtly in engineering.

-Carl

Carl Byrns wrote:
Is it possible that the point is you wern't ready to spend a lot of money
on something as pedestrian as a vacuum cleaner? g

My Dyson DC14 (not the 'animal') is three years old. Nothing's broken,
glued or duct taped. I bought it for $400 on sale at Sears. Don't tell my
wife, but I have used it to clean up the shop and drywall repair dust. The
vacuum looks like new.


Mine has the original filter. It's washable. It's three years old. Every six
months I clean it (and the entire dust seperator section) in about ten
minutes.
Vacuum cleaner companies count on the insane markup of replacement filters
or bags for the bulk of their profits. When you buy that first-of-many HEPA
filters, think about how little it cost to make versus how much it cost to
buy.

Same thing with the Dyson- it doesn't smell like a vacuum because it is not
blowing dust and dead mites back into the room air.
Sounds like Bissell has ripped off er, cloned some elements of the Dyson
design. I don't understand your comments regarding the design- the snap-in
parts allow for quick disassembly in case of a clog (happened to me just
once when it sucked up a cat toy that made through the hose and to the
second turn) and the majority of the plastic parts have some flexibility (
and impact-resistance) that shows a bit of subtly in engineering.

-Carl



I like the Kirby G4 we have. 15 years old and other than a new bag every
3 weeks or so and one impeller it has not had anything done to it. (I
replaced the impeller because the wife managed to suck up about half a
carpet which got tangled in the impeller and snapped off one vane)
HEPA bags run about 5 bucks each online.

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

Life is not like a box of chocolates
it's more like a jar of jalapenos-
what you do today could burn your ass tomorrow!