Vacuum Cleaner Types

Vacuums are devices that use an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up debris from a floor.  Most homes that have carpeted floors have a vacuum.  The dirt is pulled from the carpet and collected by a filtering system or a cyclone for later disposal.

There are several different varieties of vacuum cleaners.

Upright Vacuums

Upright units have the pump mounted above the suction intake, and the bag mounted on the handle with rises to approximately waist height.

This design generally employs mechanical beaters which rotate brushes, to help agitate the dust enough to be sucked up.  They are generally driven by a belt attached to the vacuum motor.

Canister Vacuums

The canister or cylinder vacuum has a motor and a bag contained in a separate unit that connects to the vacuum head by a flexible hose.  Upright units are generally more effective, but the lighter heads of the canister are very popular.  Some models have a power head that contains the same type of beaters found in the upright units, but are driven by a separate electric motor.

See More About: Canister Vacuums   

Wet/Dry vacs

These special canister vacuums can be used to clean wet or dry spills.  They accommodate both wet and dry spillage, and some are equipped with a switch or exhaust port that reverses the flow of air.  This is useful for clearing clogged hoses and blowing dust into one area for easy collection.

See More About: Wet/Dry Vacuums   

Back pack vacuums

This vacuum is commonly used for commercial cleaning and allows the user to move quickly in large areas.  They are really a canister vacuum with straps to carry the canister on the back.

Built in or central vacuum

This vacuum has a centralized suction motor and bag, and vacuum inlets placed throughout the entire building.  This allows the user to only carry the hose and head from room to room.  The hose is generally 25 feet long and allows for a large range of movement without having to change inlets.

Plastic piping connects the inlets to the central unit.  The vacuum head can be either un-powered or have beaters operated by an electric or air driven motor.  The bag in the central systems is generally large enough that it only needs to be emptied once or twice a year.