Making a Wise Purchasing Decision
For over 25 years the people of Maine have benefited from a much better way of purchasing a vacuum cleaner. They have been making informed decisions based on what they’ve learned from the sales staff at All Brand Vacuum and by examining and trying various models in their stores.

Look around your home or area to be cleaned, paying close attention to the variety of surfaces which need to be cleaned. These may include carpeted and non-carpeted floors, upholstered and wooden furniture, stairs, doorframes, windowsills, Venetian blinds, drapes, picture frames, ceiling fans as well as small nooks and crannies. While looking around, don’t overlook the largest area in your home, the air which you and your family breathe. These all require cleaning to maintain a healthy home environment.

While complete periodic cleaning is required, keep in mind the more frequent cleaning requirements of some areas like the kitchen and dining room floors. Also there are those less frequent cleaning chores which sometimes involve water pickup or cleaning soiled carpet fibers.

Examine the Types which may Meet Your Needs
As you can see, there are a variety of different types of surfaces which need to be cleaned. To add to the complexity, there are weekly cleaning tasks, those special tasks which are done rather infrequently and also those which require daily time and attention. There the vacuum cleaner industry has developed a variety of types of vacuum cleaners, some to do a broad range of tasks as well as those which specialize in doing only one or two tasks extremely well.

Match Your Personal Cleaning Style and Preferences
Give some thought regarding how you go about your routine cleaning tasks. You probably have some specific ways you approach each area to be cleaned. Perhaps you even have other ways of cleaning some surfaces without the use of a vacuum cleaner. Do you prefer using an upright or a canister with power nozzle (power team) to clean your carpeted floors? Do you use a dry mop, broom or vacuum cleaner to clean you wooden, vinyl or ceramic tile floors? What is your approach to cleaning those hard to reach areas under your furniture, in small corners or around those lofty cathedral ceilings? Are you given to detail or do you like to give your cleaning tasks a quick “lick and a promise” and get on with life?

Confused about Vacuum Cleaner Terminology?
Is your head swimming as you try to decipher terms like HEPA, HEPA Type, CFM, PHP, MACH, micron, amps, air watts, clean-air, effectiveness per amp? That is just a handful of terms which are being thrown around. Some are meaningful while others communicate very little. Read over, or even print our extensive glossary to help you wade through all the clutter of vacuum cleaner terminology.

Address Your Family’s Sensitivities to Air Borne Particles
The current cutting edge in vacuum cleaner technology is in the area of improving the filtration efficiencies of vacuum cleaners. Medical science has advanced significantly in the areas of allergy detection and the effects of air borne particles on our general health. The vacuum cleaner industry is taking advantage of the development of advanced filtration media to provide much higher quality exhausted air than was available just a few years ago. This attention to improving the air quality in your home benefits everyone, not just those who have special needs. Where there are special dust related sensitivities, vacuum cleaners which have extremely high filtration efficiencies that meet the HEPA specification are often very helpful. Unfortunately, just adding a HEPA filter to an existing vacuum cleaner to an existing vacuum cleaner design often does not produce a vacuum cleaner which meets the HEPA specification for net filtration. Air and dust leakage before the HEPA exhaust filter is a major problem on some machines. A number of companies including Miele and SEBO have now incorporated ULPA or HEPA filters into completely sealed systems so the net filtration should meet the HEPA specification.

Factors which Affect Cleaning Efficiency
Everyone wants a cleaner, which will do a great job of cleaning with minimal time and effort on the part of the user. So why not rush out and buy the one with the highest amperage rating? Well, have you noticed that almost all vacuum cleaners are now rated at twelve amps? Over the years, the amperage ratings climb from a mere 3.5 amps to a whopping 12.0 amps. Has performance actually increased proportionally? Not really! There are many factors, which affect a cleaner’s efficiency and resulting effectiveness.

Incidentally, twelve amps is the maximum permitted for an appliance, which is plugged into a standard electrical outlet. If you see a rating higher than that, it is probably an efficiency or performance rating.

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand and learn how to identify various factors, which affect vacuum cleaner performance.

Basic Construction Materials and Designs
By now quite a few people have learned that purchasing a vacuum cleaner at the low end of the price range isn’t a very good idea. At the same time there are many who don’t realize that the saying “You get what you pay for” applies to vacuum cleaners as well. In an effort to produce apparently powerful vacuum cleaners with many deluxe features to sell at very low prices, many manufactures have overlooked many important design principles and the use of durable construction materials. After all, these aspects make little difference on how well the vacuum cleaners look on the television promotions. Perhaps they are planning for the vacuum cleaner to last only three to five years so you soon return to the store to purchase another one. Be wise to this type of marketing and be careful to choose a vacuum cleaner which is well designed and constructed with durable materials. A vacuum cleaner is perhaps the hardest used and most abused appliance in the home. It must be able to take hard use and still keep performing dependably.

Direct Questions to Knowledgeable Resources
Gaining a good understanding about vacuum cleaners is very important in making a wise purchasing decision. Because of the many aspects to consider, it is often helpful to talk directly to a knowledgeable salesperson or technician at a vacuum cleaner specialty store (vac shop) like those at All Brand Vacuum. You can talk to our knowledgeable staff in person by visiting our store or by calling us at 207-282-3565. We also answer questions submitted by email within a day or two although talking face to face or on the phone is often more beneficial.

Choose a Model Which Best Meets Your Needs
Once you’ve considered your cleaning needs, personal cleaning style and preferences, addressed special needs and attained a reasonably good understanding of vacuum cleaner performance, design and construction aspects, you are ready to start looking at specific makes and models.

Personally visit our store where you can try various models and talk to a knowledgeable salesperson or technician. Our store in Biddeford has on display several different models of new vacuum cleaners just waiting to be tried and purchased. They like their home in our stores but are looking for better homes where they will be loved and appreciated by everyone.

Purchase from a Reputable Retail Store
Ask among your friends and coworkers to determine which stores in your area have a good reputation and which ones don’t. I wish that I could simply recommend that you make your purchase from your local vacuum cleaner specialty store (vac shop) but I find that, while there are many good ones around, there are also some, which are operated by people looking to make a fast buck. If possible, purchase from a business, which has a reputation for doing reliable repairs at reasonable prices since even the best vacuum cleaners need minor repairs and maintenance on occasion.

Be sure to select a store, which is an Authorized Dealer for the specific brand you are purchasing. Purchasing a vacuum cleaner which was obtained “under the table” by the store can create problems should warranty repairs become necessary. Even after the warranty period expires, the much better rapport, which the dealer has with the manufacturer can go a long way. We know this from experience since we are an Authorized Dealer for all brands of new cleaners which we sell.

Periodic Maintenance to Improve Performance
Even the most durable vacuum cleaners require some periodic maintenance to keep them performing well. Of course, disposable paper bags need to be change routinely. Various additional filters need to be changed from time to time in order to keep air flowing freely through them. Many vacuum cleaners with motor driven revolving brushes have rubber belts which stretch and slip more as time passes. They should be changed at least once a year to assure good power transfer to the brush roll. Bristles, especially on revolving brush rolls, wear short or become soft with use and need to be replaced about every five years or so. Changing the bags. filters, belts and bristles as needed will go a long way in keeping your vacuum cleaner performing like new for many years.