Having a canister vacuum cleaner that constantly cleans your home is important, but knowing the intricate parts that help in the overall cleaning capability is a part that most people ignore, and the negligence of these parts may be the reason your vacuum loses its grip power. In this post, we will focus on this neglected but important part, the vacuum belt.
Let’s first understand what a vacuum belt is and how it adds to the overall performance of your canister vacuum cleaner.
If the belt of a canister vacuum cleaner is this vital in the overall cleaning performance of your vacuum, then what are the possible causes that can cause your vacuum belt to break or wear out?
What is the purpose of a vacuum belt?
In a canister vacuum, the motor pulley or the drive shaft turns the belt while vacuuming, while the brush rollers turn to provide the needed vibration to clean your carpet deeply.
From the explanation above, you can clearly see how important a belt is in any vacuum cleaner. Having a worn-out/broken belt may render your vacuum unable to clean effectively.
It normally stretches in three months; this stretching causes the belt to glide through the drive shaft. A broken or worn-out belt picks up only surface particles, leaving grain and dirt particles buried deep in your carpet. This causes your carpet to start accumulating excessive dirt, which eventually leads to carpet wear.
So…
Causes that lead to a brokenworn-outt canister vacuum belt
Listed below are the possible causes that may lead to your vacuum belt breaking or wearing out.
Setting the height extremely low
If you set the brush rollers of your vacuum too low for the surface you’re cleaning, it builds up heat and friction. Most times, this setting is, as a result, trying to clean a thick rug thoroughly. This process makes the rollers exert pressure on the rug, which causes the rollers to reduce their speed compared to their regular speed.
The still-spinning drive shaft starts heating up. As the temperature rises, the vacuum belt also starts heating up, which would cause the belt to stretch. Tim must stretch it after each use; then it breaks.
Brush rollers overload
When you use your vacuum, the motor rotates, and this constant rotation influences the spinning of the rollers with the assistance of the drive shaft. The vacuum belt is normally tangled around the rollers. An overload on the rollers will cause the vacuum belt to absorb so much heat that it might instantly break or burn.
Inappropriate use of the belt
Using the vacuum belt incorrectly can also cause it to break. Therefore, you must use the ideal belt and replace it correctly (if you choose to buy one).
If you’re not sure of the right belt for your canister vacuum, you can consult your manual for references or seek professional advice.
Now that we’ve discussed some of the causes that lead to broken or worn-out vacuum belts, we must look out for ways to fix or replace the vacuum belt, so our vacuum cleaner’s overall cleaning performance can come back!
Steps to fix your vacuum belt
Following the steps below would help maintain your vacuum belt;
Vacuum in the right place
When you vacuum your carpet, you can lose small screws in it. You can easily avoid losing any vital component by working on floor surfaces or even on a table.
Note: you can also vacuum your carpet, but to safeguard your vacuum belt, you would have to avoid any cause that can cause the belt to break or wear out. The preceding text lists these causes.
Prepare before you vacuum
Unplug your vacuum before you start vacuuming. While you can still suffer injuries if a rotating vacuum belt or rollers catch your hands mistakenly, this isn’t a quick fix. You can accidentally switch these on. So this is why you should switch off your vacuum. With your vacuum unplugged, you can manually check the bottom of your vacuum to be sure everything is in order.
Test your vacuum belt
An uneven or stretched vacuum belt will glide over the rollers while the drive shaft rotates it. Normally, trying to force a broken belt back will usually loosen it, thus allowing you to pull it out of your vacuum cleaner.
Pull out a broken belt.
Once you realize your vacuum belt is broken, remove it. But removing the belt is not just simply pulling it out; you would have to unscrew the screws covering the plate at the bottom of your vacuum cleaner. Once you remove the plate, you will then see the broken belt; just pull the belt out.
At this stage, you can either replace your belt with a spare one or just purchase another one. As stated earlier, you must use the right belt. You can take the old belt with your vacuum’s model name and number to a nearby hardware store to purchase a new belt.
Fix your new belt
Once you’ve purchased a new vacuum belt, check the rollers for any dander, threads, or strands of hair tangled around them. If any, remove the rollers with a little tug on them, then you can remove the entangled particles. Once you’ve cleaned the rollers, insert the belt over the rollers, then fix the rollers back into the clip that keeps them firm to the vacuum.
Then take the other end of the belt and place it on the drive shaft, screw back the plate to the bottom of the vacuum. At this stage, your vacuum is ready to eliminate any iota of dirt or debris in your home!
Some bonus tips for safeguarding your vacuum’s belt
Listed below are tips that would help you maintain the belt of your vacuum
Use the right belt
Ensure you get the right belt for your vacuum when purchasing, because if you don’t, you may get the wrong belt that would easily break again. So get the right belt!
Install the belt properly.
When installing the belt, ensure you adjust it to its proper tension. As this is necessary for the rollers to spin at their intended pace
Avoid overheating the belt of your vacuum.
Be on the lookout for objects that may clog the vacuum while you’re vacuuming. The belt breaks as a result of “snagging.” This happens when the belt becomes stuck and overheats as a result of your vacuum running over thick items.
In Conclusion
Did you enjoy this post? If you’re wondering how to change the belt in your vacuum, you can simply follow the steps explained above to the letter!
Do you have any questions on how to keep your vacuum belt safe from breaking? Please let us know in the comments! If you enjoyed this post, please share! ~Remember sharing is caring!
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