Residential vacuum cleaners usually sell for under $400 dollars and can have a life expectancy of up to 5 years. Residential vacuum cleaners have a plastic body and one motor that drives both the brush and operates the vacuum motor. The cord on a residential vacuum cleaner does not have a ground fault plug and the overall unit is often smaller than commercial vacuums. The most common brands of residential vacuum cleaners are Hoover and Eureka each about 20 vacuum cleaners in its vacuum cleaner line up. Residential vacuum cleaners come in both filter bag and non filter bag cyclonic models and are made to be used occasionally up to 5 times a week over a 5 year period.
Commercial vacuum cleaners are made with either plastic or metal bodies and are made to withstand more punishment than residential vacuum cleaners. Most commercial vacuum cleaner cords are at least 50ft long and contain a ground fault protector. An easy way to tell if a vacuum has a ground fault protector is to make sure it has three prongs at the end of the plug. Having a ground fault protector will help to ensure the safety of the vacuum cleaner operator in case the cord is severed by either the vacuum or a sharp object pressing against the cord. Commercial vacuum cleaners usually have two motors one that runs the brush and one that drives the vacuum.
Upright vacuum cleaners come in both residential and commercial models. Upright vacuum cleaners usually have a base that contains the beater brush and motors, and the bag or box enclosure that contains a filter bag or canister for debris. Upright vacuum cleaners can include many features such as front lights, brush height controls, on board hose and attachments and different power modes. Upright vacuum cleaners are great for flat open areas and small stairways.
Back pack vacuum cleaners are usually made up of a canister that is attached to a harness and a wand with a long hose. On back pack vacuum cleaners the canister is worn on the back and is usually made from light weight material like plastic or resin compounds. The canister on the vacuum cleaner usually contains a motor at one end and a filter bag at the other. The hose is usually connected to the top end of the vacuum and can be fitted with attachments for all types of cleaning jobs. Back pack vacuum cleaners are great for cleaning hard to reach places and large stairways. Because of the portability of these vacuum cleaners they are used commonly in commercial cleaning environments.
Wet dry vacuum cleaners are great for residential and commercial use. Disposable wet dry vacuum cleaners range from $20 to $500 dollars are are usually fitted with under powered motors or seals that will degrade over time. These vacuums usually have a life expectancy of about 3 years depending on how they are used. Most disposable wet dry vacuum cleaners have a plastic or resin tank and rigid plastic hose. Commercial wet dry vacuum cleaners are made for heavy duty applications such as construction cleanup and floor maintenance. Commercial wet dry vacuums come with heavy duty motors and replaceable seals and can have a life expectancy up to 10 years depending on how they are used. Commercial wet dry vacuum cleaners usually have a metal or hard resin canister with a heavy duty motor mounted on the top. Some commercial wet dry vacs can be fitted with a front mount squeegee and are great for floor maintenance cleanups or for cleaning up wet floors. When purchasing a wet dry vacuum make sure it has a three pronged plug and has ground protection circuitry for safety.
Wide area vacuum cleaners are wide vacuums which can measure up to 3 feet wide. These types of vacuum cleaners are perfect for large open areas such as conference centers, hotel hallways or banquet halls. Wide area vacuums can cut vacuuming time in open areas up to 50% compared to regular upright vacuum cleaners. Wide area vacuum cleaners have a beater brush that runs the whole length of the vacuum and large commercial heavy duty motors to create super powerful suction. The debris area within the wide area vacuum is usually quite large and can go for hours without empting. Wide area vacuum cleaners usually come in two types, walk behind and ride on. Ride on wide area vacuum cleaners are similar to a lawn tractor and contain a high power vacuum systems.
