The importance of vacuum cleaners can’t be overstated. Vacuum cleaners are not only integral in maintaining hygiene in our homes, it is equally effective in ensuring asthma and allergy free air. It helps cleans allergens from our surrounding.
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It isn’t always easy choosing the best vacuum cleaners for allergy sufferers. So in this post, we will digest all the necessary and critical factors an allergy sufferer must consider before buying a vacuum cleaner.
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As humans, we all have different preferences. And we make our choice based on certain inclinations and feelings. So it’s no wonder that many people have different taste for different vacuum cleaners.
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For example, Some individuals prefer canister vacuums to upright vacuum cleaners. And in the same sense, some people think bagless vacuum units are superior to those with bags for dirt collection.
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Of course, people are free to make a preference.
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But for allergy sufferers, it isn’t just about preference per say, it is about how effective a vacuum cleaner can capture and clean allergens from the surroundings.
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Below are most important factors an allergy sufferer must take into consideration before purchasing a vacuum cleaner;
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1.Filtration system ;
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Irrespective of the type of vacuum cleaner one buys (especially an allergy sufferer), its filtration system must be near to perfect or even perfect. It should be perfect so much that dust does not leave the vacuum cleaners exhaust.
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This is where the high-efficiency particulate arresstance property of HEPA Filters comes to play. It is good to note that most vacuum cleaners come with such filters these days.
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HEPA filters are very effective in capturing almost 99.97 percent of particles, allergens and other irritant substances in the air.
So make sure the vacuum cleaner you buy has the HEPA filters.
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Filters that can be washed are also good but the issue with them is that they degrade with time and become less productive as a result.
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But if they are your preference, make sure to replace them from time to time.
Before moving to the next factor to consider, I will like to state some more benefits of high-efficiency particulate arrestance filters;
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• They Aid in the reduction of possibilities of asthma flare-ups. HEPA filters have the ability to remove smoke and dust from the air. And thereby cleansing the air of any particle or substance that might trigger asthma symptoms
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• They also help in reducing the risk of allergic reactions. HEPA model vacuum cleaners are mostly referred to as an allergy vacuum cleaner.
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HEPA Filters remove pollens from the air and therefore reducing the presence of allergens from the air, and this directly reduces the possibility of an allergic reaction.
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• Also they Improve the quality of air by reducing the accumulation of contaminants in vacuum exhaust air.
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And this makes it the best filters not only for allergy sufferers or asthmatics but for everyone needing a vacuum cleaner.
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2. Another important factor you must consider before buying a vacuum cleaner is the Type of the cleaner.
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There are two types of vacuum cleaners available currently. An upright vacuum and a canister vacuum cleaner.An upright vacuum cleaner is more traditional. Both the motor and the suction head of this cleaner are in the same unit.
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A canister vacuum cleaner, however, has its cleaning nozzle linked to the unit by a hose. The unit contains the filters, engine and dust bags. Canister vacuum units come with wheels.
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For people who have rooms with wall to wall carpets, the traditional upright vacuum cleaners will be the best choice.
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This is because they possess a beater bar or a brushroll mechanism that churn up dirt embedded deep below the surface of carpeting efficiently.
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On the other hand, if you have lots of bare floors in your house, a canister vacuum will be the best choice as it is able to move around from one place to another freely.
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Nowadays, there are vacuum cleaners that are suitable for the elderly and are highly efficient and weighs less too.
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So if you have a condition such as arthritis or back problems, ask for such vacuum cleaners when next you want to purchase a vacuum cleaner.
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3. Bagged or bagless –
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Some vacuum cleaners are bagged. While others are not.
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Bagged vacuum cleaners use replaceable bags as filters to capture dirt. The bag can be removed and replaced when it becomes full. While bagless vacuum cleaners trap dirt in a chamber or dirt cup using filters. The chamber can then be emptied when it is full.
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Both bagged and bagless vacuums come with their own set of pros and cons.
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And to help you make a better buying decision, we will briefly look at the cons and pros of both unites bellow;
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Pros of Bagged Vacuum cleaners;
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The most significant pros of this type of vacuum cleaner is how hygienic the unit is. The dirt is carefully trapped in a closed bag.
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And this helps you to easily remove and dispose off the bag without contents of the bag spreading around your surrounding.
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This helps keep trapped allergens out of your homes.
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Also, unlike bagged vacuum cleaners, you don’t have to replace the filters very often. This is a great time saver.
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Another pros of this unit is that it needs less maintenance as compared to bagged vacuum cleaner units.
Cons;
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As with literally any device, the bagged vacuum cleaner has its CONS.
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One of its major disadvantages is the fact that you have to recur cost to buy a new bag any time the one currently in use is filled.
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Depending on the model you buy, the cost does vary. This could be expensive if you are on a budget.
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Another disadvantage of this unit is that its performance decrease as the bag gets filled. The unit performs best when the bag is empty.
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Sometimes too, it’s hard to tell when to change the bag. You have to rely on guesswork to determine when the bag needs to be replaced.
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But thankfully, these days there are models that notify you when the bag needs to be changed.
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NOW LET’S LOOKS AT SOME PROS AND CONS OF BAGLESS VACUUM CLEANER UNIT
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The bagless vacuum cleaner is pretty much a new innovation. As we stated earlier, it doesn’t have a bag for collecting dirt and debris.
PROS;
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– it’s less expensive to run. You only incur cost once. And that’s it. You don’t have to spend more money on buying replaceable bags
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– It’s quite eco-friendly too. Unlike the bagged units, you won’t buy and throw away many superfluous bags over a period of time. And that’s why it’s a popular unit with environmentalists.
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– Almost all bagless vacuum cleaners notify you when it’s time to empty it. You also get to know the performance level of the unit as you will be able to tell if your device is really gathering dirt and debris or not.
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CONS;
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when you want to buy a bagless Vacuum cleaning machine then you have to consider how simple and hygienic the process of emptying will be.
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The bagless vacuum cleaners can be effective. But the issue is that a large amount of dust is released into the atmosphere during the process of emptying the dust and debris into a bin.
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This, of course, will not be good for allergy sufferers as they will be exposed to the dust and allergens they are trying to avoid.
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As you can see, each unit comes with its good and bad side. So make a decision according to your demands.
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But for allergy sufferers, we highly recommend bagged vacuum cleaners. Since they don’t expose you to dust and allergens.
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4. The fourth factor you would want to consider when you want to purchase a vacuum cleaner unit is the suction power of the unit.
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You probably might be harbouring the notion that higher wattage implies more productive cleaning power. If you are, know that you are not alone thinking this way. Many people have the same notion.
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But unfortunately, that is not always the case.
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As a matter of fact, AIRFLOW and SUCTION are the valid and reliable tests of vacuum’s effectiveness. Not wattage as most people tend to believe. Wattage only measures the amount of power that will be consumed.
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Suction is basically what picks up the dirt and debris while airflow is what moves the dirt and debris away. These two concepts work together
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So the higher the suction and airflow figures, the fast and quickly a dirt is picked up and moved away in the vacuum system.
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Suction figures are measures in waterlifts, whilst airflow is measured in litres per second.
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All vacuum cleaners have these measurements on them.
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So next time you want to buy a vacuum cleaner, consider the suction figures and not the wattage of the unit.
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In Conclusion;
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As you can see, there are important issues you have to sort out before buying a vacuum cleaner.
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The above factors are very important. You should consider them carefully before buying a vacuum cleaner.
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Especially if you are an allergy sufferer, you would want to ensure that the vacuum cleaner you buy will help reduce your exposure to dust, allergens and irritant particles.
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Leave a comment before if you have a suggestion or a question with regards to vacuum cleaners.
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