Do you sometimes feel that your vacuum cleaner is simply not powerful enough to clean the mess in your house? In that case, you need a vacuum which is especially designed for heavy-cleaning purposes, capable of vacuuming both dry and wet surfaces, called shop vac.
Shop vacs aren’t only employed for home cleaning, but they’re also used by businesses, particularly by people working in industrial areas. However, in order to get the most out of your shop vac, you have to consider numerous factors, such as: size, noise, performance, hose and accessories.
You’ll find the following tips useful for determining the right model in accordance with your needs.
Select the right size
Size is number one factor to determine prior to purchasing a shop vac, as it should state your needs regarding the type of mess you’re planning to clean. You are provided with vacuums in three sizes: small, medium and large.
The first ones are the most compact model, as they are small in size which makes them easy to carry around the house. Although these shop vacs have solid horsepower, they’re better suited for vacuuming smaller spaces, like small-sized homes. Otherwise, they have the same dry and wet cleaning features such as the ones of the bigger-size models. Read more about the advantages of using a wet-dry vacuum cleaner.
The medium-size models are perfect for home vacuuming, as they are capable of cleaning larger areas. Unlike the previous type, they can be used for heavy-duty vacuuming which even includes cleaning debris. Apart from the bigger size, these variants provide greater opportunity of equipping them with accessories and some of them can even function as blowers.
The large shop vacs aren’t suitable for home cleaning, as they’ll probably cause more mess and damage to your house than performing their original vacuuming function. Therefore, they’re mostly used by commercial businesses and construction companies which need vacuum cleaners designed for large areas and heavy-duty cleaning. Naturally, these models are the heaviest, which is why they have wheels in order to easily move them around.
Choose a less noisy model
Shop vacs are infamous for being extremely noisy, producing sounds which can cause ear damage if you’re exposed to their noise for longer period of time, particularly the ones designed for wet cleaning. Therefore, people whose jobs involve using vacs, are advised to protect their ears in order to preserve their hearing.
Fortunately, owing to the great advancement of technology, nowadays numerous manufacturers produce quiet shop vacs. These aren’t entirely silent, but the noise they make is nothing in comparison with the standard models. Websites, such as Soudnproof Pros, provide more detailed information on the quiet vacuum cleaners, if you’re interested in purchasing one.
Determine the required performance
When it comes to performance, horsepower is not the key element which determines it. There are three crucial factors which are more significant in terms of purchasing a powerful shop vac. If you are looking for a vacuum capable of cleaning various types of debris and dirt, then you need one with higher cubic feet per minute.
In case you plan to use it mainly for wet cleaning, then you should look for a vacuum with sealed pressure rating of over 75 units, as this factor indicates the power of suction which is essential for cleaning wet areas.
The final factor to consider regarding performance is air power which is crucial for those people who plan to use this vacuum cleaner for vacuuming all kinds of debris. By selecting a model with higher air-watts, you’ll make sure that it won’t break down or clog easily, which isn’t an essential feature for home users, but for the ones using it on construction sites is a must.
Make sure it has a blower
Unless you’re purchasing a small-size shop vac, you should look for a model which comes equipped with a blower as most middle and large-sized vacuums have this feature. There are two types of shop vacs with blower, the ones where it’s detachable and the other type with blower port.
The former are perfect for people who have large yards which require leaves blowing while the latter are useful for accessing every corner in your house. Visit this link: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/compare-handheld-leaf-blower-vacuum-99989.html, to make a comparison between handheld and vacuum leaf blowers.
Pick the right hose
The hose plays a major role in the suction power and convenience of your shop vac. Therefore, you have to select a model with a hose which has the right width and length to match your needs. If you intend to vacuum bigger objects, then naturally you’ll need a wider hose, but if you only plan to collect dust, a thin hose will suffice.
Apart from width, length is another significant factor determined by the distance you’re planning to reach with it. The models with short hose aren’t suitable for reaching room corners or places which are harder to access, as they limit your movements. On the other hand, the ones with long hoses are excellent for accessing all places and reaching further distance, but offer less suction power.
Wrap up
When selecting a heavy-cleaning vacuum cleaner, you have to pay special attention to all features in order to match it your needs.
By purchasing such a versatile cleaner, you will no longer consider vacuuming as a tough duty!