Vacuum Filters

Vacuum Filters

A weekly clean-up usually involves a particular item we take for granted, the vacuum cleaner. This device makes our floors and carpets tidy, but it wouldn’t be able to complete the job without its core piece - the vacuum filter.

These filters can be used as primary or secondary filters, depending on the vacuum, and usually have a circular construct. Their make consists of foam, folded paper, and other artificial materials. HEPA vacuum filter media contains fiberglass. If maintaining a clean area is important to you, it's time to consider this often-forgotten filter.

Why should you change your vacuum filter? What does it protect you against?

The easy answer to why you should change your vacuum filter is to check out all of the things your vacuum collects!

Yeesh.

Vacuum cleaner filters suck up pet dander, dust, dirt, and other nasty particles and prevent them from being recirculated back into the air. If you have a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner, which removes 99.97% of particles concentrated around the carpet, bacteria might also be present.

After an extended period, all these contaminants will start to block your filter, creating multiple situations. This blockage will affect your vacuum’s efficiency; making it more difficult to suck air and putting an unnecessary strain on the motor. Eventually, the vacuum will become increasingly difficult to steer and less capable of cleaning. Neglecting to change your filter will also create a dangerous environment in your vacuum.

Changing your vacuum filter is crucial, but it’s not easy to remember to do it every 3 to 6 months. That’s where you can take advantage of our Home Filter Club subscription program. We make it very easy – select Subscribe & Save, choose a delivery interval, and we’ll take care of the rest.

How do you find the correct replacement filter for your vacuum?

Finding the correct replacement vacuum filter can be difficult if you’re unsure of what to do. There are so many filters available, which can be confusing. Luckily, we’re here to help.

When searching for the right filter you should consider a couple of factors.

1. Be aware of the types of vacuum cleaners and filters:

The type of vacuum cleaner you have is going to affect the kind of filter you purchase. In general, the primary source of filtration for your vacuum is going to depend on its type, which is either bagged or bagless. Bagged vacuums use a cloth bag that operates as a first-level filtration of sorts, while bagless ones usually use a visible canister.

An extended source of vacuum filtration can be a variety of selections, including cartridge filters, HEPA filters, cloth, foam, and activated carbon filters. Cartridge filters are made of synthetic material and capture particles up to 3 microns in size. HEPA vacuum cleaner filters provide the greatest level of filtration, removing 99.97% of particles; up to 0.3 microns.

Cloth filters can be removed, washed, and reused. This makes them more convenient and economical than a HEPA filter, which is more efficient but costly. They are used more with bagged vacuum cleaners. Foam filters are commonly used as a secondary option. Most bagless vacuum cleaners use foam filters to back up their cartridge filters with an extra layer of filtration.

2. Evaluate your most common usage case:

The selection of your vacuum cleaner filter will heavily depend on your needs. For example, if you have severe allergies, then a filter that has a higher ability to capture tiny particles will be essential – like a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner! Or if you’re a pet owner and need to remove pet hair and odor from the air, you might want to select a filter that excels at that task.

3. Ensure compatibility with your vacuum:

All these factors mean nothing if your filter isn’t compatible with your vacuum. The first thing you should do is consult your instruction manual. It should list what type of filter is currently installed inside your device. If you’re unable to locate your manual, you can look up your vacuum online to discern the desired information.

With all this information in hand, choosing a replacement filter should be a lot easier. You can purchase your filter in your local home improvement store or do so conveniently online. If you choose to do the online route, FiltersFast.com can help! We carry many brands of replacement vacuum filters including 3M, Bissell, Eureka, Hoover, and Dirt Devil.