Vacuum cleaners come in many different varieties. While you may have heard of bag less vacuums, there are also belt less vacuums. The belt helps connect the engine to the cleaning mechanism inside the vacuum. But if you have issues with the belt, can you still use the vacuum?
If you have a belt-style vacuum and the belt is having issues your vacuum will not work well. Belt-less vacuums are designed to work without a belt. As the belt starts to fail your vacuum will perform poorly and you should consider replacing the belt.
I’ll show you how vacuum cleaners work and how to identify what type of vacuum cleaner you have. We’ll also look at common causes of belts breaking and how to fix these common issues with vacuum cleaners.
Can A Vacuum Work Without A Belt?
The belt on your vacuum is just about the most important part of your vacuum. No belts mean nothing to spin the brush roll and the vacuum likely won’t work at all. If your vacuum suddenly makes weird noises or no longer picks up things it should, it may be the belt is having issues.
If the brush roller is not spinning then you likely have a broken roller belt. You may even be able to see parts of the broken belt inside the vacuum if you look close enough. If your vacuum uses a rubber belt, it is important to check it once a month for cracks or other issues.
Vacuum cleaners have to take a lot of impact over normal use. Continuous turning, bouncing on the floors, and issues with suctions can put pressure on the belt. Belts are prone to stretching and sometimes snapping. It is recommended you check the belt every few months.
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What Happens When A Vacuum Cleaner’s Belt Breaks?
When your vacuum cleaner suddenly sounds like a jet engine, it could be a sign that your belt is about to break. Consider that if you heard noises under your car hood, the most likely explanation is that the belts are stretching too much. The same is true for a vacuum cleaner.
Noticing that the vacuum cleaner is just not sucking up dirt and debris as well as it used to is a warning sign that the belt is due to fail. They also can fall off from time to time.
You will want to rule out other possible causes by checking for a full bag or canister, filter issues, blocked hoses, and compromised brush rolls that can affect suction. If you don’t see any problems there, next is to closely examine the belt.
If your brush roll is clean, but still isn’t spinning, you probably have a belt problem. It’s probably the most common problem we see with vacuum cleaners. It’s important to remember that in some vacuums belts are spinning at up to 120,000 revolutions per minute!
To replace a broken belt when it breaks you need to attach the new one to the correct points inside the vacuum. Access the vacuum engine area and remove the brush roller and the old belt. Purchase a suitable belt and attach it to the motor shaft and brush roller. Once solidly attached, reassemble the vacuum cleaner.
One of the first things to look for when trying to fix a belt problem is to check that the belt is compatible with your vacuum cleaner. Although belts may look similar, each vacuum cleaner belt is created in a way to work with a certain vacuum cleaner.
Look for the belt number or style on the actual vacuum cleaner. Otherwise, the belt itself should have the number printed on it. Research via the internet or company information in the instruction manual may also help you find the proper belt number for your machine.
Once the belt breaks this may cause other issues with the vacuum cleaner. The necessary drag or slowdown that the belt puts on the engine will no longer be present, which means the engine may be spinning much faster than usual, possibly leading to overheating.
What Vacuum Does Not Have A Belt?
Vacuum cleaners come in both belt and belt less versions. Belt less vacuum cleaners will be always marked as such. If there is no belt, then there is a direct connection from the vacuum’s engine to the brush. This is more common in the upright style or stick vacuum cleaners.
This means that you avoid having to deal with one of the more common ailments that plague belt-style vacuums. However, there are more complicated internals with belt less vacuums and so you may have to pay more to get such a product.
What Should I Do With A Broken Vacuum Cleaner?
First, it is important to try and work out exactly what is the cause of the vacuum cleaner not working.
Some issues can be easily fixed with cleaning or by installing replacement parts. Make sure to thoroughly empty the bag, clean the filters and just do general maintenance of the vacuum cleaner.
Reusing vacuum bags over many years is not recommended as the bags getting dirty can affect airflow. Using new bags can help extend the lifespan of a vacuum cleaner by lowering the stress or pressure on the belt as well as other components.
Once you know the manufacturer and the part that is having issues, these can be found cheaply online along with installation instructions.
Otherwise, you could take it to a repair center. If the quote to fix it costs more than 50% of a newer model vacuum cleaner, it is probably not worth it. Particularly in the case of a vacuum cleaner belt breaking, not only is this a very common occurrence but in most cases, this can be very simply fixed with basic tools at home.
Shop vacuum belts on Amazon here.
