Do you have a canister or an upright vacuum cleaner at your home? In this post, we will learn about how to fix a vacuum cleaner belt? Besides, we also have DIY bonus tips that will help you with the process. Stay tuned.. So do you continually make use of it around the house? Maybe your kids have made a lot of mess. What will you do? Take the vacuum cleaner out to wipe it all clean. What if there is pet hair all-around your house? Let’s take the vacuum cleaner out and clean that mess! There is no denying the fact that a vacuum cleaner is your best pal while trying to keep your house clean. It makes life 100x easier.
When you find your vacuum cleaner unable to function correctly. It happens when the belt breaks. If you don’t want your vacuum cleaner to perform ill or lose its charm, then you must check its belt.
However, most people tend to ignore this part but, don’t worry. We are here with an interesting in-depth post. It will help you understand your vacuum cleaner’s most overlooked. But essential element – the vacuum cleaner’s belt.
Before getting into the vacuum belt fixing, let’s dig a bit into the vacuum belt’s purpose first.
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Why a Vacuum Cleaner has a Belt?
The belt of a vacuum cleaner exists to drive the brush roll installed at the bottom of your vacuum cleaner. The electric motor wraps the belt around itself. The brush roll wraps the other part of the belt around itself.
So, if you realize that your brush roll isn’t spinning. Despite being clean, the next thing you should check urgently is the belt of your vacuum cleaner.
Hear us out when we say. Your vacuum cleaner’s belt plays a vital role in your vacuum’s efficiency and performance. If the belt breaks or if there comes a need only to fix it, you can totally do it at home.
Moreover, you can easily avoid an unnecessary visit to the repair shop. Because you can order it online and DIY. Since it is a rapid and easy fix.
You can do it at home and save many bucks and even your vacuum cleaner’s life. You only need to get familiar with how the process works.
When you clean around your house continually use your vacuum cleaner. The motor pulley puts a lot of pressure on its belt. However, when the brush rollers move to produce the required vibration. While deep cleaning your carpet area.
Are you trying to target every minute dust particle? Hell, yeah! The belt in your vacuum cleaner suffers a great deal of tension while doing so. Sometimes, it breaks or gets loosened up. Causing your vacuum cleaner to perform inefficiently.
When to Change Your Vacuum Cleaner Belt?
Typically, it takes about three to four months for the belt to expand. Later, it tends to slip through the drive shaft. However, the vacuum cleaner will still be able to capture surface particles in such a case. Where the belt gets bent or worn out. But fails to capture countless grains or dirt particles embedded deep in your carpet.
Eventually, your carpet will begin to collect unnecessary dirt with time. Which inevitably contributes to carpet wear.
Here is the thing, yes! It would be best if you prepare as the belt can break pretty easily. If you are new to changing the belts by yourself, do not worry.
We will provide a detailed guide on how to deal with this problem. Actually, it will be great for your ease. If you keep extra belts according to your vacuum cleaner’s model at all times.
Changing the belt is unbelievably easy. But diagnosing the problem can be somehow awkward. It would help if you were looking out for signs to know when to change the belt to avoid the inconvenience.
Some of the reasons are below that require changing your vacuum cleaner belt,
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Too much noise: If the noise of your vacuum cleaner gets too noisy suddenly. When a vacuum cleaner makes more noise than usual. Then it is possible that your vacuum cleaner’s belt needs a replacement.
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Suction has decreased: If your vacuum cleaner is not cleaning as efficiently as it used to. If the suction power tends to drop. You should first check if the brush rollers have clogged. But what happens next if they are good to go? Your next culprit would be the belt, of course!
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Vacuum is performing poorly: If your vacuum cleaner is not cleaning as efficiently as it used to. You should urgently check if the belt stretches too much or breaks. After all, rubber can break very easily.
So, it’s finally time for you to take action. Because you will read this post and know how to fix a vacuum cleaner belt all by yourself.
Things You Need to Fix the Belt
You only need to have
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A couple of belts at all times to avoid inconvenience at home
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A simple screwdriver to open the screw at the bottom of the machine.
Moreover, no need to wonder, can I do it myself? Because you absolutely can! In detail, let us discuss all the steps required to find out if your vacuum belt breaks. Or only needs fixation.
Steps to Find Out if the Belt Needs a Replacement or Simple Fixation:
The following are the most comfortable yet easy steps to fix a vacuum belt, which you can do yourself too.
Step 01: Place Vacuum in the Right Workplace
It is crucial to find the right spot to treat your vacuum cleaner, losing no critical component. However, you should be very careful and put it in a position so you can access its bottom. You can start working by placing your vacuum cleaner on the floor surface. Or even on a table, so you don’t end up losing any critical components.
If you sense any loud noise or notice that your vacuum is not picking up the dirt correctly. The first thing you may do is place it in the right place and position. There might be a possibility of displacement of the screws. However, you can always avoid this issue by placing them in the right place at the right time.
Step 02: Prepare Before You Start the Operation
Just ensure to leave the device unplugged before you work on it. You can accidentally get hurt if it’s left plugged, so you need to be very careful.
Besides, this is not a fast fix. If your hands are stuck mistakenly in a spinning vacuum belt or rollers, you can still get injured. Unintentionally, someone could turn on the vacuum cleaner.
So that’s why you should turn off your vacuum and unplug it. You need to ensure that you have not plugged your vacuum cleaner. So you can fix the belt quickly without a slight possibility of getting hurt.
Step 03: Check Your Vacuum Belt
You won’t be spending much time finding the belt. Since it is in the same place as every other vacuum cleaner in most machines. The belt’s purpose is to hold the brush roll, so you may immediately know where to find it.
Your brush roll should be facing the ceiling of the room. Use your screwdriver to unscrew the plate. That is for keeping the components altogether.
After removing the plate at the bottom, your next step is to access the brush roll. Firstly, clean the brush roll and move further. You will find the belt somehow attached to the brush roll and motor.
Don’t forget the location since you will have to put it back in place.
Step 04: Pull Out the Belt if it’s broken
To continue using your vacuum cleaner, you need to replace it with a new belt if you find out it has broken. You will then see the broken belt as soon as you remove the plate. Just take the belt out. You can either swap your belt with a spare one at this point or buy another one.
For the sake of your vacuum cleaner’s longevity, the health of the belt should be of foremost priority. As it’s previously described in the post, how easily you can find a new belt for your vacuum cleaner. Just visit a nearby hardware store. And request the guy to give you a new belt by mentioning your vacuum cleaner’s brand and model. Or you can simply order it online.
Step 05: Fix the Belt
Once you have pulled out the broken belt, use a new belt or hand on the spare one. For any dander, thread, or strand of hair that gets tangled around the roller, check the rollers.
Remove the rollers with a bit of pull on them. If any, you can remove the particles on them. After washing the rollers. Place the belt over the rollers, then tie the rollers back to the clip that holds the vacuum firm.
Tada! And you are almost there! You will simply then put the screw back in place in the plate at your vacuum’s bottom. There you go! Your vacuum cleaner is as great as a new one. It is ready to get back in action to remove ANY kind of mess that your kids or pet have made.
This shall not be here. And you must know what causes your vacuum belt to break. Replace your vacuum belt, and DIY bonus tips to prevent vacuum belt breakage.
[DIY]: How to Replace/Fix a Vacuum Cleaner Belt?
For replacing the vacuum belt, have a look at this DIY method and enjoy it.
Take the bottom plate out of your vacuum to replace it with a new belt. You should be expecting at least 4 to 8 screws attached to the plate. Please take out the brush and take the time to remove all the hair and string and clean it.
Now, look for the belt and locate it. Take it out. Install a new one by putting it around the brush roller and the other end around the motor. Ensure that you do not install too tightly the belt that it breaks soon when the roller brush moves.
After you have assembled all the parts, you can turn on your vacuum cleaner. Finally, the belt starts to spin. Besdies, you are back in action. With the satisfaction that you have saved some cash and repaired it yourself. Pat yourself at the back!
Why The Vacuum Belt Breaks?
We have listed the potential triggers. That could lead to your vacuum belt breaking or wearing out below:
Setting an Exceptionally Low Height:
When you set your vacuum’s brush rollers too low for the surface, you are sweeping on. It results in heat and friction build-up. As a result, this setting is most frequently intended to clean a thick rug thoroughly. This approach allows the rollers to exert pressure on the carpet. Causing the rollers’ speed to decrease compared to their average speed.
What happens is that the drive shaft heats up while still rotating. If the temperature increases, the vacuum belt also begins to heat up, allowing it to stretch. It breaks with time after each use after it extends.
Improper Usage of the Belt:
Misusing the vacuum belt can also cause it to break. Therefore, it’s vital that you use the belt that matches your vacuum’s brand and model to get replaced correctly. You can consult the manual for further guidance. Or even seek professional help if you find yourself stuck somewhere.
Now that we have addressed some of the factors that lead to a damaged or worn-out vacuum belt. We must look for ways to repair or replace the vacuum belt. To return our vacuum cleaner’s overall cleaning efficiency!
Brush Rollers Overload:
The motor rotates when you use the vacuum. And with the aid of the drive shaft, this continuous rotation affects the spinning of the rollers. If the belt gets tangled around the rollers, the rollers can either split or burn easily.
[DIY] Bonus Tips to Prevent Vacuum Belt Breakage:
We will be sharing a few helpful tips with you that are beneficial in maximizing your vacuum cleaner’s life. If you take care of a few things the belt will be less likely to break. Here are the tips below that will help you keep your vacuum belt healthy:
Use The Appropriate Belt:
When buying a belt separately, make sure you get the right belt according to your vacuum’s brand and model. If you do not, you might end up getting an incorrect belt that can easily break again. So, get the belt right!
Install The Belt Properly:
Ensure that you install it to its correct position when replacing the belt. Doing so is essential as the spinning rollers create a lot of stress on the belt. Causing it to break soon if installed incorrectly.
Make Sure to Avoid Overheating of your Vacuum:
Try to look for objects that can cause your vacuum to clog while cleaning. When something is stuck, it can cause the vacuum cleaner to get overheat quickly. Try to keep your brush rollers clean. Free of any hair or strands that can cause increased tension on the brush rollers.
Checking For Hose or Attachment Blockages:
As with an overall bag or dust canister. The source of various issues, including a smelly vacuum cleaner. Also, lack of suction, can be blockages in the hose or attachments. Unplug your appliance first of all, then check the hoses for blockages. Also, make sure the brush roll is free of any hair or threads.
You can also consider soaking the components overnight to get rid of the foul smell.
A blockage may also cause overheating of the appliance, triggering the thermal cut-out. Let the vacuum cleaner cool down for some time before you start cleaning again.
Clean Dirty Filters Or Repair Them:
Dirty or blocked filters may also cause suction failure. That leads to a stinky vacuum cleaner again. The stress on the engine can cause a burning smell. First, try soaking the filters in baking soda and vinegar. Congratulate yourself if you are successful in cleaning them. If you change the filters as well, your vacuum will perform excellently.
Checking For Holes in the Flow of Air:
When individuals loosely drag their vacuum cleaners around the house. The hose can damage. Making the vacuum loose suction. Also, consider replacing the hose if it doesn’t get right. It can sometimes become loose.
Regularly Remove the Dust Bag:
You cannot perform well with a bag full of a dirty and stinky mess, then how will your vacuum? After all, your appliance is cleaning anything to everything – food to animal hair. It can also be a significant cause of losing suction because it puts a great deal of tension in the cleaner’s engine. One of the first items you search for should be the bag or dust canister if you have any issues.
Final Thoughts:
In this comprehensive guide, we tried to share helpful information. We thought that you might be looking for when changing your vacuum belt all by yourself. We are sure that it will no more be stressful when you think ‘how to fix a vacuum cleaner belt?’ anymore!
In fact, this painless process will encourage you to do it by yourself every time. Please message us to let us know what you think about our guide. Or comment below so we can bring more helpful tips to share with you.