Tools and equipment do break down after prolonged usage, especially if not well taken care of. Household vacuum cleaners, be it the lightweight canister vacuums or the more sturdy upright vacuums, are no exceptions. Before rushing to send it for repairs, and which may not come cheap, you might find that the problem can actually be easily rectified by you at home. Always unplug the vacuum before cleaning or repairing any vacuum parts to prevent electric shock.
Here is a list of the common break-downs resulting in vacuum not working properly:
1. Motor not working - Possible reasons:
* Plug not secured.
* The on-off switch is broken.
* The power cord is broken.
* The handle cord is broken.
* Motor is old and worn-out. In this case, it might be better and cheaper to buy a new machine.
2. Poor suction - Possible reasons:
* Dust bag is full, restricting air-flow passing through bag.
* Dirt cup is not properly latched in place.
* Filter is dirty. Time to give it a cleaning. Filters need to be replaced at least once a year for peak performance.
* Hose is not properly connected to the machine.
* Obstructions in the hose, wand or the attachments. To remove the obstructions, try plugging the hose into the exhaust port if available, put the other end into a paper or plastic bag and runs the motor. Another way would be to push a long thin handle such as a broom handle, through the hose. This should do the trick.
* Hole or split in hose, wand or attachments. Try covering the hole or split with duct tape. If still not working, then you will have no choice but to buy a replacement. Vacuum cleaner parts can easily be bought online.
3. Poor cleaning action - Possible reasons:
* Problem with the beater/agitator brush. Could be due to a worn-out or broken rubber belt that connects the brush with the motor. (if applicable)
* Hairs, lint or thread tangled up in endcaps of the beater/agitator brush resulting in bearings of brush not spinning smoothly. This could also cause the belt to break.
* Worn-out brushes. If brushes are not available, then the entire beater bar would have to be replaced.
4. Vacuum blows a fuse - Possible reasons:
* The same circuit serving too many appliances.
* A short-circuit has occurred in the power cord or the plug.
* There is a short-circuit in the handle cord.
5. Extremely noisy when vacuuming - Possible reasons:
* A loosened or out of balance power brush.
6. User experienced shock when using vacuum - Possible reasons:
* Could be due to a frayed power cord.
![Sword of the Stars: Ultimate Collection [Download]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61jzEuf9NjL.jpg "Sword of the Stars: Ultimate Collection [Download]")
