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All decisions are wrapped in trade-offs and internal debate, especially the choice of what brand and type of vacuum to buy for a school, university or hospital. Is price or durability more pressing? What about indoor air quality and cleaning for health concerns? And will the vacuum help the maintenance crew be more efficient and productive? To narrow down the decision, here are four pros and cons to consider that will help define your goals and objectives.

Deciding which vacuum is right for your operation can take research and time, but a well-informed choice can lead to improvements in all aspects of your cleaning regimen.

Debate #1: Quality vs. Quantity
The scene is now familiar to many maintenance departments: Rooms full of disassembled vacuums wait for new belts, refurbished motors or diagnosis. The disposable vacuum has become a common problem for maintenance crews. Low- to mid-priced commercial models now have an average lifespan of only six months to a year, at most. Upfront costs are a factor, but when making a purchasing decision, one must consider the costs that would either be devoted to labor for repairs or the price of a replacement vacuum.

So how can you tell if a vacuum will last? User reviews and testimonials are, of course, definitely worthwhile to research and a vacuum with a multi-year warranty will ensure long-term protection for the investment. Maintenance is also critical, so build vacuum upkeep into your cleaning routine. To increase the longevity of a vacuum, empty the filter frequently. A full filter not only reduces airflow and suction but can overheat the motor. Some vacuum manufacturers include a thermal protector device that automatically shuts off the motor when it grows too hot. After the filter is emptied and a brief cool down period of five to ten minutes, the vacuum will again be ready for use.

Debate #2: Day Cleaning vs. Night Cleaning
To save on energy costs, accommodate staffing issues or for routine clean-up and upkeep, daytime cleaning is sometimes necessary. However, the whirr and whine of a standard vacuum can be a definite noise irritant for hospital patients, students and staff. A normal speaking voice is 60 decibels and an average office environment is 50 decibels, so a vacuum used during the day should rate at or below that level. Most commercial vacuums range between 61 and 80 decibels, meaning vacuuming during the day is often out of the question. Fortunately, vacuum manufacturers are becoming more aware of the issue and some are releasing new vacuums that rate much quieter.

Debate #3: Backpack vs. Upright?
Vacuums comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, each wellsuited for tackling specific cleaning challenges. The vacuum that will work best is one that functions well in a range of daily tasks, with a durable body, long-lasting motor, and efficient and effective filtration system.

The size and type of flooring that needs to be vacuumed is an important consideration. An upright vacuum features a beater bar that works especially well for mid to high pile carpeting. The motor often runs both the beater bar and the suction and if one slows down it can affect the other. A dual motor system is a good feature to look for, with one motor dedicated to each function. For commercial carpets and hard floors (or a combination of the two), a suction-only canister or backpack vacuum is a great choice. Especially when a worker is expected to vacuum large areas in a single shift. Look to “ISSA Cleaning Times, Labor rates: Industry average” for a productivity comparison between different vacuums. With a 14” base or cleaning tool an upright covers 2,857 square feet per hour while a canister covers 4500 square feet per hour and a backpack covers 10,000 square feet per hour.

Debate #4: Can Vacuums Really “Clean for Health”?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside. The reason for this highly contaminated indoor air stems from a range of factors, including the tightly-sealed construction of modern buildings, substandard HVAC systems and the blend of pollen, dander and dust people track in from outside. As healthy indoor air quality becomes more of an issue in the national media and more on the minds of parents, staff and patients, many are looking to the maintenance crew— and their vacuuming regimen—as a practical solution to solving indoor air quality issues. Cleaning for health is dramatically different than cleaning for appearance, though the visible outcome might seem the same.

So how can you choose a vacuum that gives you the results that really matter? Since carpet acts as a dust sink, look for a vacuum with a high CFM (cubic feet per minute of airflow) and static lift to make sure the dirt in a commercial carpet or on a hard surface is effectively sucked up into the vacuum.

The next step, the filtration system, is critical. Even if a vacuum works well at bringing dirt in, the effort is useless if dust particles are blown back out through the filter and into the air—where they can linger for eight to 12 hours before settling on the floor, furniture and other surfaces. The filtration system needs to trap all the microscopic particles that ride on dirt and dust, like pollen, skin flakes, decaying organic matter, residue from cleaning chemicals, dust mites, bacteria, fungi, viruses and other contaminants.

A high-quality disposable micro filter bag captures fine dust and allergens while allowing air to easily move through it. High-quality filters feature multiple layers, providing more surface area to collect dust, dirt and other particles. Micro-filter bags capture nearly 2,400 percent more dust than single-ply bags.

A quality vacuum should also feature multiple levels of filtration to protect the motor and sort through microscopic particles even further. For example, a four level filtration system uses a multi-ply intercept micro filter—organically treated to stop mold and odor, a micro cloth filter, a dome filter and an exhaust filter, all placed in succession to stop dust and pollutants at the one micron (one millionth of a meter) level or even smaller.

As cleaning contractors and maintenance managers become increasingly interested in IAQ, many look to HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters as a solution. HEPA filters were originally developed in the 1940s for use in the Manhattan Project to prevent the spread of airborne radioactive contaminants. Today, HEPA filters are still used for sensitive clean-up projects or to maintain “clean room” environments in the technological, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, among others.

For everyday use however, the difference between highefficiency micro filters and HEPA filters can be very slight, while the cost difference can be dramatic. High-efficiency micro filters, especially when used in a multi-stage filtration system, can filter up to 99.9 percent of particles one micron or larger, which covers dust mites, industrial dust, pollen, pet dander, mold and even a majority of yeast and bacteria. HEPA filters remove a minimum of 99.97% of particles .3 micron or larger, which can include smoke and carbon. However, if the HEPA filtration media is not properly sealed (true HEPA-sealed) or disposed of, it will not offer the added benefits people expect.

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) developed a “Green Label” program that tests vacuums according to high standards for soil removal, dust containment and carpet appearance retention. The CRI “Green Label” seal of approval should be clearly labeled on vacuums that meet these stringent criteria. One vacuum manufacturer is even partnered with the American Lung Association to educate on the importance of healthy indoor air.

Deciding which vacuum is right for your operation can take research and time, but a well-informed choice can lead to improvements in all aspects of your cleaning regimen.

Jessica Holmes is a writer based in Boise, Idaho with a focus on the cleaning and construction industries and a public relations consultant for ProTeam, the Vacuum Company.

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