How Long Are Commercial-Duty Vacuums Used?

[kirbyclassiciii]

Does anyone remember exactly how long certain businesses use the vacuum cleaners they are given when brand new? I'd like to think it's in the neighborhood of 5-10 years, because such lifespans are typically shorter than we homeowners with household vacuums.

~Ben

 

[kirbyvertibles]

Here where I work they are used till they die, of course they have me to keep the vacuums running longer. We have an old tornado from about 1995 that the maintanance director bought new. It's got a few problems but that thing doesn't skip a beat. He also had a fleet of Panasonics but they didn't really last that long, maybe 7 years. They bought them from me, I didn't want to sell them Panasonic but that's what they wanted.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Of course, this topic will not be complete without mentioning the likes of Sanitaire, Hoover (Guardsman, Conquest, Heavy Duty) and Royal.

I would like to know how long all the great Hoovers, Eurekas (and Sanitaires) and Royals produced in the 1970s and '80s had lasted in a commercial work environment?

~Ben

 

[sebo_fan]

Typically shorter?

In the UK I find that most commercial businesses have longer lasting commercial vacuums because spares are cheaper to buy and maintain the vacuums. I find domestic households generally waste vacuums as soon as they forget to clean filters, unclog hoses etc. I've seen plenty of old Kirby uprights with commercial cleaning companies, mostly the ones with red bags, old round bezels - quite vintage models but still they use them as they're the best for large commercial areas. Others use the SEBO uprights, old Hoover commercial uprights as well as good old British Henry.

 

[briankirbyclass]

Ive owned a Hair Styling business for 30 years, and have ALWAYS had a KIRBY Classic Omega in the shop.
The Omega has had HARD use,,,being used MANY times during the work day. My shop is in operation 5 days a week.

The Kirby has NEVER EVER failed, EVER, and is STILL going strong to this very day.

Of course im careful about changing the belt whenever it starts to weaken, and put a new brush roll on the Omega about every 5 yrs or so,,,whenever the brushes get worn down enough to where adjusting wont work anymore.
Several yrs ago I did put a Heritage 2 Mini Emptor on the Omega, with a G Series bag adapter to take the G series Hepa bags.
Vacuuming up ground in human hair out of carpet pile is not easy, so it does require a machine that gets down to business. The Kirby handles it easily, and has for 30 years now.

Quality
Reliability
Performance

 

[tolivac]

Yes,Kirbys are good contenders for commercial use-have seen many-Apartment home keepers like using them in the hallways.
Don't forget the NSS M1 ! These can last 40-50 yrs with good care.NSS products as a whole are pretty durable.But life of a commercial vac can vary-If it gets careful use and care-will last years-if it used by many commercial users--"Its not mine-so who cares,After All its only a vacuum cleaner"With this user-not long.And what people try to pick up--mice,hamburgers,pebbles,nails,wallboard plaster dust--Then the vac won't last long.

 

[williamr1248]

How Long fDo Commercial Cleaners last

Many many years ago, we had a flower and bridal shop. We first bought a Hoover canister. Silly boy that I was it lasted only about a month and the floor tool broke and the motor died. Then went to a Filter Queen and it lasted a little longer but not much. The users were always picking up water from the flower tubs and wet mats on the floor. I guess they thought it was a wet vac!
One day we had a customer who sold Rexair. I knew nothing of Rexair Rainbows at the time. He came after we closed and we bought one. The abuse that machine took over the next 6-7 years was terrible. People would use it with clogged hose,never empty the basin after use. I found one of the guys using it to clean out the delivery truck and it was on it's side just churning away. It was amazing what abuse it took and still kept right on the job. It never had any repairs. No one ever took time to clean the separator and it was left many times sitting on the water basin.
I was not interested in vacuums at that time in my life and did not buy a Rainbow for myself until years later but I already understood they could take a lot of abuse.
The only thing that ever broke was the plastic attachment crown that fit on the chrome top of the machine. I am not surprised when I read the comments on the consumer opinions about having Rainbows lasting decades and still performing as I saw first hand how they last. It seems funny as just the idea of having water and electriciity would be a problem but if that were true we would not all be using electric washing machines,dishwashers,garbage disposalls or putting wet clothes in electric dryers.

 

[dysondestijl]

Wow, that's one tough rainbow

 

[sanitaire]

I have had my nss M1 pig for years. and I got it used and rebuilt it. I have seen a dyson being used in a commercial setting and the filters clogged, the low pile carpet wore out the brushroll quickly and the machine ran very hot and developed lots of air leaks. my sanitaire holds up ok. easy too rebuild the fan chamber. but since the dirt goes over the belt before it goes into the bag it wears belts quickly. my favorite is my advance carpetwin 16xp. big and powerful dual motor upright, very quiet and strong airflow and one pass cleaning.

 

[xraytech]

A lot of our local. Businesses use regular non commercial vacuums, the funeral home has a Kirby Legend II, our church had a concept for 28 years was replaced with a commercial oreck for a year the. I replaced with another concept, the resturant I used to work at used a Hoover convertible 65 for about 44 years then a Kenmore for the next 6 years I was there. The appliance shop I deal with is still using a 24 year old Hoover concept. The one gas station uses a Kirby Legend II as well. My aunt uses a Kirby G6 in her flower shop

 

[1926700]

well....heres my awsner....

when i worked at the vac shop, we had a guy come in and by a new commercial vacuum for a building, this building from what he told us was a office type. low non padded, glue down commercial carpet and alot of long hall ways. he traded in the First 1978 wide track Sanitare, and had said it was used since it was bought new. that was from 1978 to 2010. that's a pretty good life span. 32 years....and it didn't need much. just a new cord, serviced, and some love...

 

[guardsman69]

at marywood university i still have the 12 orange C1627s i sold them 16 years ago and they come in for a annual tune up and work great as a convertible is expected too....i have 20 c1712-900 professional series wind tunnel uprights on campus sold to them in 2005 also still on the road and the ch50010 professional commercial that i designed for hoover going since 2009 also 20 in number....for residence life on campus we have the bagless elite c1415 10 total for 8 years and the students still are using them.....c1404s average a 5 year shelf life with the professional cleaning companies...c1703 about six years in restraunts