Thanks all for the advice
The vacuums at the Penn State hotels were all the 12" wide Sensor models with automatic sensing head by Sebo. I used to always give the head several seconds to make sure it was properly adjusted. However, being used on the same pile carpet throughout the facility continuously, those several seconds probably weren't very necessary. The hotels had a good maintenance department that was monitoring the long filters installed inside the bag compartment. I changed one out one day myself when I changed a bag. Sadly even after changing the bag and filter myself and being the first to use it after doing so, I still was unimpressed by hose suction and overall cleaning.
I used to try to clear hairs from the brush roll before using the machines.
Also the gorgeous blue X4 series that was run in competition at a vacuum collectors house, that machine was also an auto sensing head. I would agree with Sebo fan that both of my experiences with the upright category may have been different if machines were manually adjustable.
The customers house that I cleaned with the owners brand new Sebo D4 Premium, I had to adjust the height setting for every carpet that I ran it on. I tried raising the power nozzle to the highest setting and dropping down suction to be able to clean some of the rugs of various textures. Still the power nozzle overload sensor would continuously shut the power nozzle off. Meanwhile with greater selection of heights available on the Decade 80, Kenmore and Riccar, all of those machines ran fine on all of the rugs. I guess my point here is that with a high priced, quality built, high end machine like the Sebo, one would hope it would be able to handle a wider variety of carpets like the Kenmore, Hoover, and Riccar were able to do in this same application at this property! The Sebo here let me down in rug cleaning with the power nozzle and hard floor cleaning with the included Sebo bare floor brush at this property. Despite having to tie a knot in the cord as the winder was broken and deal with a shorter cord, I opted to use the customers older Kenmore Intuition canister for bare floors because its airflow was far greater. It wasn't snow plowing food crumbs on the kitchen floor, it wasn't snow plowing bits of paper ash that blew out of the fire place, it wasn't struggling with several swipes to get dust and other debris on the main tile like the Sebo was!! The Kenmore was zipping everything up in a breeze where the Sebos airflow required multiple passes!! Running the Sebo in the property would have been really really nice if it was more effective at cleaning due to its long 40' cord and easy rolling canister wheels. It just wasn't performing well to meet my time schedule though.
There was one area rug with a 3" long yarn like nap at this property that only a Dyson DC41 was able to clean. None of the others above were capable at the task and that doesn't surprise me at all. This rug was definitely a new experience for me. I do not recommend such a long threaded rug to anyone in terms of cleaning. This was a carpet unlike anything I have ever come across and a far far different style from any other rug the client had in the house.
75% of the flooring in this property (bed and breakfast client) was hard flooring. From grouted, high traction commercial tile in the kitchen to smooth hard wood on steps and a lot of the 2nd floor to a more of a concrete style flooring in a connecting wing and also more standard residential like grouted tiling throughout the first floor. All of the carpets were area rugs of varying size. Generally around 5' x 10' as good guide but definitely some a little larger and some smaller. The Bed and Breakfast property was on an hourly billing schedule because for the most part the Bed and Breakfast rooms were an entire separate wing that did not need done regularly as business was more seasonal or reserved for family visitation. Primary cleaning was an approximate 3000 square foot first floor with additional square footage added when 2nd floor was cleaned about once a week. Regular cleaning session involved some other aspects of work from window cleaning, leaf blowing to clear porches, patios and driveways outside, more bathrooms, dishes, bathroom mat washing, etc.
