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Spring is a great time to deep clean your house. Sunlight is becoming very bright. The sun is shining through the windows, making dust and dirt visible so you decided to vacuum your rooms and halls. Your cleaner may make some more noise than you would like to.
Why are vacuums so loud? You may ask yourself from time to time. It might bother you if you have young children. If you live in an apartment, your neighbors may need silence. The noise could also cause you a headache. Let’s think about your cleaning devices and supporting technology. I hope this helps you to select the vacuum that meets your housekeeping needs.
What Makes a Vacuum Cleaner Loud?
Vacuums are great devices. They help us clean our houses fast and without effort. Quite naturally, dusting, mopping and sweeping are quiet. You don’t disturb your kids during your cleaning. But it keeps up dust. You breathe it in. After a while, it might cause lung diseases, allergy or other health issues if the house is not properly ventilated.
Fortunately, inventors found a mechanical solution to rugs cleaning problems. The first vacuum cleaner making loud noise dates back to 1899. It was a bulky, smelly, gasoline-powered machines. Modern devices are pretty compact, lightweight, handy and quiet.
They still make some noise. The four sources of noise in the vacuum are:
- motor;
- fan;
- suction;
- body vibrations.
High powered engines lead to higher spinning speeds. Hence, heavy-duty devices could be a bit noisier than low-speed ones. The engine is connected to a fan that increases air pressure so the vacuum can suck air. Both fan and air suction create some noise. Finally, the airflow itself makes the body of the vacuum cleaner vibrate which leads to some additional noise.
How to Select a Quiet Vacuum Cleaner?
When you choose a vacuum it’s type matters. Industrial devices are very loud. Custodians, carpenters and maintenance workers use them in their workshops. These vacuums help them to keep their workspace clean. Commercial devices are necessary for professional cleaning services. The personnel of hotels and offices use them.
Your quiet commercial vacuum can be powerful. It can help you with everyday cleaning. If your house is large, it’s a good solution. Household devices are small, handy, but not very efficient. These cleaners are useful in a small apartment. If you need to vacuum only one or two rooms twice a week, it does the job. Let’s compare these vacuum cleaner types.
| Characteristic | Industrial | Commercial | Household |
| Type | upright | upright, canister | handheld, canister, robotic |
| Weight, pounds | 10-500 | 2.5-50 | 1-10 |
| Warranty, years | 1-3 | 1-5 | 1-2 |
| Sound level, dB | 75-80 | 65-70 | 55-60 |
| Material | metal | plastic/metal parts | plastic |
| Motor power, W | 750-4500 | 500-1300 | 15-21 |
| Filter type | one way/bag | HEPA, cartridge, foam, water | HEPA, cyclone |
The world’s quietest vacuum cleaner launched should belong to robotic or handheld type. They are ultra-quiet, producing only about 56 dB. Household devices are lightweight, portable. They are easy-to-carry and versatile. Cordless representatives are battery-powered. They come with brushless DC motors. Quite naturally, they make less noise than larger, powerful devices. They suit your quick cleanups.
Does the Difference in Noise Level Matter?
The best commercial vacuum should be durable and reliable. You can use it every day in your house or office. These devices come with powerful AC motors that create strong suction. They are efficient and versatile. A commercial vacuum typically handles large areas, like a school or restaurant. In a hotel or a big, 2,000-5,000 sq. ft., house it does the job too.
You won’t use an industrial device at home. These vacuum cleaners are intentionally loud. Their filters pick up mainly large particles, metalworking and wood chips. They work on construction sites, workshops and factories. Additionally, industrial vacuum cleaner decibel ratings may be too high. Their noise level could exceed 85dB.
Is it critical? In California, this level of community noise is not tolerated. Every city has its own noise limit. In residential places (at daytime) it should be lower than 55-65 dB. At night, 45-55 dB. limits remain in force.
How Loud is a Dyson Vacuum?
Your best vacuums for stairs should be lightweight and portable. A number of Dyson devices are suitable. Their range includes representatives of several types, including:
- upright;
- canister;
- cordless;
- handheld.
What is special about them? All of these cleaners are bagless. Since James Dyson invented its “G-Force” device in 1983, this technology has become very popular. Bosch silent vacuum cleaner utilizes it, as well as multiple other devices. Its sound level is quiet, up to 66 dB. Bagless devices are more convenient and quieter than bagged ones. They use filters to trap dust and dirt and block the sound.
The best backpack vacuum cleaners are of the bagless, canister type. They are versatile, maneuverable and quiet. They commonly feature better sound insulation than upright devices. Additionally, canister vacuums come with multiple small attachments and brushes. Cleaning vertical surfaces and hard-to-reach areas is possible. Compact brushes easily maneuver under furniture and around corners.
Why is My Vacuum so Loud?
Your quiet device may become louder at some point. Is it broken? Some problems could happen, but they might be not serious. Try checking the following parts of your vacuum:
- hose and attachments;
- filter;
- fan;
- brush bearing;
- canister.
Your Hoover vacuum becoming louder is something that could be easy to fix. Clogs are common. A sock or a piece of cloth might get stuck inside the hose or wand. It can be somewhere between the hose and canister. So, turn the vacuum off and inspect the hose. Check the filter, empty plastic canister or bag. Maybe, it’s dirty, requiring replacement.
Why is my vacuum squealing? The reason for whistling sound might be in its broken parts. A small hole in a hose, crack in canister could make it. If a fan or brush bearing is broken, it causes additional vibrations, and, as a result, noise.
How to Make a Vacuum Cleaner Quieter?
Don’t vacuum your rooms for hours. The vacuum overheats and starts buzzing. Serious electric or wire problems could happen too. Shark vacuums noisy motor sounding like grinding might just be old. It wears out when bearings lose their magnetic force. The shift contacts other metal parts and rattles.
Don’t try to fix them by yourself. Ask for a professional repair service. Is your device still very loud? Soundproofing a vacuum cleaner might be challenging. Try to:
- select a lower motor speed;
- use a thick carpet or rubber mat as sound-absorption material;
- cover the vacuum outlet with several layers of wet cloth.
Any of these methods is not efficient. Trying to insulate your vacuum, you may overstrain its motor. Manufacturers install exhaust mufflers to reduce noise. These parts include porous materials like foam that absorbs noise.
General Recommendations
Are you going to buy a new vacuum? Select a powerful, versatile model that meets your needs. Modern commercial and household devices are lightweight and quiet. Maintain them properly, and they won’t make too much noise. What if your old one is loud? Clean filters, canister, brushes and hoses. If the problem persists, it probably means that your device is broken. Should you order professional repair services or buy a new vacuum? The relative cost of both options is a critical factor. But if your older model was out-of-date a new cleaner will impress you with a lot of great features, great suction power and quiet operation. Innovation in this field continues to make new models better every time.
