If Your Vacuum Smells Burnt, Check These 6 Things

Vacuum cleaners do not operate at high temperatures so to smell burning is a severe warning. You must switch off at once.

As Soon as You Switch off Your Vacuum

If you smell burning you must switch off the vacuum cleaner and check for two things immediately.

• Check in the area of the motor for any signs of smoke.
• Check the wall socket, vacuum plug and the vacuum cable for heat.

Smoke

Three things can cause a vacuum cleaner to smoke.

• The electric motor is running much too hot.
• The drive belt has jammed.
• A lighted cigarette end has been sucked into the machine and is smoldering in the rubbish bag.

Motor Running Hot

The electric motor can run hot if the filters are blocked or if the vacuum bag is full. Clean the filters at the intake end of the machine and empty the bag.

Hot Cable or Wall Plug

These can be caused because the motor had to work too hard. After cleaning the filters and emptying the bag run the vacuum cleaner again to see if the cable and plug get hot again. If the plug gets hot, it means that there is a loose connection between the vacuum cable and the mains. Check that the wires from the cable are held tightly in the terminals in the plug. This should solve the problem. If the plug still gets hot check that there is a tight fit between the plug and the socket. If it is difficult to tell, plug the vacuum cleaner into a different socket. If the plug still gets hot you need to seek help from an electrician.

Lighted Cigarette End

The only way to deal with a lighted cigarette end is to empty the vacuum cleaner bag. Fortunately most of the dirt your vacuum cleaner bag contains will not burst into flames when you remove the bag from the cleaner but you should be careful in disposing of it.

Upright Cleaners Require Additional Checks

Check the Drive belt

Upright cleaners have a belt driven rotary brush at the head of the machine. Check that the belt is still in position and that the rotary brush turns freely. You may find that a large piece of rubbish has been drawn into the front of the machine and jammed the drive belt. The friction of the drive pulley on the electric motor and the drive belt will create a great deal of heat and a burning smell.

Check the Bearings on the Rotary Brush

Hair may get wrapped around the ends of the rotary brush and pulled towards the bearings. The friction against this hair can create heat and a burning smell. The hair will have to be cleaned out thoroughly.