Vacuum Cleaner Dissection

Vacuum dissection - broken fan

Our vacuum broke two months ago. Sweeping the carpet with a broom like Old Befana is fine when the mess is popcorn or cheerios but not so effective at removing ground in dirt. The thought of dirt festering, multiplying and colonizing in my house moved me to act. 

When the vacuum stopped sucking I checked the belt first. Next I looked for a blockage in the hose. It was then I knew, from surfing DIY repair sites, that I was dealing with a broken fan, a $10 part. 

Emboldened by grainy YouTube videos of arms without bodies refurbishing and showing off Hoovers, I dissected the machine. As I carefully set aside the components and cleaned dust off parts I commended myself on not participating in our throwaway culture, for resisting the ease of tossing the sucker and buying a new one. I could be MacGyver. Whoa, adrenaline rush!

Taking the machine apart was easy but when I opened the motor housing I knew the adventure was over. The fan blade was broken alright but I would have to take the motor apart to remove it. Disappointed that this was beyond the realm of duct tape and my capabilities, I called a local repair shop.

The guy on the phone was friendly and said that estimates were free. I took the vacuum there in pieces thinking that perhaps the fact that I dissembled it and diagnosed the problem the repairman, if he were dishonest, might think twice about conning me <insert Tim Allen Tool Time grunts>. 

At the shop, he agreed with my assessment and gently chastised me for not taking it in for regular maintenance. Really? People do that?  It took me 21 years to break the fan blade and crack the motor housing. He stepped over to the vacuum display and launched into a spiel about fabulous made-in-the-U-S-of-A vacuum cleaners with metal plates and wheels (not plastic!) that can suck up a 2lb bullet! with a 50 foot hose! without breaking the motor! And how beneficial purchasing one would be for American manufacturing. I listened politely, thought he must not get much traffic midday, and nodded at the appropriate times. Was I repairing a vacuum or buying a used car?

Instead, I opted for the deluxe repair - replace the fan blade, replace the motor bearings, agitator and lightbulb. I picked up the Hoover today. She's just as beautiful as they day we met at Woodward & Lothrops, the now-defunct department store. Here's hoping my $125 investment will keep her out of the landfill for another 10 years.