Care & Maintenance

1.)Power

There isn’t a vacuum on the planet that will do you much good without a strong, uninterrupted power supply. For this reason we always start our PM with an inspection of the power cord. Starting at the plug end of the cord, inspect for broken, bent, or missing prongs, then working your way towards the vacuum. You’re looking for areas where outer insulation has been cut or burned through. The cord should be replaced if any damage is seen because of the safety risks involved. The most common sign of wear to a cord is a twisting of the cord, commonly referred to as “pig tailing.” The cord is pigtailed when wound starting at the plug and working towards the machine or is not unplugged when winding. A faulty cord could damage supply boards and even motors. Change the cord if any of these conditions exist.

2.)Air Flow

A hallmark rule of a vacuum; you won’t pick up dirt without airflow. Period. The Karcher vacuum is one of the most powerful machines on the market. This will not be the case with a machine lacking air flow. Let's start at the most obvious places a machine can lose airflow. Bags and filters should be checked and changed if needed when doing a PM service, a full bag or overused filter slows the passage of air. The second most common reason a Karcher vacuum may be lacking suction is clogs. First, check suction at the inlet of the bag housing by removing the hose. Then, look through the hose by letting the vacuum hose hang straight towards the ground. If the hose is free of any obstruction, plug it back into the vacuum and test suction at the end of the hose. If you hear a whistling from your hose, there is an airflow leak and you may have a cut or puncture requiring the hose to be replaced. Please note: taping or gluing is never a recommended repair option. This will likely cause a blockage and will be a short-term fix at best. Re-plug the hose into the vacuum leading towards the power head to continue assessing the vacuum. There should have no loss of suction when doing this. You will hear the suction coming from the underside of the power head. An obstruction in the swivel neck or power head can be cleared using your finger or a pair of long needle-nose pliers to remove it. The Karcher Sensor and CV vacuums are equipped with an orange colored door on the underside of the vacuum powerhead, making access simple.

3.)Agitation

Suction without agitation will not clean carpets nearly as well as suction with agitation. The brush roll, or agitator, gives the Karcher Vacuum its complete cleaning prowess. Regularly inspecting for hair and string wrapped around the roller ensures continued productivity. Remove the brush roll and its bearing-blocks to remove debris from these moving areas. Neglecting this easy step will cause costly replacements of prematurely worn brush and bearing parts.

4.)Body Housings

Lastly, always inspect the housings of the Karcher Vacuum including the chassis, axle assemblies, and bag housing cover. You may have a bent axle if your vacuum is not standing up properly. The chassis of the vacuum can be cracked if this is the case which will lead to a costly repair. Also, check the base plates and sealing strips on the base of the machine. And finally, be sure to inspect the bag housing and cover for a good seal.

Understanding and utilizing these simple steps will help you keep your equipment running well and keep your facilities clean with less headache.