Fireplaces and stoves, a lot of heat in the house but also a lot of ash to remove. To do this quickly, all you need is an ash vacuum cleaner, but don't confuse it with a common vacuum cleaner: let's find out all the differences.
It's very easy to confuse a common vacuum cleaner with an ash vacuum cleaner: two machines created for a rather similar purpose and very similar in operation, but using the former to clean up ashes produced by fireplaces, pellet stoves or barbecues can cause serious and irreparable damage. This is why it is necessary to use an ash vacuum cleaner and use the dust vacuum cleaner only for common household cleaning.
Let's find out its specific features, uses and different applications so we know which tool to buy for our purpose.
THE VACUUM CLEANER: OPERATION AND USES
A vacuum cleaner is used to clean homes, furniture, floors and workspaces of dust, debris and liquids quickly and effectively.
Vacuum cleaners are mainly divided according to the type of waste to be vacuumed and the surface to be cleaned. There are, therefore, dust vacuum cleaners, wet vacuum cleaners, fitted-carpet washers, and - precisely – ash vacuum cleaners.
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The traditional household vacuum cleaner is intended for cleaning dust and crumbs from floors. A professional vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, is a machine capable of removing dirt and coarse debris from floors and surfaces, vacuuming up toxic and harmful particulate matter; a professional vacuum cleaner can be used in any sector such as supermarkets, schools, hospitals, gyms, hotels, cafés and restaurants, offices, garages, construction sites and industrial plants.
DISCOVER THE PROFESSIONAL SERIES OF COMET VACUUM CLEANERS
Wet vacuum cleaners, on the other hand, are capable of sucking up not only dry residues but also liquid materials in varying quantities depending on the capacity of the drum. Finally, the vacuum cleaners equipped with the fitted-carpet washing function work with a suction power that does not leave fabrics wet after cleaning. Fitted-carpet washing vacuum cleaners can be considered multifunctional because they can suck up dust and liquids like standard vacuum cleaners, but their main function is to wash fabrics, carpets and upholstered furniture by injecting/extracting a solution of water and detergent.
READ ALSO: THE ADVANTAGES OF THE WET VACUUM CLEANER FOR YOUR HOME AND PROFESSIONAL CLEANING
Whatever type it is, a vacuum cleaner works thanks to one or more turbine motors which create an air vacuum to suck up, through a flexible hose, dust, liquids and other particles of various materials, and then convey them inside a closed container.
The main components of a vacuum cleaner are generally divided into four groups, with specific characteristics for wet vacuum machines:
- Head: composed of one or more electric motors to power turbines which rotate to create the vacuum effect necessary to suck up the material into a container.
The wet vacuum cleaner, in addition to the head, is equipped with a system that, by means of probes and floats, blocks the suction in case of "overflow".
- Filtering system: composed of a system of filters of various types - bag, woven, cartridge or HEPA - which separate dry dust from the air; this is the component by means of which dry dust is separated from the air, retaining the former to return clean air into the environment.
- Collection container: made of plastic or steel, it represents the casing where the material sucked by the machine is collected, when the collection bag is not used.
- Suction hose and accessories: the suction hose may have different lengths, it is connected at one end to the collection container and operated by an operator to collect dust and dirt from floors and surfaces. At the opposite end, it is equipped with nozzles and accessories of various types, depending on the material to be removed and the surface.
When the vacuum cleaner is switched on, the motor rotates the turbine which creates a vacuum inside the container: the operator handles the suction hose, bringing the nozzle closer to what has to be removed. The vacuum effect sucks anything inside the hose and holds it in the special container, which will then be emptied to properly dispose of the dust, liquids and waste collected.
Finally, to facilitate movement, the main body of the machine may be supported by solid or swivel wheels.
THE ASH VACUUM CLEANER: WHY USE IT
Unlike classic extractors, the ash vacuum cleaners are equipped with special filters which, in addition to protecting the internal parts of the machine from dangerous clogging, completely retain the ash - which is much finer than standard dust - and prevent it from escaping. They are also equipped with a flexible steel or plastic-coated steel hose and with a steel tank in compliance with the relevant regulations and suitable for allowing and accommodating the passage of ashes.
Wood-burning fireplaces and pellet stoves produce a lot of dirt and, in order to ensure correct operation, they require continuous cleaning during standard use and extraordinary maintenance operations at the beginning and at the end of the season. The chamber of the brazier must always be cleaned of ashes so that dust does not spread out as well as bad smells in the room.
The traditional cleaning tools, such as the broom and the dustpan, are uncomfortable to use and not very effective. The best solution is to equip yourself with an ash vacuum cleaner which, with a few passes and without any effort, removes everything without raising dust, risking getting even dirtier.
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At least two or three times a week, the ashes that accumulate in the pellet stove must also be removed, to keep it efficient and safe. Even more so than for the fireplace, the ash vacuum cleaner is effective and convenient compared to traditional tools, as it has to intervene in small spaces and on the various parts that make it up.
Unlike brooms and dustpans, moreover, by using an ash vacuum cleaner, the cleaning operations can also be carried out on vertical surfaces, such as the walls of the combustion chamber, without causing falls and dispersions of material, thus avoiding double work.
Now that you know what the specific characteristics of an ash vacuum cleaner are, you can find out all the details and learn more about its advantages by reading:
CLEANING FIREPLACES AND STOVES WITH AN ASH VACUUM CLEANER.
