I have a sheet of rubber, black rubber about 1/16” thick. It can be found at Industrial Supply Warehouses. You might get a sheet (don’t know how big you’d need) and cut a custom “gasket” from this thin sheet of rubber. Lay it in place and the factory seal would press into it. That also would work without using glues and stuff. I worked at an Industrial Supply House as Shipping/Receiving Mgr and we had this in varying thicknesses in black rubber and red nitrile. On a roll 36” wide. So you should be able to find something and cut it with sharp scissors to work. For that matter, a canvas or cardboard (like posterboard) would also probably make the seal and solve your problem.
Edit: We also had O-ring kits, lengths of various sized o-ring material that you could cut to fit. A thin (small diameter) length of this laid into the channel and glued in place with silicone would press into the center of the factory seal and make up for any differences. See? Lots of ways to go about it!
Hi Chloe, if your cleaner is still fairly new then consider taking advantage of the warranty and exchange it for a new one. Perhaps the filtration mechanism isn’t working properly.
Hi Vas, I think the filters are working okay (comparing to a set of new ones), just the seals are not 100% because the fine dust deposits at key points. Maybe this is partly what you pay more for in addition to motor etc.
Additionally, with the tree pollen lately it is cumulative. ;_;
Here there is a rubber ring around the post motor filter:
I thought maybe some of that rubber sheet could go around here if not a large size o-ring.
And here is the outflow from the dust chamber which butts against the body where the motor is housed. There is a rubber seal on the body but I think it could be improved further by adding a seal to this side:
Thanks islisis. I don’t have any of this, but I already have silicone grease (using Jetbeam!).
ALL bag/bagless vacuum cleaners will effectively concentrate in your home the level of the smallest particles that they can filter. They remove the big stuff, but let the little stuff through. Those little buggers build up over time, and they tend to cause the most problems. The only option that works is a central vacuum system that exhausts to the outside of your house.
No matter what we do to remove all the “buggers”, you can’t win. Exhaust it to the outside if you want to, doesn’t really matter…the windows, doors, walls are not sealed. It all comes back in and there’s not a thing we can do about it. Open the door to leave the house, you just pulled a few days worth of small particulate matter right back in.
Try to build the house tighter, mold set’s in in the walls. My dad built houses for nearly 40 years as a builder, I’ve personally built close to 20 as a carpenter working for him before he retired. Those builders that go to plastic wrapped walls, Tyvec wrapped walls, it’s nearly always asking for trouble on the opposite spectrum. Hard to close entry doors if the house is too tight, the dreaded mold, allergens that can’t get out, all kinds of problems. We weren’t meant to live in Tupperware boxes, that’s what he used to say and I guess he’s probably right.
Change the filters in your AC/Heating system to more efficient types. I like the washable ones, take em outside and hose em down, air dry em and put em back in. But if you have allergies the 3M Filtrete brand filters for allergies take the most out of the air. Get your air/heat ducts cleaned at least once a year…this is the type of thing that makes major differences in how comfortable it is to breathe. And of course, make the pets stay outside.
For those with allergeries, I sympathize. Truly, a house system works best for worst case scenario’s…but you still have to do your part and use them very often. Take your brightest flashlight outside and point it up into the sky, how much crap do you see in the air in front of that beam? For us, these days, with all the construction going on with Interstate 35…we hardly have air there’s so much foreign particulate matter present! Can’t win…
I don’t think I’ve even seen a house system here in the UK. :~
I just bought some FFP3 rated disposable masks to try out, hopefully will help. Looks like I need to wear a mask whilst doing the housework. I’m currrently using FFP2 whilst emptying the thing, it definitely does help even if it feels silly to wear!
I’ll be able to test the seals again tomorrow (too late here now!).
You will not believe this!! I started vacuuming today and it’s incredible what difference the silicone grease has made. I am struggling with the floor attachment. The suction is stronger than it was new! It also doesn’t seem to sound as noisy, which might be also due to the seals.
Yes, do try it! It’s amazing what a difference it can make. I don’t think I’ve felt this way since I got my first Sipik SK-68 (staring at it thinking, “How can something so small be so bright?!”).
So anything that the filter cannot trap, is simply redistributed around the house? Do you think it is made worse, by sucking deep out of carpet etc. then blowing it out again?
It also doesn’t seem to sound as noisy, which might be also due to the seals.