My less than a year old vacuum cleaner started working poorly, so I checked the normal things (belt was tight, no clogs in any of the tubes, etc.)  Turning it back on and trying it again, there was the sudden smell of burning wood.  Since the roller brush was the only wooden piece that I was aware of, out it came.  To my surprise the drive portion of the roller had failed.  The picture makes this clearer, but basically the drive pulley (where the belt goes) has a splined metal shaft that is press fit into the wooden roller.  Apparently there was resistance enough on the roller brush for the splined shaft to shear off the mated wood surface and start spinning like mad, and the friction was starting to burn the wood.  This type of failure is usually caused by string, fibers, etc. getting wrapped around the roller and adding a lot of drag.  Since we regularly clean off the roller and there wasn't anything on the roller when it failed, I took a closer look.  It really seems like there is a design flaw on this particular vacuum, as the splines are actually quite short and closely spaced so they don't make a very solid contact with the wooden roller.

I brought the roller brush to the local dealer (since the roller brush was advertised as having a one year warranty), and they said the warranty doesn't cover that type of failure.  hepa vacuum cleaner asbestosI asked what kind of failure is covered, and they couldn't name any.  robot vacuum cleaner puerto ricoHowever, they were very willing to sell me a replacement for almost $60. hepa certified vacuum cleanerI declined and headed to my local TechShop to use way more tools than really necessary to re-join the two pieces.  Thus the Overkill Edition comment. I repaired this at TechShop  www.techshop.wsStep 1: Materials and Equipment« PreviousNext »View All Steps Download “I took my old Kirby to DJ to fix and he was able to make it run like new for such a low cost!”

“I highly recommend Thousand Oaks Sew and Vac without any reservations!” “we bought a sebo from here and haven't been happier.”We repair & service all vacuum brands, all types and models, canisters, uprights, central vacuums and more. We provide free repair estimates right away and fast service. Repairs are normally completed in 24-48 hours including same day or next day service. We also have free loaner vacuums. We guarantee all work done for one year. Take your broken vacuum to Handy Andy's and see if it's worth repairing!If your vacuum cleaner is underperforming (read: not able to pick up even a hint of dirt), you might be tempted to just chuck the thing and buy a new one. Especially if, like me, your vac is a hand-me-down upright from...well, who knows when. But before you justify a Dyson purchase, check to see if your current vacuum cleaner's belts are in working order. You'll want to unplug the thing -- as if I need to remind you, but just in case -- and turn it over.

Remove the tiny screws holding the bottom plastic casing in place. You should see the belt immediately. If it's broken, you'll immediately be able to tell. It'll either be limply hanging there, or cracked. While you're there, you might as well cut off any hair, threads or any other debris wound around the cleaning brush. This is your cue to note your vacuum cleaner manufacturer and model (this is usually inelegantly written on the bag cover) and head to your local home improvement store. Certain department stores, like Sears or Target, will also have a small selection of belts. If completely clueless, just bring the broken belt and ask a helpful clerk for direction. Once home, stretch the belt in place and replace the bottom case. Then, plug in the vac, turn it on and keep your fingers crossed. You should find that suction has been restored. For a more, shall we say, technically-detailed approach to this repair, watch the video above. It's not glamorous, but hey, we're talking about vacuum cleaner repair.

Vacuum Cleaner Repair Vacuum Cleaner Belts Upright Vacuum Cleaner Repair Restore Suction To A Vacuum Cleaner Vac RepairIf a leg breaks off a dining room chair, a puppy chews a hole in the rug, a sewing machine jams or a grandfather clock stills, there are people in the Washington area who can help. ●Although many things in homes today seem to be disposable, there are still lots of possessions both old and new that deserve to be fixed properly. We called a posse of interior designers, antiques dealers, auctioneers, appraisers and other experts to find out whom they trust for their most important repair and restoration jobs. Many of these recommended companies are neighborhood or family firms that have been doing what they do for generations. ● “You have to find repair people who have a lot of experience and have worked with many different kinds of objects,” says Jodi Macklin, a Chevy Chase interior designer. “And you have to have a level of trust with them.” When a store makes house calls for grandfather clocks, you know it’s serious about its work.

Owner Edward Compton of Ecker’s Clock & Watch Shop has been in business about 33 years. His workshop is often recommended by antique dealers and auctioneers. Compton, who grew up in a family of clock- and watchmakers, gives free estimates, and his charges are determined on a case-by-case basis. “When someone presents me with an item to be repaired,” he says, “I can give them an idea of how long the repair will take and what will be involved.” Ecker’s Clock & Watch Shop, 8010 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda. Georgetown Refinishing and Antique Restoration has been in business since the 1950s, repairing and restoring antiques and other home furnishings. In 2007, the business was bought by Bill and Debbie Schoenbauer, who run Schoenbauer Furniture Service in St. Mary’s County, their own fourth-generation restoration business. Bill Schoenbauer says both companies offer free estimates and can usually give a range of prices for work needed just by looking at the owner’s photographs. Both companies pick up daily in the Washington area.

To have someone come to your home to remove a water ring from a table, expect to pay about $150 to $200, he says. To have a basic wood dining chair reglued at their shop costs $75 and up. Designer Jodi Macklin says she has a great deal of trust in the company, whether it’s polishing a dining table or replacing the leg on a chair. Georgetown Refinishing and Antique Restoration, 30507 Potomac Way, Charlotte Hall, Md. 202 333-3311. . When Georgetown designer Susan Beimler locates the perfect antique chandelier for a client, it often needs a part replaced, wiring fixed or a length of custom-made chain. She brings the chandeliers to Artisan Lamp in Cleveland Park. For 35 years, the business has been repairing and restoring table lamps, floor lamps, sconces and other lighting. John Teymourian, one of the owners, says Washingtonians bring in a lot of old European lamps they pick up at auctions or estate sales. The good news is, Artisan will also take on a repair as simple as a new socket, for which the minimum charge is $15.

Minor repairs can often be done while you wait. “We are like an old-fashioned neighborhood store,” Teymourian says. “We try to help people with whatever they need.” Artisan Lamp, 3331 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-244-8900. . Virginians have been taking their heirloom silver tea sets and silver bar trays to Lawrence Miller & Co. since 1968. Designer Victoria Sanchez and her family are no different. “My mom took some of her old pieces here to be resilvered and had things like broken handles repaired,” Sanchez says. “They seem to be able to fix everything.” The company works on both family antiques and flea market finds. According to manager Tim Shaheen, the charge is about $35 to repair a fork damaged in a garbage disposal. A scratched medium-size silver serving tray can be buffed for about $100. Lawrence Miller & Co., 121 S. Royal St. Alexandria. Local collectors were always asking Doug Meyers where to have their Broyhill Brasilia cabinets or Knoll leather chairs restored. Meyers himself was constantly searching for knowledgeable experts;

he sells Danish and American mid-century modern furnishings at Modern Mobler, his store in Washington’s Takoma neighborhood. So Meyers has now added furniture restoration to his business; he also has stockpiled spare parts for mid-century furniture. “Our goal is to take on as much of the restoration of a piece that we can without affecting the patina,” Meyers says. “It’s a juggling game. ‘Should I leave it alone?’ ‘Is it worth more if I don’t restore it?’ But at the end of the day, it’s the customer’s piece of furniture, and it has to work for them.” Labor for refinishing starts at $65 an hour. The price to replace a slip seat on a 1960s Danish modern dining chair in a period-appropriate textured vinyl starts at $75. Modern Mobler, 7313 Georgia Ave. NW. 571-594-2201. . Auction houses see a lot of old paintings that havespent many years accumulating layers of household dirt and cigarette smoke. When Elizabeth Wainstein, owner of Alexandria’s Potomack Co.auction house, is asked for the name of a talented artwork restorer, she shares that of Andrzej Pinkowski.

Wainstein, who has used Pinkowski for her own paintings, says it is amazing to see the original colors of a work emerge after a cleaning. Pinkowski studied restoration in his native Poland and has been in the business for 44 years; his son Lukasz works with him. If a painting has severe damage, restoring it can be an elaborate procedure. The Pinkowskis will also repair holes in a canvas or fix damaged frames. They charge $50 and up per hour for labor and give free estimates by appointment. Andrzej Pinkowski Art Restoration and Conservation Studios, 3109 Budd Way Alexandria. Alexandria designer Victoria Sanchez has been using the cleaning and repair services of J&J Oriental Rug Gallery for years. “When you walk in there with your rug, they give you their undivided attention and address your concerns,” Sanchez says. “They really know what they’re doing, and they really care.” The company, established in 1978, has experts in weaving and repair for issues such as tears, missing fringe, moth holes, pet damage and worn pile.

According to manager Nathalie Nabatkhorian, the basic cleaning charge for a rug brought into the shop is $2 per square foot (an 8-by-10 foot rug would cost $160). If you have the company pick up the rug and return it, it’s $3 a square foot ($240 for that 8-by-10), but that includes moving your furniture on and off the rug. J&J Oriental Rug Gallery, 1200 King St., Alexandria. The owners of G Street Fabrics know sewing machines: Their family has sold fabric since 1942. When customers need machines serviced, Michael Greenzaid, a co-owner of the business with stores in Rockville, Centreville and Falls Church, has the answers. If the machine is a Bernina, G Street Fabrics can service it; it will cost about $120 to have a Bernina cleaned and checked out. If a customer has a Singer, Kenmore or any other brand, Greenzaid will send him or her to one of four area Brothers Sew & Vacs. Mike Morris, a vice president of the family firm that started in 1956, says Brothers can repair virtually all brands.

The store fixed first lady Rosalynn Carter’s sewing machine in the 1970s (she had a Pfaff machine), and it services machines for local theater costume shops. Machines are checked into the “sewing machine hospital” to be evaluated; it’s about $99 to $159 for a cleaning and tuneup. Brothers also repairs vacuums. Brothers Sew & Vac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Washington and Bethesda. . Julia Brennan restores the treasures that link generations: quilts, coverlets, christening gowns and flags. Her team at Caring for Textiles (formerly Textile Conservation Services) can carefully clean and repair an embroidered pillow or a silk kimono, and has done so for both individuals and museums. “Julia has a scholarly background and is meticulous,” says Stephanie Kenyon, owner and president of Sloans & Kenyon Auctioneers & Appraisers in Chevy Chase. “We have recommended her for many christening dresses and old samplers.” Brennan, who restored George Washington’s silk waistcoat as well as James Brown’s 1970s black wool “sex” jumpsuit, has been in the conservation business more than 25 years.