Reply #25: A Dyson will lose suction when it gets dirty.

[Xithras]

Let me preface this by saying that I love my five year old Dyson Ball "Ultimate" ball, but they do require some maintenance to maintain suction.

The real problem is that the cyclonic method removes 99.9% of dirt, but it's not perfect. After a couple years of regular use that small 0.1% will begin to accumulate on the inside (and to a smaller extent, the outside) of the cyclone tubes, which will increasingly disrupt airflow. As the airflow gets disrupted, the cyclonic action slows down. You will notice it very quickly, because the effect is exponential and you can go from having a perfectly running Dyson to a Dyson that wont suck rice off a hardwood floor in about a month of regular use.

Luckily, it's an easy fix. Just pull the cyclone unit out of the canister, drag it out into the backyard, and blast some water through the thing with a garden hose. The water won't hurt it, and the sun will dry it out in about an hour. I do this, on average, about once every two years.

Considering that I used to REPLACE my vacuum that often, I'm not complaining :)