Frequently Asked Questions

Placing Orders

Q: How long will it take for me to recieve my order?
A: Most orders will be received in no more than 10 business days. APO's and FPO's may take 3 or 4 days longer.

Q: Where do I find your shipping rates and return policy?
A: Click on the policies link at the bottom right of the page.

Q: Do you sell to countries other than the US ?
A: No

Q: How do I place my order?
A: First find the part or product you're looking for and click on the appropriate "Add to shopping cart" button. (You can add or delete products as you go). When you are finished shopping just click on the "Go to check out now" button, follow the instructions for method of ordering and method of payment.

Q: What methods of payment do you accept?
A: We accept Paypal, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover.

Sales Tax

Missouri residents will pay sales tax of 6.85%. If you live out of the state of Missouri, no tax will be added.

Warranties

We are a warranty center for Simplicity Vacuums. All of our other machines carry the standard factory guarantees and warranties. If you cannot find an authorized dealer of that particular brand to repair your machine, you may send the product to us and we will repair it for you at our standard rates.  We do not warranty user damage. The freight back to House of Vacuums must be paid by the customer.

General service/maintenance work is not a warranty claim and charges will apply. Broken belts, clogged hoses and pipes, dirty filters, and full bags are a few items not covered by warranty. These items can usually be fixed or cleaned by the customer with minimal mechanical knowledge. Please see your instruction book for assistance with these types of problems.

Q: Are all your parts/bags/belts "Genuine?"
A: Not all items we sell are "Genuine." We sell only top quality items whether they are made by the vacuum manufacturer or are considered "Replacement." We guarantee that our "Replacement" items will be equal to or better than the "Genuine" bag.  (FYI: Makers of vacuums are not makers of bags. Bags are made by a bag specialty company, with different labeling.)

Security

Q: Is your web site secure?
A: General information and product display pages are not secure.  However, our shopping cart is secure-all personal and credit card information is encrypted and transmitted securely-this will be shown in most browsers as a locked padlock.  You can also click on the 'security information' button provided in most current browsers to view more concerning the security level of the page you are viewing.

Q: Do you resell personal information from your customers?
A: Absolutely not.

Location

Q: Where are you located?
A: 1918 E. Sunshine Street, Springfield, MO 65804
(1 ½ blocks east of Glenstone, in the Plaza East Shopping Center)

FAQs About Vacuums

Q: What is HEPA filtration?
A: HEPA stand for High Efficiency Particulate Air. The original HEPA filter was designed in the 1940s and was used in the Manhattan Project to prevent the spread of airborne radioactive contaminants.  After being commercialized in the 1950s, it is used today as a generic term for highly efficient filters.

For a HEPA filter in a vacuum cleaner to be effective, the vacuum cleaner must be designed so that all the air run through the machine is expelled through the filter, with none of the air leaking past it. This is often referred to as "Sealed HEPA."  A poorly designed vacuum may claim to have a HEPA filter, but will not have true filtering efficiency. Because of the extra density of a true HEPA filter, HEPA vacuum cleaners require more powerful motors to provide adequate cleaning power.  (Simplicity has some top-of-the-line sealed HEPA vacuums.)

Q: How often should I change my belt?
A: Generally we recommend belts be changed every 6 months to a year. They stretch over time, especially if the vacuum catches a rug or other object in it (which can break a belt, or just stretch it).  Even with careful use, the belt will just stretch over time.  There are a few exceptions, such as geared belts, or belts with "teeth."  There a few vacuums that don't use belts.  But most vacuums still use a replaceable belt, designed to stretch or break if something stops the brushroller, rather than breaking or wearing the brushroll.  (Simplicity has some models with a lifetime belt guarantee.)

Q: How often should my filters be changed?
A: There are many types of filters, but generally the factory recommendations are 6 months to a year (3 months for some).  Some of the Simplicity filters recommend every 6 -12 bags.

Q: How often should I change my bags?
A: It varies, but here are some guidelines:

*Generally most bags should be changed every 4 to 6 weeks. When you can feel an inch or two of solid dirt in the bottom, the rest of the bag is coated with dust and dirt that is almost weightless, but that clogs the pores of the bag and makes the vacuum work harder to move air. Don't be "cheap" with your bags. After a while you are just re-cycling your dust!

Q: Why is a good vacuum important?
A: Carpeting is a large investment. A good vacuum will maintain the quality of your carpet, as well as keep the air and furniture free of dust (important to allergy sufferers).

*A good vacuum will help control dust mites.  These microscopic bugs thrive on carpet fibers, dust particles, and skin particles.

*A good vacuum will help control pet dander, and pick up pet hair effectively.

*A good vacuum will not just get the visible stuff, it will lift the carpet nap and clean the fine sand and grit from down in the fibers.  If sand and grit are allowed to build up, it acts like sandpaper when you walk on the carpet, slowly wearing away and cutting carpet fibers, prematurely wearing your carpet.

*Even on bare floors, a vacuum will suck up the dust, rather than stir it up like a broom.

Q: What's the best vacuum?
A: We seek to educate people to what the best vacuum is for their household situation. We don't want you to be at the mercy of whoever has the biggest advertising budget.

For instance, how much of the household is carpet, as opposed to bare floors? If you have only bare floor and area rugs, you don't need a vacuum made for large carpeted areas. Perhaps a straight-suction canister will serve best.

Are there pets in the house? A vacuum with a carbon filter will help cut down on odors, and HEPA filtration is recommended. Does someone have allergies?  A sealed HEPA vacuum is recommended.

What are the advantages to an upright versus a canister (the kind you pull behind you)?  Most people prefer to push an upright vacuum; it is easier to do. But canisters have some advantages too. They are usually designed with more suction, and often have a control to reduce the suction for small rugs, draperies, and upholstery. They are also easier to get under furniture.  It usually comes down to a personal choice.

Q: What about bagged versus bagless? 
A: We generally prefer vacuums with bags. Bagless vacuums may be the latest craze, but the idea is not new.  Some of the first vacuums were bagless, such as Hoover, Electrolux, Royal, and Kirby.  They had what was known as a "dump" bag, where the dirt was emptied from an outer cloth bag or a container.  This process is messy, and dust particles get filtered back into the air when emptying, and while vacuuming. 

Most bagless vacuums will cost you more in replacement filters and maintenance than in a year's supply of bags. So money is not always saved as the advertising suggests. What about the ones that advertise their filters don't need replaced? The particles have to go somewhere, and a coating of dust and hair ends up in the cyclonic chambers of the bagless vacuum, eventually causing odors and other nasty problems.  The vacuum chamber must be disassembled in order to be cleaned (which is another service we provide).

People say "I can't believe how much dirt I see my bagless vacuum pick up."  Well, if you started with a new bag, and cut it open after the first use, you would be surprised at how much you would see. Dirt constantly swirls in the chamber of a bagless vacuum (and gets back out), but gets compacted in the bag of a good vacuum (and stays in).

Paper bags that contain fine particles were the latest fad when they first came out. We still think it is better to contain your dust in a bag and dispose of it sealed rather than keep circulating the particles.