--- title: Choosing A Commercial Vacuum Over A Residential Vacuum description: Choosing A Commercial Vacuum Over A Residential Vacuum. image: https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/placeholder.jpg --- [![Floorcare Logo](https://www.floorcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo.png)](https://www.floorcare.com/) [Find a Contractor](https://www.floorcare.com/find-a-contractor/) [JOIN AS A CONTRACTOR](https://www.floorcare.com/join-as-a-contractor/) - [Home](https://www.floorcare.com/) - [Blog](https://blog.floorcare.com) - Choosing A Commercial Vacuum Over A Residential Vacuum # Choosing A Commercial Vacuum Over A Residential Vacuum Sunday, June 02, 2013 [Jay Goldberg](https://blog.floorcare.com/author/jay-goldberg) 0 comments To contractors and professionals who have been in the business awhile this may seem like an easy choice. But to others just getting started in commercial cleaning or those who just want to know the facts, here are some reason to go [commercial vacuum vs residential](https://blog.mastercraftusa.com/residential-vacuums-vs.-commercial-vacuums). [![Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac](https://blog.floorcare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Floorcare/Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac.jpg?width=504&height=286&name=Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac.jpg "Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac")](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/Floorcare/Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac.jpg) Mike Ryan, Sales Engineer for Mastercraft Industries sums it up best when comparing commercial vacuums to residential ones. ***“It’s kind of like a comparison between a weekend warrior and a pro athlete. Different bodies in motion playing the same game, but very different abilities and outcomes.”*** **Power** Commercial vacs can range from 1HP to 4HP on the top end, which is significantly more power than a standard home vac. More power means greater suction specifically when it comes to higher and thicker carpet pile especially over large areas. **Structural Integrity** ![Oreck OR101](https://blog.floorcare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Floorcare/OR101H-300DPI_web900.jpg?width=150&height=150&name=OR101H-300DPI_web900.jpg "OR101H-300DPI_web900") When taking a residential vac out once or twice a week it doesn’t take quite a beating as a vac used everyday. In order to withstand the wear and tear of everyday use, commercial vacs are built tougher inside and out, from nuts to bolts. Sturdier outer parts such as handles, enclosures and wheels. And more reliable, higher quality brushes, motors and frame. **Capacity** The purpose of a commercial vacuum is to get the most vacuuming done in the smallest amount of time possible. Larger capacity filter bags enable you to vacuum longer without stopping to empty a bag or container. **Longer Life Motors** Commercial Vacuum motors are manufactured for more cycles and continuous run time. If you’re like most people, stopping your home vac every 3 minutes is the norm, after all there are phones to be answered and Legos to be picked up. Commercial vac motors are meant to run for extended periods of time for large spaces. Some are even equipped with dual motors, one for the vacuuming, the other for the agitator brush. This lessens the workload for one motor in an effort to give an even longer life of use. **HEPA Filtration** Some residential vacuums will claim to be HEPA Vacuums. What this usually means is they are using a HEPA type filter. Commercial vacuums go through rigorous certification testing to meet the HEPA needs of allergy free environments like hospitals. **Other things** to keep in mind when deciding between a commercial or residential vacuum, ○ Cord Length ○ Weight ○ Warranty ○ Replacement parts ○ Tool kits Now with this knowledge in hand, go forth and make the right decision that works best for you. [![Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac](https://blog.floorcare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Floorcare/Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac.jpg?width=504&height=286&name=Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac.jpg "Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac")](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/Floorcare/Footbal-Comm-vs-Res-vac.jpg) Mike Ryan, Sales Engineer for Mastercraft Industries sums it up best when comparing commercial vacuums to residential ones. ***“It’s kind of like a comparison between a weekend warrior and a pro athlete. Different bodies in motion playing the same game, but very different abilities and outcomes.”*** **Power** Commercial vacs can range from 1HP to 4HP on the top end, which is significantly more power than a standard home vac. More power means greater suction specifically when it comes to higher and thicker carpet pile especially over large areas. **Structural Integrity** ![Oreck OR101](https://blog.floorcare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Floorcare/OR101H-300DPI_web900.jpg?width=150&height=150&name=OR101H-300DPI_web900.jpg "OR101H-300DPI_web900")When taking a residential vac out once or twice a week it doesn’t take quite a beating as a vac used everyday. In order to withstand the wear and tear of everyday use, commercial vacs are built tougher inside and out, from nuts to bolts. Sturdier outer parts such as handles, enclosures and wheels. And more reliable, higher quality brushes, motors and frame. **Capacity** The purpose of a commercial vacuum is to get the most vacuuming done in the smallest amount of time possible. Larger capacity filter bags enable you to vacuum longer without stopping to empty a bag or container. **Longer Life Motors** Commercial Vacuum motors are manufactured for more cycles and continuous run time. If you’re like most people, stopping your home vac every 3 minutes is the norm, after all there are phones to be answered and Legos to be picked up. Commercial vac motors are meant to run for extended periods of time for large spaces. Some are even equipped with dual motors, one for the vacuuming, the other for the agitator brush. This lessens the workload for one motor in an effort to give an even longer life of use. **HEPA Filtration** Some residential vacuums will claim to be HEPA Vacuums. What this usually means is they are using a HEPA type filter. Commercial vacuums go through rigorous certification testing to meet the HEPA needs of allergy free environments like hospitals. **Other things** to keep in mind when deciding between a commercial or residential vacuum, ○ Cord Length ○ Weight ○ Warranty ○ Replacement parts ○ Tool kits Now with this knowledge in hand, go forth and make the right decision that works best for you. **Product Category:** [Mastercraft](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/mastercraft), [Mastercraft Enviromaster](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/mastercraft-enviromaster), [Vacuum](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/vacuum), [Commercial vacs](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/commercial-vacs), [HEPA](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/hepa), [Commercial vacuum](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/commercial-vacuum), [Oreck](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/oreck), [Oreck Commercial](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/oreck-commercial), [Residential vacuum](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/residential-vacuum) [Previous post](https://blog.floorcare.com/cleaning-sanitizing-and-targeted-disinfecting-school-wide) [Next post](https://blog.floorcare.com/enviromaster-probe-hepa-backpack-vacuum-earns-carpet-and-rug-institutes-gold-rating) Wednesday, January 14, 2026 [Jay Goldberg](https://blog.floorcare.com/author/jay-goldberg) 1 Comment ### [Corded vs. Cordless Industrial Cleaning Machines](https://blog.floorcare.com/corded-vs.-cordless-industrial-cleaning-machines-clone) A Contractor’s Deep Dive into Power, Performance, and Profitability This Is Not a Technology Debate. It’s a Profitability Decision. The choice.. 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Not only does it promote a healthy and safe.. [Steam Machines](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/steam-machines) [Commercial Vacuums](https://blog.floorcare.com/tag/commercial-vacuums) [Read more](https://blog.floorcare.com/advantages-of-cleaning-industrial-floors-with-a-steam-cleaner) ### 0 comments - COMPANY - [About Us](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/about) - [Coupons and Promotions](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/coupons-and-promotions) - [Articles](https://www.floorcare.com/blogs/news) - CUSTOMER CARE - [Shipping & Returns](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/shipping) - [FAQ](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/faq) - [Order Status](https://www.floorcare.com/account/login) - [Contact Us](https://shop.floorcare.com/pages/contact-us) - [Warranty Info](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/shipping) - [Terms of Use](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/terms-of-use) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/privacy-policy) - SHOP - [Equipment](https://www.floorcare.com/collections/equipment) - [Parts & Accessories](https://www.floorcare.com/collections/parts-accessories) - [Janitorial & Cleaning Supplies](https://www.floorcare.com/collections/janitorial-cleaning-supplies) - [By Application](https://www.floorcare.com/collections/by-application) - [By Brand](https://www.floorcare.com/pages/by-brand) ### SUBSCRIBE Stay up to date with our latest offers! - [![](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/facebook-icon.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/CommercialFloorCare) - [![](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/twitter-icon.svg)](https://twitter.com/floorcarecom) - ![](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/linkedin-icon.svg) Copyright © 2021 Floorcare. - ![amex](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/amex.svg) - ![pay](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/pay.svg) - ![discover](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/discover.svg) - ![elo](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/elo.svg) - ![gpay](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/gpay.svg) - ![master-card](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/master-card.svg) - ![paypal](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/paypal.svg) - ![dpay](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/dpay.svg) - ![v-icon](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/v-icon.svg) - ![visa](https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Onfloor_May2020/images/visa.svg) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jay Goldberg", "url" : "https://blog.floorcare.com/author/jay-goldberg" }, "dateModified" : "2022-07-20T18:10:31.769Z", "datePublished" : "2013-06-03T04:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Choosing A Commercial Vacuum Over A Residential Vacuum", "image" : [ "https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/placeholder.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.floorcare.com/choosing-a-commercial-vacuum-over-a-residential-vacuum", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.floorcare.com/hubfs/floorcare-logo.png" }, "name" : "Onfloor Technologies" } } ```