Shark Vacuum Making Weird Suction Noise

Is your shark vacuum making weird suction noise? Well, damn it, my Roomba was making a loud noise, and that’s the reason why I opted for a quiet shop vac.

But I get it; shop vacs are damn expensive, bulky and not good for anyone living in an apartment where every bit of tiny space counts. The thing with shop vac is that they get the job done seamlessly without breaking a sweat.

I get it; you may be on a budget, and getting an alternative vacuum cleaner that’s got the job done in seconds at the cost of leg and arm isn’t a viable option for you now.

You want to fix your shark vacuum cleaner making weird suction noise without breaking the bank. I get it, and that’s the reason I created this guide. To help you fix all the weird noises your shark vacuum cleaner makes.

Why is Shark Vacuum Making Weird Suction Noise?

Generally, if your shark vacuum suddenly produces high-pitched noise or becomes loud, it’s likely that the is a blockage in the suction system or the filters are dirty or damaged.

Your shark vacuum will produce all sorts of noises, from grinding noises, rattling to whistling noises.

Each of these sounds indicates a different problem that must be addressed or else could result in damage to your vacuum cleaner.

For example, a rattling noise is an indicator that your vacuum cleaner has sucked something like a pebble, socks, or something hard.

Whistling noises is an indicator that there could be holes or tears in your vacuum cleaner, causing air leaks.

Grinding noise indicates that one of the moving parts of the vacuum cleaner is jammed, and the jammed part needs to be fixed.

Shark Vacuum Making Loud Air Noise

In order to properly troubleshoot the reason why your shark vacuum is making loud air noise, it’s important to understand the different types of noise a vacuum cleaner makes and how you can troubleshoot them.

The different types of noises a shark vacuum makes are:

• Shark Vacuum Loud grinding noises
• Vacuum Rattling noises
• Shark Vacuum Whistling noises
• Vacuum High pitched noises

Shark Vacuum Loud Grinding Noises

All shark vacuums on the market today have moving parts. If you own one and hear loud grinding noises coming from the unit, then it’s likely that one of the moving parts is jammed or multiple of them are jammed.

Examples of the moving parts include the moving brushes and rotating brush roll found in Shark Robot Vacuum cleaners.

These moving parts get jammed, especially when something that’s too large for the vacuum to suck in is trapped in the suction area. A good example is when the brush rolls get entangled with a piece of small cloth like a sock or small debris on the floor.

Despite the obstruction, the moving parts will struggle to continue moving. This will, in turn, produce a grinding sound that will only end when the blocking dirt is removed or when the motor burns out.

To fix this problem, you’ll need to inspect the cause of the jam and remove it.

• You will need to figure out the source of the grinding noise.
• Switch off the vacuum and inspect the particular part where the noise is coming from.
• Remember to gently remove the blocking dirt, or otherwise, you risk damaging the components of your shark vacuum cleaner.

Shark Vacuum Rattling Noises

Rattling noise from a shark vacuum cleaner or any other vacuum cleaner indicates that the unit could have sucked something hard into its collecting bin.

On the other hand, rattling noises in the powerhead are an indicator of a snapped belt.

Because vacuum cleaners are designed to suck dirt, they will suck up anything through their airways. They are indiscriminate in their suction process and will suck anything from small soft dirt to hard dirt like rocks and pebbles.

When these hard items like rocks find their way into the vacuum bin, they are bound to fly around, hitting the collection bin sides hence resulting in rattling sounds.

Small household items such as paper clips, marbles, pins could also result in rattling sounds when sucked into the shark vacuum.

To fix this problem-

You will need to remove the hard items in the vacuum bin by emptying the bin.

On the other hand, rattling noises could indicate a belt snapped in the powerhead. Shark vacuum cleaners with powerheads have a small drive motor that’s responsible for turning the brush roll.

The motor turns the rubber belt which in turn transfers the energy to the brush roll to help it spin continuously.

The small rubber belt will wear and tear with time and eventually snap. Even in the event the belt snaps, the motor will continue to turn the snapped belt hence producing what sounds like a rattling noise.

A common sign of a broken belt is the rattling noise accompanied by a brush bar that doesn’t spin as it’s supposed.

Fixing Rattling Noise:

• You will need to replace the snapped belt and remove the solid dirt and debris in the collection bin.

Shark Vacuum Whistling Noises

Whistling or something that sounds like a whooshing sound from your shark vacuum cleaner is an indicator of a problem with the vac’s body.

The most common cause of the whistling sound is an air leak.

When the vacuum cleaner is in perfect working condition, all the air will be sucked in through the hose or wand into the collection bin.

In simple terms, whistling noises indicate that the vacuum cleaner is sucking air from somewhere else than the vac’s wand or hose. It means that there is a tear or hole in the flexible hose or the wand.

Air leaks can also happen when the joints in the wand or the flexible hose aren’t closed tightly. This results in a poor tight seal that allows air to be sucked in.

To fix the whistling noise, you will need to identify the source of the air leak.

• If the air leak comes from a hole in the wand or hole, you will need a replacement. This is because these parts cannot be repaired.
• You can temporarily seal the air leak using duct tape.
• However, if the air leak comes from the vac’s cover, you should inspect whether there’s something preventing it from closing entirely. It could be that some dirt is trapped in the cover seal.

Shark Vacuum High Pitched Noises

Did your shark vacuum immediately produce high-pitched noise? If that’s the case, then it could be as a result of blockage or that the filters could be clogged or damaged.

Blockage is quite common in all vacuum cleaners. It happens as dirt builds up such that it won’t allow any air to flow smoothly through the filter.

Another possible reason for the blockage could be that the vacuum cleaner has sucked something that has clogged the airways- something like a piece of cloth, lint or socks.

Despite the blockage, the suction motor will continue spinning, and as a result, the motor becomes so loud and produce high-pitched noise.

To fix this problem, you will need to inspect the vacuum and remove any blockages.

• Disconnect the vacuum wand, hose and all other attachments. Inspect each piece; use a flashlight to inspect the wand and the hose.
• It can be challenging to inspect the flexible hose using a flashlight. Instead, drop a coin on one end and see if it falls out on the other end. If it doesn’t, then the hose is blocked and needs your attention.

Dirty or damaged filters can also cause high-pitched noises. It’s important to note that air must be able to pass through the filter without much resistance.

When the filter gets saturated with dust or dirt, your vacuum will struggle to move the air through the filter hence high-pitched noises.

To fix this problem, you will have to:

• Clean washable filters thoroughly with warm water to get rid of the dirt.
• For non-washable filters, manually remove the dirt or blow high-pressure air through them to get rid of hard to remove dust and dirt stuck on them.
• If the filters are worn out, you will need to replace them.

Final thoughts on Shark Vacuum Making Weird Suction Noise

There are so many reasons why your shark vacuum is making weird suction noise. But there are 4 common causes that I’ve discussed above, as well as highlighted possible DIY fixes that you can implement to help solve the noise problem.

These are simple DIY fixes that will also work on most vacuum cleaners besides Shark. Don’t forget to confirm with the user manual or consult with the manufacturer’s support to be on the safe side when conducting these DIY hacks.