Miele hepa exhaust filter

David, my advice to you would be NOT to change the filter. If you are going through only 1 or 2 bags a year & are mostly picking up cat hair- which would explain why they last so long for you- the HEPA filter really wouldn't have been exposed to a lot of dust yet. When Miele suggests a yearly filter change, I would think they are assuming the average household will go through one bag a month....so change it once a year or every 12 bags, so you would go thru 3 4-packs of bags & 1 HEPA filter per year. However, considering how little actual dirt you are picking up & seeing it's mostly animal hair, you could probably double the amount of bags you go through before changing the HEPA filter. I would think you should be able to go through 24 bags before changing the HEPA filter.

Also, a word to the wise, whoever reads this....be VERY CAREFUL about aftermarket Miele HEPA filters. The only ones I have used so far that work as well as genuine Miele HEPA filters are the Filtrete brand. Others I have found don't work well, especially the ones with the charcoal layer. The Filtrete filters don't have the charcoal layer, so no problems. I think the issue is how the charcoal layer is manufactured....it seems the type of fabric used to hold the charcoal in, as well as the type of charcoal used, resists air going through it, so it leaks around the filter to escape, meaning unfiltered air. The ones that are particularly bad are the aftermarket filters that have an arrow embossed in the casing, I will post a link below to the one you want to avoid. Find below a link to the Filtrete filters I recommend to anyone that wants to use aftermarket filters.

Rob

CLICK HERE TO GO TO kirbylux77's LINK


Forum Topics & Rules Manuals & Literature	New users Click-here to sign-up

Post# 288413 7/12/2014 at 18:07 (3,576 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes Just some input on change interval please. It is not used all the time, but weekly, bags are never showing resistance on the gauge, but full from cat hair, they last almost a year. I just noticed the exhaust filter is 4 years old, looks new as the pre motor filter always has. You guys would change it when? I am on my 4th bag just now

Post# 288421 , Reply# 1 7/12/2014 at 18:30 (3,576 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)
Checkrate/Likes Depends on the home and the air that the vacuum cleaner sucks in. Generally, I've owned AAC filters that have lasted 2 to 3 years before finally requiring to be changed - and there's Miele who suggest "a yearly change."

Post# 288426 , Reply# 2 7/12/2014 at 18:33 (3,576 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes Yes I read that, seems a bit much still on my first box of bags

Post# 288451 , Reply# 3 7/12/2014 at 20:35 (3,576 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes 1 David, my advice to you would be NOT to change the filter. If you are going through only 1 or 2 bags a year & are mostly picking up cat hair- which would explain why they last so long for you- the HEPA filter really wouldn't have been exposed to a lot of dust yet. When Miele suggests a yearly filter change, I would think they are assuming the average household will go through one bag a month....so change it once a year or every 12 bags, so you would go thru 3 4-packs of bags & 1 HEPA filter per year. However, considering how little actual dirt you are picking up & seeing it's mostly animal hair, you could probably double the amount of bags you go through before changing the HEPA filter. I would think you should be able to go through 24 bags before changing the HEPA filter. Also, a word to the wise, whoever reads this....be VERY CAREFUL about aftermarket Miele HEPA filters. The only ones I have used so far that work as well as genuine Miele HEPA filters are the Filtrete brand. Others I have found don't work well, especially the ones with the charcoal layer. The Filtrete filters don't have the charcoal layer, so no problems. I think the issue is how the charcoal layer is manufactured....it seems the type of fabric used to hold the charcoal in, as well as the type of charcoal used, resists air going through it, so it leaks around the filter to escape, meaning unfiltered air. The ones that are particularly bad are the aftermarket filters that have an arrow embossed in the casing, I will post a link below to the one you want to avoid. Find below a link to the Filtrete filters I recommend to anyone that wants to use aftermarket filters. Rob CLICK HERE TO GO TO kirbylux77's LINK

Post# 288454 , Reply# 4 7/12/2014 at 20:43 (3,576 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes And here's the aftermarket Miele HEPA filter to avoid....made by Envirocare, it's black & has a arrow embossed in the plastic. I have also seen it made in blue on Amazon & at other online retailers. I bought one of these, & it was so bad I had to remove the charcoal layer from the filter to make it work. Like I said above, it's the charcoal layer & how it's manufactured that's the problem with this filter. Another obvious clue to buying aftermarket filters is to avoid the dirt-cheap ones....there are some on there selling for under $10 dollars....considering how much the genuine Miele HEPA filter sells for, that should be a dead giveaway the aftermarket filter's quality is subpar. Rob CLICK HERE TO GO TO kirbylux77's LINK

Post# 288457 , Reply# 5 7/12/2014 at 20:46 (3,576 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks very much for the info and input

Post# 288563 , Reply# 6 7/13/2014 at 21:04 (3,575 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)
Checkrate/Likes I have only ever purchased the Miele HEPA filter once. I think it is a waste of money personally speaking - I've forever purchased the Active Air Clean because Miele suggests its a good one for pet owners, which basically means its full of charcoal - that's enough for me - anything is better than the sweaty dank smell of the standard "free" Super Air Clean filters.

Post# 288567 , Reply# 7 7/13/2014 at 21:38 (3,574 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes 1 The exhaust honestly always smells wonderful. Just one cat, he gets a bath and never outside View Full Size

Post# 288573 , Reply# 8 7/13/2014 at 22:16 (3,574 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes David, that's a very nice cat you have there :-) Rob

Post# 288619 , Reply# 11 7/14/2014 at 12:00 (3,574 days old) by DesertTortoise ()
Checkrate/Likes A remarkable cat that allows you to bathe it. Must be declawed too, heh, heh, heh.

Post# 288624 , Reply# 12 7/14/2014 at 12:17 (3,574 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Partially! He likes to play with the shower curtain when I bathe, its not hard to just grab him. Seems to like being wet somewhat

Post# 288802 , Reply# 16 7/15/2014 at 07:38 (3,573 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes 1 I had a cat that loved to be vacuumed with the dusting brush. She would come running whenever I turned the vacuum on. Gary

Post# 288574 , Reply# 9 7/13/2014 at 22:28 (3,574 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks, he can be a stinker. 14

Post# 288575 , Reply# 10 7/13/2014 at 22:33 (3,574 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes after bath View Full Size

Post# 288634 , Reply# 13 7/14/2014 at 13:04 (3,574 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes 1 I forgot to mention, likes to be vacuumed too, if its not too loud

Post# 288674 , Reply# 14 7/14/2014 at 18:04 (3,574 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)
Checkrate/Likes Wow....David, that is one very special cat if it likes to get wet & doesn't mind you using the vacuum on him. A lot of cats would run under the bed or hiss at you if you tried to pick them up & bathe them, or even come in the same room with the vacuum on. Rob

Post# 288679 , Reply# 15 7/14/2014 at 18:17 (3,574 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)
Checkrate/Likes He enjoys the Miele on low speed, if I hold up the brush he will rub himself on it.sure gets some of the loose fuzz. I had a Manx that liked to get in the shower with me most days

Post# 288831 , Reply# 17 7/15/2014 at 11:01 (3,573 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)
Checkrate/Likes There are plenty of vids on You Tube where vacuuming pets are concerned. This is one of my favourites. Pity the noise is so bad; I was going to say the hose looks and brush looks like Miele, but definitely not the handle!