How do I know if the belt is broken?

Pop the brush plate and look. A broken belt is obvious; a stretched belt slips when you try to turn the brush by hand against motor drive.

How often should I replace the vacuum belt?

Most brands recommend every 6 to 18 months under regular use. Sebo and some commercial brands last several years.

Can a brush roll be replaced at home?

On most uprights yes, with two screws and a belt swap. Power head canister brush motors are bench jobs.

Diagnose

Vacuum Brush Roll Not Spinning: Diagnosis and Fix

A brush roll that won't spin is the belt 80% of the time. Check the belt first. Then bearings, then end-cap binding from hair wrap, then the brush motor on power heads.

Causes, ordered by likelihood

Worn or broken belt. Most common by far. Pop the brush plate and inspect.
End-cap hair wrap. Hair winds around the end caps until the bar binds. Common on Dyson, Shark, Miele Electro.
Bearing failure. Year 7 to 10 wear on the end-cap bearings. Brush replacement is the usual fix.
Brush motor (powerhead). On Miele Electro and similar canister power heads, a brush motor failure stops the roll while the vacuum still runs.
Disengaged belt-lift. Some uprights have a manual belt-lifter that disengages the brush for hard floors. Confirm it is engaged.

What to check at home

Unplug the vacuum and pop the brush plate.
Inspect the belt for breaks or stretching. Replace if damaged.
Pull the brush bar. Cut hair off the end caps with scissors.
Spin the brush by hand. If it grinds or won't turn freely, the bearings need replacement.
Reinstall and test. If it still won't spin, the brush motor (powerhead vacuums) is the next stop.

When to bring it in

Bring it in for brush bar replacement ($35 to $70) or power head motor work ($90 to $180).

Call (703) 931-6100 Walk in to the shop

Brand-specific notes

Dyson: V-series brush rolls are tool-free removable. Hair wrap fix is 5 minutes.
Shark: Navigator and Rotator brush rolls usually unscrew or pop out. Belt replacement on older models runs $20 to $30.
Miele: Miele canisters with Electro heads have a separate brush motor in the head. Brush motor failure is a head-only repair, not a whole-vacuum issue.

Common questions

How do I know if the belt is broken?: Pop the brush plate and look. A broken belt is obvious; a stretched belt slips when you try to turn the brush by hand against motor drive.
How often should I replace the vacuum belt?: Most brands recommend every 6 to 18 months under regular use. Sebo and some commercial brands last several years.
Can a brush roll be replaced at home?: On most uprights yes, with two screws and a belt swap. Power head canister brush motors are bench jobs.