When it comes to keeping city streets, highways, and industrial areas clean, one of the most essential pieces of equipment is the street sweeping broom. These powerful tools are the backbone of street sweepers, designed to collect debris, dirt, and even smaller particulates like dust and sand from a wide variety of surfaces. While we often take clean streets for granted, the quality of the brooms used in street sweepers plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness and efficiency of street maintenance efforts.
In this blog, we’ll explore what makes a high-quality street sweeping broom, how different types of brooms are used, and why choosing the right brooms is crucial for maximizing performance. Whether you’re responsible for city maintenance, industrial site cleaning, or managing roadways, understanding the qualities of superior road brooms and main brooms can help ensure you are investing in the right equipment.
Types of Street Sweeping Brooms
Before diving into the qualities that make a high-quality street sweeping broom, it’s important to understand the different types of brooms used in street sweepers. Each broom type has a specific purpose and is designed to tackle certain types of debris and surfaces. Here’s a breakdown of the most common brooms:
- Main Brooms
Main brooms are the primary sweeping mechanism of a mechanical street sweeper. These brooms are designed to make direct contact with the ground, spinning at high speeds to sweep debris into the sweeper’s hopper. They are cylindrical and made from a combination of strong bristles and durable materials, designed to last through heavy wear and tear.
Main brooms are tasked with removing larger debris like leaves, small rocks, or litter. A high-quality main broom is essential for keeping roads clean in both urban and rural areas.
- Gutter Brooms
Gutter brooms are positioned on the side of the sweeper and help to clean curbs and gutters where debris tends to accumulate. These brooms sweep debris into the path of the main broom or vacuum head for collection. They are used on all street sweepers.
- Strip Brooms
Strip brooms are another type of cylindrical broom that is used in many street sweeper designs. Instead of a solid broom head, strip brooms use strips of bristles that can be easily replaced when worn down. These brooms are designed sweeping heavy debris and ease of bristle replacement.
- Wafer Brooms
Wafer brooms are modular systems where individual wafer discs of bristles are stacked along a core. These are often used for various applications such as cleaning construction sites or industrial areas, and all types of debris. They provide versatility and can be customized for different sweeping needs.
Now that we’ve covered the types of road brooms, let’s discuss the factors that contribute to their quality and performance.
Durability: A Key Component of a High-Quality Street Sweeping Broom
Street sweeping brooms, gutter brooms and main brooms, are exposed to harsh conditions. These rugged brooms encounter all kinds of weather, debris, and must withstand considerable abuse. Durability is one of the primary qualities that distinguish a high-quality street cleaning broom from a lower-quality alternative.
Material Strength
High-quality street sweeping brooms are made from a combination of tough materials. The bristles need to be strong enough to handle rough surfaces like asphalt and concrete without wearing down too quickly. Polypropylene and wire are commonly used materials for main brooms because of their durability and resistance to the abrasive nature of the streets.
For gutter brooms and strip brooms, stiff wire bristles are sometimes added to deal with stubborn debris or for use in industrial areas where the surfaces are uneven or heavily soiled.
Wear Resistance
A high-quality street sweeping broom should offer excellent wear resistance, which means that the bristles maintain their shape and stiffness over time. Poor-quality brooms may wear down too quickly, which not only leads to inefficiency but also increases the frequency of broom replacements—ultimately driving up maintenance costs.
Bristle Retention
Another aspect of durability is bristle retention. The way bristles are attached to the core of the broom affects how well they stay in place during sweeping. In high-quality road brooms, the bristles are securely fastened to prevent shedding. This ensures that the broom remains functional for longer periods and can withstand the high-speed spinning and constant friction against rough surfaces.
Sweeping Efficiency: The Measure of Performance
A street sweeping broom is only as good as its ability to collect and remove debris effectively. Sweeping efficiency depends on several factors, including bristle length, stiffness, and down pressure.
Bristle Stiffness
The stiffness of the broom bristles determines how effectively they can sweep up different types of debris.
For gutter brooms, flat wire bristles are used to ensure that debris trapped along curbs and in gutters can be dislodged and swept into the path of the main broom.
Bristle Length and Placement
The arrangement of the bristles also contributes to the broom’s overall performance. High-quality brooms have bristles that are strategically placed to maximize contact with the surface. If bristles are too sparse, the broom will miss debris, reducing its efficiency. On the other hand, if the bristles are too densely packed, the broom may not be flexible enough to reach into cracks or uneven surfaces.
With wafer brooms, the spacing of the wafers is critical to ensure even coverage and efficient debris collection.
Consistent Performance
A well-made street sweeping broom should perform consistently from the first sweep to the last. Inferior brooms may work well initially but degrade quickly, causing a reduction in efficiency as the bristles wear down. High-quality brooms are designed to maintain their sweeping capabilities over a long period, reducing the need for frequent replacements and ensuring roads are kept clean with minimal downtime.
Customizability: Adapting to Different Sweeping Conditions
Another important feature of high-quality road brooms is their adaptability. Streets, parking lots, industrial sites, and construction areas all have different sweeping requirements.
Seasonal Adaptability
High-quality road brooms are also designed to perform in different weather conditions. In colder climates, brooms must be able to handle ice and snow, while in hotter climates, they must resist the wear caused by heat and constant use.
Ease of Maintenance and Replacement
In the world of street sweeping, time is money. High-quality street sweeping brooms are designed for easy maintenance and quick replacement, minimizing downtime and keeping your operations running smoothly.
Easy Replacement Parts
Whether it’s a main broom, gutter broom, strip broom, or wafer broom, being able to replace worn-out components quickly is essential. Strip brooms are designed with modular systems, allowing operators to replace bristle strips rather than the entire broom assembly. This saves time and reduces costs associated with frequent broom replacements.
Long Lifespan
High-quality brooms are also built to last longer, meaning that fewer replacements are needed over the course of a season. This not only reduces maintenance costs but also ensures that sweepers can stay on the road for longer periods without interruption.
Reduced Maintenance Needs
Because high-quality road brooms are made from durable materials that resist wear and tear, they generally require less maintenance than lower-quality alternatives. Regular inspection and cleaning are still necessary, but high-quality brooms are less likely to break down or need frequent adjustments.
Environmental Considerations
In today’s world, environmental sustainability is more important than ever. High-quality street cleaning brooms are often designed with environmental considerations in mind, from the materials used to the overall efficiency of the sweeping process.
Reduced Waste
Many high-quality strip brooms and wafer brooms are designed with replaceable components, reducing the amount of waste generated when parts wear out. Instead of discarding an entire broom assembly, operators can simply replace the bristle strips or wafers, minimizing waste and conserving resources.
Improved Air Quality
Efficient street sweeping brooms can also help improve air quality by capturing fine dust and particulates that would otherwise become airborne. This is especially important in urban areas, where air pollution can be a significant problem. High-quality brooms are designed to collect and contain as much debris as possible, reducing the amount of dust that escapes into the air during the sweeping process.
In the world of street sweeping, not all brooms are created equal. A high-quality street sweeping broom is durable, efficient, and easy to maintain, ensuring that roads, parking lots, and industrial areas are kept clean and safe. Whether you’re in need of a main broom, gutter broom, strip broom, or wafer broom, investing in high-quality equipment is essential for achieving the best results.
By choosing the right brooms for your specific needs and maintaining them properly, you can extend their lifespan, reduce costs, and improve the overall efficiency of your street sweeping operations.
United Rotary Brush Corporation has been the nation’s most reliable source for all of the brooms listed in this article and many other items. We supply our clients with important items, such as airport runway brooms, street sweeper brooms, snow plow edges, bucket blades, and spreader chains. It is our mission to help our clients keep their environments clean and clear of trash, debris, and any other object that might get in the way.
For more information about our expansive inventory of gutter brooms, tube brooms, main brooms, strip brooms, wafer brooms, runway cassettes, plow blades, and more – contact us today at (800) 851-5108. You can also go online to see our full assortment of products for highly acclaimed brands like Global, Elgin, Schwarze, XBroom, SB Manufacturing, TYMCO, Bucher/Johnston, Virnig, Laymor, Paladin, and many others.
With more than 80 years of manufacturing experience in the rotary broom business, our team at United Rotary Brush has clearly established ourselves as a reputable source for all your brush and broom needs. Our full line of rotary broom products will be sure to include exactly what you need.
We look forward to assisting you!