Will Roomba Fall Down Stairs? Keeping Your Roomba Grounded!
Roomba is a handy robot cleaner that has the ability to identify the flooring using its sensors and clean the surface efficiently. And it does not require human involvement to clean the floor. Anyways, the surface of a house is not always the same everywhere. Thus, most users doubt how Roomba act when it meets the stairs. Will Roomba fall down stairs? Today, we will be discussing whether Roomba can avoid falling down stairs or not; if you are curious to know how the sensors of Roomba work, join our discussion.
Will Roomba Fall Down Stairs?
No, Roomba has the ‘cliff sensors’, so it has the ability to recognize when there are stairs. Those sensors are infrared, and they can search for drop-offs when it cleans the floor. Suppose Roomba meets stairs; then, the cliff sensors lead the robot to a safer place.
In fact, the earlier Roomba models did not have such developed qualities, although there were cliff sensors. Therefore, sometimes, those models fail to identify stairs. But currently, Roomba is designed with advanced technology for its sensors and algorithms. Thus, there is nothing to worry about using Roomba in your place, although there are stairs.
Tips to Protect Roomba from Falling Down Stairs
If you do not want to see your Roomba falling down stairs, you have to maintain the good condition of cliff sensors. Basically, the sensors take decisions based on lighting and coloring. Thus, you need to be wise to follow these tips and tricks.
- Remember to keep the cliff sensors clean; otherwise, they will not work properly. You are advised to use Magic Eraser and clean them well. The sponge you use for cleaning should be dry; then, it can wipe the dirt in the opening of the sensors. There are four cliff sensors. A couple of sensors are on the sides of the castor wheel, while others are at the ends of the bumper. It is advisable to clean cliff sensors at least once a month.
- You should not keep darker rugs or carpets near your staircase because the sensors are unable to recognize the difference between the cliff and the rug. Indeed, the new Roomba model has no such issues, but occasionally the robot may be confused. What happens is the robot misunderstand that the rug is an extension, so there is no cliff. Thus, you have to keep darker carpets a few inches away from your staircase.
- You can use the feature ‘keep-out zone’ in the iRobot application if you use new Roomba models such as i7 and s9. After you run the robot for the first time, it creates a map of flooring. Then you can name the keep-out zones, including the staircase. Thereafter, Roomba will not enter those areas. However, the older Roomba models do not have such advanced features. If you want to remap your house, it is possible too.
- And always check whether the cliff sensors are in good condition. If you notice any damage, it would be better to replace them as soon as possible. You should choose the sensors according to your Roomba model.
How to Use Roomba Virtual Wall Barrier?
The latest models of Roomba, like the Roomba 500, 600, I series and s series, have the feature of a ‘virtual wall barrier.’ It is an invisible wall barrier, but the robot can recognize it and avoid the area that exists beyond the wall barrier. You can use this feature near your staircase so your Roomba will not cross the barrier and fall down. In order to do that, follow these steps.
- Keep the virtual wall unit on the sides of the stairs where the staircase starts.
- The power button should be pressed on the wall unit to create the barrier. Then you will see a green light.
- That’s all! Roomba will avoid that area as long as you keep the virtual wall unit. When you want to disable the barrier, you can press the power button again.
Why are Roomba Cliff Sensors Not Working?
These are the potential causes for Roomba cliff sensors not to work properly.
Mainly, when there are dirt, debris and other tiny particles which can clog cliff sensors, minimize the performance of infrared sensation. Since the robot is used for cleaning purposes, it can quickly become filthy. Thus, remember to clean them.
Sometimes, you may have disabled cliff sensors. If you cover the sensors using white paper by chance, the robot recognizes that there is an all-clear signal. So, it cannot identify that there is a cliff nearby.
What Happens If Roomba Falls Down the Stairs?
Your Roomba will be damaged if it falls down the stairs, especially if it is a long flight of stairs. But in case it is a short flight of staircase, Roomba may be able to handle it. The major damages we can expect are loose batteries, blunt brushes, etc. In addition, the cliff sensors can also malfunction due to the damage caused by the fall.
Consequently, Roomba will no longer be able to use the sensors to identify cliffs. Therefore, you need to be careful when you operate the robot; refer to the above sections to know the tips that help to protect Roomba.
If you notice that the robot has been damaged, contact the manufacturer and check whether the robot is under the warranty period. Then you can do whatever needful.
Can Roomba Clean the Stairs?
Now, you might have the problem of what to use to clean your staircase because Roomba avoids those types of cliffs using its sensors.
Unfortunately, you have to use another method to clean your staircase because there is no way to operate Roomba on the stairs.
In fact, we cannot find any robot vacuum that can clean stairs yet. Thus, you probably have to use a traditional method of cleaning, like a vacuum cleaner, to remove the dirt on the stairs.
Conclusion
Roomba is a robot vacuum that navigates itself using sensors. When it meets a staircase, Roomba can identify it using cliff sensors. But there are some things to help the sensors on your side. Basically, keep the sensors clean and avoid using darker carpets near the staircase.
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Video Credits – AdamsTechReviews
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