Explaining how central vacuum systems works should not be a terribly difficult task to undertake.  However sometimes terms such as ‘cyclonic separation’ and ‘low voltage hose connectors’ get sprinkled about by manufacturers and by salespeople in central vacuum stores and this only serves to confuse people.  Here we hope to avoid any complicated descriptions and to try to explain about C.V. systems as simply as possible.

Central vacuums, otherwise known as ‘built-in vacuum cleaners’ or ‘ducted vacuum cleaners‘ operate on a different principle to mobile vacuum cleaners.  With a central vac system the motor for the vacuum and also the dirt storage area are moved to a central point and all of the dirt that is being vacuumed from the living area is transported to that point.

Central Vacuums Will Bring Fresher Air To Your Home.

This is done by having a network of PVC piping installed in the walls of your home.  Inlet points which are connected to this piping are then placed throughout your house and at these inlet points you insert a central vacuum hose which will allow you to vacuum that area of the house and which will suck any dirt back to the base unit.  A central vacuum hose is typically about 25’ to 35’ long, which gives a good range of movement to the person that is cleaning.

The base unit  (motor, filters and dirt collection ara) are usually stored in a service area within the home, be it a garage, attic or basement area, and there are several advantages to this that we will come to later.  Base units contain either central vacuum bags for collecting dirt or perhaps a canister.  When the system needs to be emptied a warning light will come on, indicating that it is time to take action.  C.V. systems are durable, have a long life span and central vacuum repair should be quite easily carried out, obviously depending on the problem and the system type.

Central vacuum cleaners have quite a few advantages over mobile vacuum cleaners.  Here listed are the main advanatages:

•    Because central vacuums have a larger fan and a more powerful motor, they generally have better suction than a moble vacuum cleaner.
•    Despite being more powerful, the fact that the motor is kept in a service area of the residence means that there is less noise in the living area of the home when the system is operating.
•    Because the base unit and filtration system is located away from the living area, no dirt is allowed to circulate back into the living area, which is a benefit to all of the family members, but particularly to allergy sufferers.
•    As the dirt bag or canister is much larger than that of a mobile vacuum cleaner, the system needs to be emptied far less often.
•    The manufacturers of these systems also bring in a large assortment of central vacuum accessories that help you to carry out a range of specific cleaning tasks.  Central vacuum parts are also easily available online.

As you see, a C.V. system operates on a simple principle of removing the dirt from the living area and depositing it in a service area of the home.  It is not a difficult system to operate and while it central vacuum installation can be carried out on most homes it is easier to install a central vacuum  system while the house is under construction.

Related posts:

1. The Benefits of a Central Vacuum System.
2. Central Vacuum Systems
3. Central Vacuum Accessories.

Permanency: If you are ever going to move, upgrade or rent out your home, you will most probably have to leave your lovely central vacuum system behind.  You could take it apart and bring it with you, but there would be a lot of holes left in the walls by the time you were finished.

Hose Lenght: The lenght of the hose can be an issue, as it is designed to be able to reach quite a distance.  Thats great if you are doing a regular vacuum, but a bit of a nuisance  if you just want to whip out the vacuum to clean up that bit of popcorn you spilled on the carpet.

Expensive Extra: A central vacuum system is not a problem if you are at the building stage, with carpenters, electricians and plumbers on hand,but if you are talking about putting it into a existing home, you are calling out these tradesepeople especially, and this can run up the installation costs considerably.

Manufacturer Longevity: Try to pick a trustworthy manufacturer that has a proven track record, otherwise, when you need additional accessories or replacement parts in the future, the company may not still be around.  It is easy to find manufacturers with a good reputation Vacom, Nutone, Hayden, Vacuflo, Eureka – oh why did I start, now I’m going to insult somebody by not mentioning them !

Central Vacuums. Image courtesy of www.cuttingedgehe.com

Location of  base unit: You would think that the obvious place to locate the base unit would be in the basement (if you had one).  However, with some systems, by the time the power of suction reaches the upstairs, it can be very much reduced.  So a better place to put it is on the ground floor.

Base Unit Bags: It can be difficult to purchase base unit bags in your local shop – order them by the box from a supplier so you don’t get caught out.

Accessories / Attachments Storage: Some of the central vacuum systems come with a heap of accessories (yippee !!), but it can be difficult to find a suitable location to store all of these in a convenient place and remember, they do need to be accessible for when you are vacuuming.  Also you will need to have some sort of trolley / container to carry all of them upstairs and downstairs with you.

So, no doubt the benefits of a central vacuum system still far outway the central vacuum disadvantages, but there is no harm in looking at things from every angle.

Related posts:

1. Central Vacuum Accessories.
2. A Laypersons Guide To A Central Vacuum System.
3. Central Vacuum Bags.