Why central vac may be perfect for you

  • By Angie Hicks Special to MCT
  • Wednesday, March 6, 2013 8:08pm
  • Life

If you own a portable vacuum, do you ever wonder just how clean it’s really getting your home?

Chances are it’s not getting it as clean as you thought.

“Portable vacuum systems, regardless of the manufacturer and whether you buy a $100 (vacuum) or a $1,500 (high-end) vacuum, they all have exhaust and that exhaust comes back into your home,” said Aaron Doran with The Vac Dudes in Aliso Viejo, Calif. “So, as you vacuum, you have particles coming back into the living environment.”

With a central vacuum system, though, all of that dirt and dust is instead exhausted outside the home, creating a cleaner indoor living environment and eliminating the potential for respiratory issues.

“Anything that you pick up — either from the carpeting or the air from the room that you’re vacuuming — is exhausted outside the living area,” said Tom Proctor of Central Vacuum Experts in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Also known as whole-house vacuums, central vacuum systems consist of a large motorized canister system that is typically located in a garage, attic or basement.

Pipes that run through the interior walls connect to the canister. Suction ports, which resemble electrical outlets, are located along walls and connect to the pipes. Homeowners can then detach and reattach a hose at the different suction ports, flip the power switch and begin vacuuming, eliminating the need to lug a heavy vacuum from room to room.

The hose sends the debris through the pipes and into the canister. Many newer systems feature retractable hoses, so you no longer need to drag the hose from room to room.

“If you spill something 10 feet away from the vacuum inlet you can just pull 10 feet of hose out, vacuum it up and put it back in the wall again,” Doran said of the retractable hose feature. “They’re very effective at cleaning. You’re going to have a have a very clean home if you switch to central vacuums.”

Some other features of central vacuums include tools to vacuum pet hair, floor tools to get to hard-to-reach places and a baseboard suction port, in which you can sweep dirt into the port, which sucks it into the canister.

Central vacuum motors are more powerful than portable vacuum motors and the systems are much quieter, as well. Plus, they last much longer. Most manufacturers offer 15-year warranties.

A central vacuum system can cost between $1,500 and $3,000 installed, on average, depending on accessories, features and the number of inlet valves installed. Most contractors recommend one inlet valve per 700 square feet.

Central vacuums are easiest to install during new construction; however, many companies can retrofit an existing home with minimal construction to accommodate a new system. It’s important homeowners who are interested in investing in a central vacuum system find a company that has a good local reputation and is qualified to do the installation.

Look for a company that can provide proof of training from the product manufacturers, or certification on installation of central systems from the Vacuum Dealers Trade Association. Check that the company is insured, and if required in your area, licensed.

“You do have to have somebody who knows what they’re doing,” Proctor said. “One of the important things that we see when it’s not done right is people took shortcuts to getting it installed. They either didn’t glue the fittings or they (laid the pipes incorrectly).

“It’s not just a matter of remembering to glue everything, but to do it in an installed pattern that makes sense to the customer. You want to have somebody reliable; someone who’s been doing it a while and has a good reputation within the community.”

Angie Hicks is the founder of Angie’s List, a resource for consumer reviews. www.angieslist.com/.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.