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Central Vacuum Systems: Do They SUCK or Are They Worth the Money?—BYHYU 146

1/9/2019

12 Comments

 
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​You may or may not have heard of central vacuum systems, also called “central vac.” People who know of them generally love 'em or hate 'em.  This week we’ll talk about the pros and cons of putting a central vac in your new home.  We’ll also go over the cost of the system and who would benefit from it most.



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Let’s get right into it.


What is central vac?


Central vacuum systems are permanently installed, whole-home vacuum systems that work through a centrally located, motorized unit that creates suction.   The system’s motor and the debris collection container are typically located away from the main living areas, usually in the basement, garage, or in a storage room. 




The central vac includes a tubing system that’s hidden inside the walls of the house.  That tubing system connects to the motorized suction unit and the central debris collection container. The tubing system also connects to vacuum wall ports, located throughout the house.




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WALL PORT (AKA INLET)





When you’re ready to vacuum, you simply connect a long hose to a vacuum wall port and turn the system on. With the hose, you suck up dirt and debris, which move from the hose, to and through  the hidden tubing system, and down into the debris collection container.  




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The motor and collection container of the central vac system are stationary, but in a traditional central vac system, the hose that is used for vacuuming, must be moved from room to room.  When not in use, the hose is stored in a closet or some other out of the way place.  

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HOSE FOR TRADITIONAL CENTRAL VAC SYSTEM




Alternatively, in the Hide a Hose central vac system, retracted hoses are conveniently hidden within walls throughout the house and can be pulled out from wall ports whenever they’re needed.    Both the traditional central vac system and the Hide a Hose system also require a small vacuum head that attaches to the hose for more thorough cleaning.


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HIDE A HOSE




The primary difference between a central vacuum system and a traditional, portable push vacuum, is that the traditional, portable vacuum unit has to be carried from room to room while you’re vacuuming. In contrast, the suctioning component of the central vac system is already present to each room, through the wall ports.  And, with the Hide a Hose system, a retractable hose is also present and ready to pull out and use, without having to tote the hose.  





The number of wall ports you get installed can vary, but usually there is at least one wall port per floor.  To be clear, if you choose the get the old school central vac system that’s not the Hide a Hose system, you will have to carry the vacuum hose from room to room.  With the Hide a Hose system, you simply pull the hose out of the wall port when you are ready to use it. 




The central vacuum system needs to be maintained by cleaning out the central debris collection container and cleaning the filter about once or twice a year.  That’s compared to traditional vacuums which need filters, belts and vacuum bags replaced on a semi regular basis.




Let’s talk about the Pros of a Central Vac system.




PROS


​1.  Central vacs are typically larger and, often more powerful, in terms of suction, when compared to portable vacuum units.  Central vac systems generally have 3-5 times the suction power of a conventional vacuum cleaner. Because of that, you might be able to vacuum less often since the central vac cleans deeper. 



2.  You don’t have to haul the suction unit around with you.  Plus there are no cords. You simply use and transport the hose and attached vacuum head, without dragging around the entire vacuum cleaner and electrical cord.




3.  Central vac systems allow for healthier indoor air quality. The dirt and debris that are vacuumed up are carried away to the main debris collection container, which is usually located in the basement or garage.  Central vacuums take dust, allergens and dirt away from the main living area. There is no risk of dirt and dander getting blown back out of the unit, into the living area.  This is especially beneficial for people suffering from allergies or asthma.



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4.  The central vacuum cleaner system is quieter than a traditional vacuum because the motorized suction unit is usually located far from the living and sleeping areas. 





5.  The suction of a central vac system is unlikely to decrease over time unless your central vac filter is clogging up.  With a traditional vacuum, suction tends to decrease as the bag or canister fills with debris.  





6.  Manufacturers say that installing a central vacuum system in your home will add several thousand dollars to its resale value.   But keep in mind, central vacs are popular mainly with people who have used them.





7.  You can add vac pans to your central vac system.  This is probably my favorite feature.  Vac pans eliminate your need for dust pans.  They are under cabinet or baseboard slots into which you can directly sweep dirt and debris.  Vac pans are connected to the central vac tubing system and can be installed throughout your house, in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms and living rooms.  Using a regular broom, you simply sweep dirt and debris into one of these slots and the dirt is suctioned away.

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VAC PAN






Now, what about the Cons of a central vacuum system?



CONS


1.  Central vac systems are expensive compared to most portable vacuums.  Averaging $1000 - $3000 installed, the price will vary depending on the size and strength of the vacuum unit itself, the number of wall ports, hoses, fittings and accessories you decide on.  




2. Although you won’t have to lug around a vacuum cleaner and cord, if you get the central vac, you will still have to drag a relatively long hose around with you as you vacuum.  A Hide a Hose system will keep you from having to move the hose from room to room, but you’ll still have to manage the hose within a room.  That long hose could potentially scratch or damage walls, corners or furniture pieces.  And even with a central vac, you’ll still need to transport attachments.  The convenience of not having to push a 20 pound vacuum cleaner may be lost by the hassle of dealing with long hoses and attachments.



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CENTRAL VAC HOSE AND ATTACHMENT


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3.  Central vac systems generally are less energy efficient than conventional vacuum cleaners.




4.  Vacuuming stairs can be difficult with the  long hose of the central vac system.




5.  Some homeowners say that the central vac is not very effective on wall to wall carpeting, unless you buy an extra battery powered nozzle especially made for carpeting.





So, as with most things, the are up sides and down sides to a central vac.  But is the system worth the money for your household?





There are several reasons that you should strongly consider a central vac system.




1. If you want to be able to regularly vacuum the house while babies or other family members are sleeping.  Since the central vacuum system is much quieter than a traditional vacuum, you can vacuum without disturbing others.




2. If you or family members have bad allergies or asthma. With a central vac system, dust and allergens are vacuumed up, then transported to areas outside the living areas, usually the basement or garage.




3.  If you have pets that shed.  The strong suction power of a central vac system often handles pet dander better than a traditional vacuum can.
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A central vacuum system may NOT be worth the investment if:


1. You have a smaller house, say 1200 sq ft or less. You may never vacuum the house enough to justify the expense of a central vac.


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2.  Your flooring is mostly tile, wood or stone.  Sweeping and mopping are usually the easiest and best ways to get those hard surfaces clean.  Lots of wall to wall carpeting may also be a challenge for a central vac system.  Central vac does best, I’ve read, with rugs, not lots of wall to wall carpeting.




3. You have a tight budget.  At $1000-$3000, this system is a fairly expensive luxury.  Especially when compared to a good quality traditional vacuum cleaner which you can get for several hundred dollars.




4. If you don’t clean very often.  This expensive system is not a smart use of money for those who clean very occasionally.  If that’s you, your money is probably better spent on a good conventional vacuum cleaner.





From reading forums, I've learned that people either love or hate central vac systems.  About 50% of homeowners says they would never build a house without central vac and about 50% of homeowners say they don’t care for the system.  Some people who actually have a central vac system installed say they have abandoned the system all together and instead, use a traditional cordless vacuum, a back pac model or an automatic robotic Roomba cleaner as opposed to using the central vac.  


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CORDLESS BACK PACK VAC
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ROBOTIC VACUUM




Clearly, there is no right or wrong answer.  Think about your budget and your circumstances to help you make a decision.  



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If you don’t want to invest in a central vac system, consider putting a cordless vacuum and/or a robotic Roomba-type unit on each floor of your house. That way you won’t have to lug a vacuum up and down the stairs. Side note here: if you decide you want a cordless vacuum, don’t forget to have electrical outlets installed INSIDE your broom closet so the vacuum can recharge whenever it’s stored away.  





If you like the idea of central vac’s vac pans, which eliminate the need for dust pans, you might look into a more economical, non-centralized dustpan suction system called  Sweep Vac.  The Sweep Vac, like the vac pan,  lets you sweep dust and debris into under cabinet or baseboard openings and sucks dirt away into a filter.    Another automatic dustpan is the Sweep Away Cabinet Vacuum.



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SWEEP VAC




Well, that’s all I have for you this week.  I hope you learned as much as I did.  Thanks for stopping by.




Please remember that the purpose of this podcast is simply to educate and inform.  It is not a substitute for professional advice.  The information that you hear is based the only on the opinions, research and experiences of my guests and myself.  That information might be incomplete and it’s subject to change, so it may not apply to your project. In addition,  building codes and requirements vary from region to region, so always consult a professional about specific recommendations for your home.

12 Comments
Katy
1/10/2019 09:34:55 am

My parents have built two houses and in the last one, they included a central vacuum system. But in their most recent home, they decided against it. Lugging around the hose was cumbersome and technology for cordless vacuums today are so great that it's much easier to vacuum than before. If you had to haul around a vacuum and cord, a central vacuum miiiiight be worth it (but ugh, wrestling with the tube is still more of a hassle than dealing with a cord and vacuum itself). I'd say go for a rechargeable cordless vac (or two or three depending on the size of your house and stash them in different areas of the home for convenience) over a central vac. Anyway, just my two cents!

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Michelle @BYHYU
1/10/2019 10:56:52 am

I’ve never used a central vac, so thanks for sharing your experience Katy.

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Dennis Sanchez link
8/29/2019 11:16:17 am

I like the point you mentioned when you said that by using a central vacuum system, there is no risk of dirt getting released out of the back of a tradition cleaner. A system like this seems like it would be really useful when trying to vacuum a really large house. I imagine it would also be good for families that own a lot of pets that shed and leave their hair everywhere.

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Michelle @BYHYU
8/29/2019 11:58:37 am

Good points Dennis!

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Nikki
5/24/2020 09:50:41 am

Medium size house, 4 dogs. Henry hoover and dyson cordless are far better than our central vacuum system. I never use the central vac

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Nathan
11/6/2019 01:26:16 pm

Central vac sounds like a disaster waiting to happen in a home with young children. I have enough issues with clogged toilets, sinks, and objects stuffed into floor vents. I can't imagine the pain of unclogging tubes in the walls when the kids stuff socks, half eaten food, the family hamster, etc in there. How do you clean the tubes in the walls? I assume the tubes would soon get lined with the debri you suck up and be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. What if you accidentally suck something up? Easy to recover in a portable, not so much if its stuck in the wall...

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Mike
4/1/2020 12:33:58 pm

I grew up in a home with Central Vac. I was one of 4 small children in the house and we never had a single clog in over 25 years now. The nozzles are smaller than the tubing in the wall, so in order to clog it you would have to shove an object directly into the hole (In which case there wouldn't even be suction happening when you did because the switch would not be pressed)

We used to play with the wall port all the time too cause it was fun to flip it open and shut it again. My parents explained to me how it worked so I knew not to put anything inside. I was around 5 years old.

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PD
2/13/2020 05:43:33 am

My problem with a cordless <anything> is the batteries themselves.

No matter how many "smart" chargers you buy or how faithfully you follow the best practices for longest battery life, the batteries ALWAYS die long before the appliance itself wears out. And of course, the battery is not end-user replaceable.

It's bad enough throwing away all those batteries; throwing out working-but-unusable tools or appliances is just silly.

Just my $.02

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Karl
4/8/2020 12:57:35 am

So, sadly a well built appliance or tool will usually outlive the lifespan of a battery, however if you were to get ryobi's battery operated stick vacuum, their battery is user replacable. in fact, it is part of their 18 volt one+ line up, which all use the same style of battery, meaning if you have any of their other power tools, they are interchangeable.

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Susan
4/27/2020 12:47:09 pm

Im buying a thirty year old home. The in wall vacuum doesn’t work. Can a new one replace an old one?

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Steven
4/30/2020 12:07:38 am

My partner and I have been house-sitting at a vacant relative's mid-century home for the past few weeks, and I'd never seen or used central vac prior. I think it is fantastic. Even for a model that is easily at least 40 years old, it is incredibly powerful and near silent. The fact that we were able to fully deep clean the years of garage cobwebs and dust like a shop-vac made me actually want to clean everything. Also just pulling the car into the garage and having suction like at a car-wash made cleaning my super sandy car (surfing and mountain biking are my hobbies) enjoyable.

Maybe it's because I never had access to appliances like this before, or even a quality vacuum. I'd rather minimize my earhtly impact of relying on mining precious metals for batteries that don't last long, for the peace of mind of little-to-no maintenance.

My future home will have one.

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Richard Flickinger link
5/9/2020 04:56:37 pm

We live in a house to which we added an addition. So installation in the existing portion was more difficult than installing it in the part being built, We have lots of ports - 2 in the basement, 4 on the first floor and 3 in the second floor. I decided the challenges of retrofitting the system to serve the attic portion of the main house weren't worth the effort, so we still have a traditional vacuum cleaner.
What is being vacuumed is dry, and the piping is smooth plastic, so there is not any debris clogging the pipes.
Yes, the long hose is a nuisance, but it is more than offset by the powerful cleaning and convenience of a central system.
P.S. I installed the system myself, both retrofitting the old portion of the house and the addition being constructed.

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