Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Central vacuum systems are among the latest luxury upgrades for homeowners who don’t have time to spend hours cleaning. They can be installed in any home, new or old. There are numerous tools and attachments available for them, so they can handle everything from loose pet hair to dirt on window screens.

Central vacuum systems consist of:

• a hose, usually about 30 feet long
• tools that attach to said hose
• wall inlets the hose connects to
• a network of plastic tubes for transporting the sucked up dirt
• a receptacle that stores the dirt until it’s dumped

Central vacuum systems are relatively uncomplicated to install, and it’s possible for a fearless do-it-yourselfer to handle it alone, but most people opt for professional installation since it involves cutting into walls and floors.

What to Know Before You Buy a Central Vacuum System

While we predominantly associate vacuums with floors, central vacuum systems can also be used to clean your car, the inside of bathroom and kitchen cabinets, bedroom closets, draperies and furniture. Basically, anywhere the hose can reach, you can clean. Many people also choose to add kickplate inlets (between the bottom of the cabinets and the floor) in the kitchen. This means you don’t need to get out the hose; you simply sweep dust and debris toward the inlet, and it sucks it up.

A 2,500 square foot house typically needs four inlets where the hose can attach, but before you commit yourself, you should use a 30 ft length of string to test the reach. This will help you figure out the best places to put the inlets and also to determine if you need an extra inlet.

You will need a power source to run things. The vacuum system usually gets plugged in where the storage receptacle is placed (the garage is a popular choice). For houses larger than 5,000 square feet, you may need a 30-amp circuit for systems running on 110 volts or a 20-amp circuit for 240 volts.

For more information on purchasing a central vac, consult your local home improvement store or look online for manufacturers who specialize in central vacuum systems. You may find some of these links helpful as well:

How Central Vacuum Systems Work
The Benefits of Central Vacuum Systems

Source: “Central Vacuum Systems Make Cleaning a Snap” from the August 2005 issue of Electronic House.