Anyone have any advice/thoughts about installing a central vacuum system? The house I am moving into is about 3400 sq ft. Large brick walkout ranch. Seems to be lots of pros and a few cons with them. My wifes grandparents house had one and they loved it. I would also plumb a outlet in the garage for my detail work. A good vacuum is about $400. A good central system is about $1000. But the central vacuum will last 25+ years and have superior sucking action. Lol. Whats your guys thoughts?
Central House/garage vacuum system?
- Thread starter Mrroo
- Start date
Have one. It's probably 18 years old.love it. The power head is about wore out but have mostly wood floors and tile. Cuts way down on dust and good if someone has allergys .
Mine isn't in garage and doubt I would use it out there since I would be tempted to vacumn too much ****. Separate vacumn state would be my recommendation
Mine isn't in garage and doubt I would use it out there since I would be tempted to vacumn too much ****. Separate vacumn state would be my recommendation
Cyberbear
Well-known member
In house is convenient and works well from what I've been told. The vacuum for the garage is probably best if portable, but if connected to in-house unit, should have better filtration to keep out the big stuff.
RegeSullivan
Well-known member
My second biggest regret in my current home is not putting in a central vac system when we built. The contractor would not install it where it could be easily vented to the outdoors. It was one of many small battles I did not have the time to fight because I was working/traveling a lot so I had to prioritize. I stuck to the major stuff, like 200 amp service. I wanted the option to vent outside because I have allergies and the HEPA filter available for central vacs are not well designed.
Dakota00
Well-known member
My opinion a house isn't complete without a central vac system. When I bought my house I plumbed an inlet into the garage when I renovated it. Comes very handy for cleaning the vehicles and other light duties. For heavy cleaning I use a shop vac.
bry@n
Well-known member
I have one and it doesn't get used. It was plumbed in as a spec by the builder assuming I'd spring for it. When I didn't because I figured if it was plumbed and I'd get to it later on, the builder just included it.
The actual vac is in the basement and not a higher end one. My wife hates dragging the hose around. She prefers to an upright. We have a Ricar vacuum and she loves it.
The actual vac is in the basement and not a higher end one. My wife hates dragging the hose around. She prefers to an upright. We have a Ricar vacuum and she loves it.
Install cost not an issue. I'll be doing it myself. No big deal. Access to all the spots needed to install is wide open. Very accessible house for adding the plumbing.
dave*99
Well-known member
I put a system in my parents house years ago. It worked great. Electric beater bar, the whole works. But over time they lost interest in dragging out the hose and turning the chore of vacuuming into a project. I will say once you drag that hose out, you are pretty committed to vacuuming the whole house.
My parents bought an upright vacuum like they had in the past and were much happier with that.
The whole house vacuum was still in perfect working order. And I did put an outlet in the garage too.
Based upon this experience, I chose not to install a system when I built my house. We have a commercial Sanitaire vacuum and it works great.
I recently saw a system where the hose retracts into the wall. This was on a new house build and the stuff in the wall and ceiling looked too complicated for my comfort. I'm not ripping down a drywall ceiling to fix a stuck hose.
My parents bought an upright vacuum like they had in the past and were much happier with that.
The whole house vacuum was still in perfect working order. And I did put an outlet in the garage too.
Based upon this experience, I chose not to install a system when I built my house. We have a commercial Sanitaire vacuum and it works great.
I recently saw a system where the hose retracts into the wall. This was on a new house build and the stuff in the wall and ceiling looked too complicated for my comfort. I'm not ripping down a drywall ceiling to fix a stuck hose.
The house I grew up in one (and where my parents still live) has one, I hope to have one in my house once I move out of my condo. That thing ***** in the good way, I don't think there is anything comparable in a regular vacuum.
They have outlets in a lot of places on all 3 floors, including the garage. The oldest hose lives in the garage, and they have one for each floor. I think they replaced the motor once in the 22+ years of living there.
I don't understand the argument of "dragging out a hose." They are light, clean and you have to coil up a power cord anyway with a regular vacuum...
They have outlets in a lot of places on all 3 floors, including the garage. The oldest hose lives in the garage, and they have one for each floor. I think they replaced the motor once in the 22+ years of living there.
I don't understand the argument of "dragging out a hose." They are light, clean and you have to coil up a power cord anyway with a regular vacuum...
Ironhorse74
MEMBER EMERITUS
We have a 14yo Vacuflo. My wife loves it and it really *****, in a good way. It has an outlet in the garage and I use it a lot. Even hook it up to the sawdust discharge on my Dewalt chop saw. Now that the shop is built I am going to buy her a new power unit and take her old one to my shop.
Brad
Brad
We also have a VacuFlo (about 12 years old now) and it never gets used anymore
Another 'too much of a chore' to drag the hose out, etc
My Wife ended up buying a couple of Dyson Cordless that she swears buy
If your going to do it - definitley check out the
Hide a Hose
Another 'too much of a chore' to drag the hose out, etc
My Wife ended up buying a couple of Dyson Cordless that she swears buy
If your going to do it - definitley check out the
Hide a Hose
dave*99
Well-known member
Agree. Put in lots of outlets and get the shorter hose. Long hose is a pain and will damage furniture/corners. Careful where you put the unit. NOT in the garage. Can't work there when the unit is being used.
You are weighing cord vs hose and the cord is easier.
You are weighing unit storage vs hose storage and neither is desired.
You are weighing "dirty air" discharged vs filtered, and outside is cleaner.
You are weighing moving a hose vs moving a vacuum unit around. In a rancher, not such an advantage. Mullti level, it's a winner.
bcoke
Well-known member
Have one in all my homes they are great Pros: quiet- noise in closet/basement , power greater than any drag around model, larger bag less emptying.........we still have a small cheap uprite for small spills [grandkid etc] . one vacume is on 30 years other 18 and a new one all run fine just change filters , empty bags, replaced one hose because of cracking 30 yo............so I vote central system [adds to house salability and value] BC
matt_i
Well-known member
I have looked at the VacuMaid systems solely for garage use. They look interesting, but not sure I'd want to force them to eat metal chips that I feed to my other portable vacs. That said, the Ametek/Lamb motor is a very powerful one, replaced one in a barrel vac at work a year or so ago, and it is much nicer than the typical angry universal motor.
I have one. For some stupid reason, I had him put the vacuum in the attic instead of in the garage, or some other accessible location.
I now have a regular upright vacuum that everyone has, and make do with it.
For the garage, I have a shop vac.
I now have a regular upright vacuum that everyone has, and make do with it.
For the garage, I have a shop vac.
Rrumbler
Well-known member
I loved it, wife didn't - she hated the long hose and plugging it in.
ch:
If you have easy access for installing one, I'd say go for it.
ch: If you have easy access for installing one, I'd say go for it.
rburke65
Well-known member
Our house was built in 1971 and a Nutone central vac was installed. We use it only for clean ups, and dusting, etc. we have a regular type 'upright' for the carpets and floors. Really like the central vac.
Jim_No_Garage
Well-known member
In 2000 we added a vac pan to a toekick in the kitchen during the kitchen remodel. The carpenter installed the vac pan and stubbed out the pipe into the basement. I ran the pipe into the basement corner and attached a shop vac using some x-10 modules to get from contact closure to 120V switching. Spill cheerios? Sweep them over to the vac pan and whoosh - they are gone!
Several years later we pulled up the carpet in the living room, dining room and hallway of our ranch home. I put another vac pan in the hallway and we "swiff" all the dirt to the vac pan and voila!
We still have an upright vac to do the bedroom carpets and area rugs but I love the vac pans.
The shop vac is loud but I could replace it with my rigid vac and exhaust it outdoors to reduce the noise.
I could hook into the system for the garage but I have other vacs for car and garage duty.
Cheers
Jim
Several years later we pulled up the carpet in the living room, dining room and hallway of our ranch home. I put another vac pan in the hallway and we "swiff" all the dirt to the vac pan and voila!
We still have an upright vac to do the bedroom carpets and area rugs but I love the vac pans.
The shop vac is loud but I could replace it with my rigid vac and exhaust it outdoors to reduce the noise.
I could hook into the system for the garage but I have other vacs for car and garage duty.
Cheers
Jim
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
I don't like most of the garage vacs simply because they are not wet dry. I have a Craftsman wall mount unit that I got an extra length of hose for. I can reach anything in the garage and vacuum both sides of a car in the driveway. I don't think it cost more than about $60.00. The new version has a remote on/off switch on the hose.
Tommy
Tommy
gnpenning
Well-known member
In 87 I built a 2 story and put one in. Kept a hose and head on both levels. Loved it. Built this home in 06 and put one in it as well. Next home will get one. The pan sweeps are great. Next place at the entrance doors I'm putting decorative grates and a recess under with pan sweeps. Go for it! Simple to install.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
We've had an Electrolux with all the goodies for 25 years. Still works like new. The only mods we made were an outside exhaust, a muffler, and converted the foam filter to cleanstream.
The last three homes I have owned have had central vac. One had a 240 volt system that really sucked. No portable unit will compete with the power of a good central unit.
We had hose kits on each floor.
Advantages:
No filters, huge debris can, low noise at point of use, outside vent, extreme long life. ( the 240 volt model was over twenty years old when we sold the property) .
We had hose kits on each floor.
Advantages:
No filters, huge debris can, low noise at point of use, outside vent, extreme long life. ( the 240 volt model was over twenty years old when we sold the property) .
jdieter
Well-known member
Had one, but didn't use it much. Was constantly getting clogged and wife didn't like dragging the hose around. The clogging was from a crappy installation. Ended up taking the system out during a remodel. I hung onto the major pieces to put in my shop some day. The hose would reach everything there.
View attachment 528050
I have put one in every house I have owned...they are great...run an outlet to the garage to cleanit and cars.
Loved it so much I put this one and 100' hose reel in garage to clean shop, boats,cars and tractor!
That is a 200' air hose next to it fed from compressor...
I have put one in every house I have owned...they are great...run an outlet to the garage to cleanit and cars.
Loved it so much I put this one and 100' hose reel in garage to clean shop, boats,cars and tractor!
That is a 200' air hose next to it fed from compressor...
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Junkman
Well-known member
Installed one when the home was built 30+ years ago, and it got used initially, however, the wall fittings started to fail, and the company that made the wall fittings went out of business. I would need to tear into the walls to change them out to Nutone fittings, so it never got done. Wife prefers an upright vacuum on carpet and a broom on the tile floors. She takes excellent care of the broom, since it doubles as her warm weather mode of transportation. 
Jess
Well-known member
I have had several in different houses over the years. The first one was a Vacuflow and it had the cyclonic filtration, so no filters to mess with. I had it installed and when I was transferred, took the power head, hoses and all the tools with me. I bought the pipe and fittings and installed it myself. Easy, with a few good bits and extensions. We also wired an electrical outlet beside each vacuum outlet to plug in the powered hose on the beater bar. Outside exhaust is a must and the house stays much cleaner, lots of suction and way better than a drag around. I had outlets in the garage but used my shop vac for those jobs and stuff like drywall which will kill most vacuums. In the 4 moves since, I have installed built ins and left them when we transferred. All were installed by me and once you figure out the basic rules for the piping, get the right sized unit for your application and quality hose and tools, you will never go back. The German made hoses and tools are by far the best. I buy Canavac powerheads on this side of the border but you will have comparables in the US.
James-W
Well-known member
We don't have a central vac system, but I do have two buddies who do. Neither one uses the system very often, their wives prefer to use a regular upright instead. Not sure why they prefer an upright, they just do. I think that initially they did use the central system all the time, but apparently that changed as time went on. Hard to figure women out sometimes.
reader2580
Well-known member
My parents have a central vac in their house and it is their only vacuum. They really like it. It is a bit of a pain if you just need to vacuum up a small spill or something.
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
I prefer an upright too. They easier to maneuver, don't crash into everything behind you as you drag them around and usually they're more powerful, although I don't know if there is that much of a difference anymore.
Mrs. LS6 prefers a canister. Since she was completely inflexible on getting an upright, she can do the vacuuming...
Tommy
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mfs54729
Well-known member
We love our central vac. We've had ours for over 20 years. I did have to replace the motor once and we wore out a power head. All of our inlets have 120v wired to them for the power head. I can offer these suggestions. Plumb the exhaust to outside. If possible go with more inlets and a shorter hose, it seems to be the major complaint is dragging a long hose around.
Lots of good input guys! Thanks. I will do more outlets so the hose doesn't get to long. The house is almost all carpet except kitchen, dining room, bathrooms and laundry/mudroom. 3400 sq ft. So I think a central vacuum will be handy. Plus the extra sucking power will be nice in the garage. I will do a hose on a reel in the garage dropping down from the ceiling and also have an extra outlet to plug into. I will also vent it to the outside from the basement as lots of people have mentioned that. I think im gonna look at the DrainVac brand. They seem to have a great following and USA made.
cowboyjosh
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2010
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As a builder, its been at least 5 years and 200 homes and we haven't had anyone opt for the Central Vac. Years ago they were a thing, now with the nice uprights and portable vacuums like Kirby, Riccar, Miele, they are more effective and are lighter then the central vac hose. In addition, the hose will sometime rub against the woodwork and mar it over time.
SMKS
Well-known member
My parents had one installed in their house. The hose is huge and heavy. It's significantly more difficult to use than most normal vacuums.
I would say it's not worth it for a house. Maybe for a garage, though, if you could get a used unit for cheap on Craigslist.
The vacuum dust pan is nice, though. There's a little flap in the kitchen that you flip open and it turns on the vacuum. You can just sweep floor debris into the flap and it gets sucked in.
Look into the exhausting. The one at my mom's house is exhausted into the basement, so the fine dust that gets past the filter is just kicked into the basement. Some systems are exhausted outside, but then you need to make sure you have a way to pull in outside air. In my old drafty house there would be plenty of leakage to let in more air, but that may not be the case in a tightly insulated new house.
I would say it's not worth it for a house. Maybe for a garage, though, if you could get a used unit for cheap on Craigslist.
The vacuum dust pan is nice, though. There's a little flap in the kitchen that you flip open and it turns on the vacuum. You can just sweep floor debris into the flap and it gets sucked in.
Look into the exhausting. The one at my mom's house is exhausted into the basement, so the fine dust that gets past the filter is just kicked into the basement. Some systems are exhausted outside, but then you need to make sure you have a way to pull in outside air. In my old drafty house there would be plenty of leakage to let in more air, but that may not be the case in a tightly insulated new house.
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sberry
Banned
I agree with the convenience of uprights but there would be a place for central going outside too for real clean outs. I like the sounds of vac pans too, seems slick.
bry@n
Well-known member
My wife is the same. I often wonder if I changed the actual vac in the basement to a better one if she'd like it. I'll never know as she doesn't like it.
Mrs. bry@n went to buy a Mielle canister and came home with a Ricar upright. made in the USA and works really well.