Community Forums

dpinvidic · 04-14-2015, 08:21 PM

We are planning our retirement house.
The wife is wondering if a whole house vac system is better than something like a Dyson.
Seems to me that a long power cord I'd better than a long hose.

Curious what folks who have these systems think about them.

If it was me, I would use the leaf blower

Thanks,

Dan

Bumps · 04-14-2015, 08:29 PM

We did not like ours. Was not the factory installed unit, though (PO replaced the OEM unit for some reason). Like the small portable vacuum; sucks better. Use indoors and out. Stores under the bed. \ken

MRUSA14 · 04-14-2015, 08:35 PM

We have a system like this that stores the hose in the wall, and it is outstanding. Not cheap and must be installed before drywall goes on, but it is a fabulous solution.

Selah · 04-14-2015, 09:00 PM

Our Phaeton has an Intervac central system. Works great and everything stores in a bag that fits inside our hassock. We did buy a separate so app power brush as an attachment for the small amount of carpet we have.
After having this one I would not get another coach without one.

Ruddog · 04-14-2015, 09:03 PM

We love our central vac. It's easy to use, light weight attachments, no dust in the house and one of the best features is under the Kitchen cabinet there is a place to sweep the crumbs from the hardwood. No more dust pan.

dpinvidic · 04-14-2015, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruddog

We love our central vac. It's easy to use, light weight attachments, no dust in the house and one of the best features is under the Kitchen cabinet there is a place to sweep the crumbs from the hardwood. No more dust pan.

How long is the hose?
Is there basically one outlet per room?

Thanks everyone for your opinions....remember this is for a sticks & bricks house (not the RV).

Dan

MSHappyCampers · 04-15-2015, 10:05 AM

The DW and I owned and ran a company for 37 years before retiring in 2010. One of the products we sold was central vacuum systems for people building new homes. They can be installed in SOME existing homes, but it's very expensive because of the labor involved! Below are some pros and cons.

1. ALL of the dust is exhausted outside the house! All portable units must exhaust air back into the room, along with some amount of dust particles, depending on the unit.

2. The power unit is normally installed in a storage room or in a corner of the garage. It will have an exhaust pipe, with a muffler, that goes to an outside vent, similar to a dryer vent. Most units use a permanent cloth filter that catches almost all of the dirt and dust before the air is exhausted to the outside. The dirt drops into a canister that will only have to be emptied maybe every 3 months or so. The dust is shaken out of the permanent filter at that time. Other units have throw-away filter bags that are changed when full.

3. As with most other things, the power units are available in different power ratings, depending on the size of the house and how much cleaning power you want. Two things determine the effectiveness of the units, airflow (measured in CFM), and suction (measured in inches-of-water-lift). That can be confusing, as some units will be higher on one and lower on the other. Manufacturers have a formula that takes the airflow and suction and computes the "airwatts" rating of the unit. This is the measure of the true "cleaning power" of the unit and the only rating you need to look at. The minimum airwatts rating you should ever consider is about 500, and the best units are rated about 1000 airwatts! The higher rated units are all 240 VAC units with two motors.

4. Most systems will come with a 30' hose. Insist on a hose that is crush-proof! Some of them have wire inside and if you step on it then you may flatten it and replacements are VERY expensive! The inlets are located throughout the house so you can reach every part of the house with that hose. We always calculated the inlet location so that there was no more than 25' to the farthest location to be cleaned. This allowed for going around furniture, etc. Most homes will require 3 to 4 inlets for complete coverage. The better systems will have a switch on the hose handle that controls the power unit. If you have carpet in the house then you should get a hose set with an AC-powered beater-brush. Don't let them tell you that an air-powered carpet brush is all you need! The hose kit should come with all the normal cleaning attachments. Yes, it's a bit of a hassle to fool with that 30' hose, but that's the price you have to pay for the advantages of a central system!

5. You can install a Vac-Pan inlet in the kitchen or pet-feeding area that you turn on with your foot and just sweep the dirt into it! Works great!

6. With the power unit out in the storage room or garage there is almost no noise when vacuuming, just the sound of the airflow and the carpet beater-brush if you use it! You'll LOVE that part of it!

7. The central system is expensive compared to a portable unit, but you have to consider the fact that it could easily last 20 years if you take care of it! Most systems have a long parts warranty also!

Hope this info helps with your decision!

chiavet · 04-15-2015, 10:06 AM

Our Phaeton has a central Vac and we love it. If there is any complaint and it is minor the hose is on the heavy side but I think I notice it because of my rheu. arthritis. Gonna have to get the power brush "Selah" spoke about in the post above for what little carpet we have.

MSHappyCampers · 04-18-2015, 07:44 AM

Wonder what happened to the OP?

dpinvidic · 04-19-2015, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Wonder what happened to the OP?

Joe, I am here. Been away from the forum for a while.
Thanks for the excellent post. It was certainly an education for me.
You took a lot of time to cover many details that I might have only discovered after buying the wrong size unit.

Since there seems to be enough positives for us on a system like this, I think it is getting added to our wish list.

Thanks again,

Dan

MSHappyCampers · 04-19-2015, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpinvidic

Joe, I am here. Been away from the forum for a while.
Thanks for the excellent post. It was certainly an education for me.
You took a lot of time to cover many details that I might have only discovered after buying the wrong size unit.

Since there seems to be enough positives for us on a system like this, I think it is getting added to our wish list.

Thanks again,

Dan

You're welcome Dan! Just post again or PM me if I can help you further!

BTW, the brand we sold was Beam, considered by most professionals to be to top-of-the-line in central vacs!

ralphie · 04-19-2015, 01:33 PM

We miss ours. I recall a 30' hose as the Standard length. One outlet can serve multiple rooms depending on the house layout.

dpinvidic · 04-19-2015, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralphie

We miss ours. I recall a 30' hose as the Standard length. One outlet can serve multiple rooms depending on the house layout.

MRUSA14 posted a link to a model that stores the hose inside the wall.
It looks like each outlet has it's own hose. Not sure if it is 30ft or longer.
But does look cool as far as hose storage goes.

Dan

LittleHouse · 04-26-2015, 07:52 PM

We have central vac, going on 20 yrs now. The hose is a real pain. Gets stuck around corners, chair and table legs. Suction is good but I prefer an upright vac, easier to store...stands up in a closet. I bring out the cheap upright for quick clean-ups. I am considering a Dyson upright from Costco to be my main vac.