Saturday, August 22, 2009

Are There Any Disadvantages to a Central Vacuum System?

The advantages are many, but in the interest of discussion and fairness, here are some of the disadvantages that could be taken into account when you are considering installing a central vacuum system.

An Expensive Extra?:

The issue of installing a central vacuum system is not a problem if you are at the building stage, with carpenters, electricians, plumbers and all sorts of knowledgeable individuals on hand, but if you are contemplating putting a central vacuum system into a existing home, you are going to have to call out these trades people specially, and this can run up the installation costs considerably.

Accessories / Attachments Storage:

Some of the central vacuum systems that are on the market will weigh you down with accessories of all shapes and sizes and there is nothing people (men especially!) like more than a heap of gadgets to operate, but remember that you have to find a place to store all of these in a convenient place and you do need to be able to access them quickly when you want to vacuum, so having them up in the attic is not ideal. Also you will need to have some sort of trolley/container to carry all of them upstairs and downstairs with you.

Manufacturer Reputation: It would be better to pick a trustworthy manufacturer that has a good reputation and a proven track record, otherwise, when you go looking for them in the future, they may be closed down. It is easy to find manufacturers with a good reputation, be it in the provision of central vacuum systems or in vacuums in general - stick with one of them and hopefully they will be there when you need them.

Moveable?:

So you install you lovely vacuum system and then you decide to move - well, you may as well get used to the idea that you won't be taking this baby with you! You could take it apart and have it reinstalled in your new home, but there would be a lot of holes left in the walls of the house you are leaving by the time you were finished.

Positioning of Base Unit:

The obvious place to locate the base unit would be in the basement - right?. However, with some systems, by the time the power of suction reaches the upstairs, it may have the sucking power of .... I can't think of a good analogy, anyway it may not be very strong! The ground floor may be a better location for it and this can be annoying as your ground floor space is more precious to you.

Hose Length:

The long hose length could be a problem, as it is designed to be able to reach quite a distance. This is not so much an issue if you are starting out on your regular cleaning day vacuum, but could annoy you if you just want to clean some small spillage.

So there you have it, some of the disadvantages that may merit consideration when you are looking at installing a central vacuum system - so good luck!



Autor: David Shee

We have a website dedicated to discussing various aspects of Central Vacuum Systems. You are welcome to visit our site at http://thecentralvacuum.com


Added: August 23, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

1 Comment:

Anonymous said...

Mr. Shee, Just wanted to comment on your article about Disadvantages of a Central Vacuum System. There are a couple great new hose management tools on the market that address hose storage and the quick clean scenario you referred to.

The quick-clean product is called Vroom (see it in action at http://www.vroomyourroom.com ) Vroom connects to a central vacuum or can be purchased as an independent vacuum system. It is designed for quick clean-ups in kitchens, baths, laundry areas and even garages. With Vroom's 24' of retractable hose, and auto on/off, it is always ready to vacuum and clean up those daily messes.

The Hose Management product is called Hide-A-Hose. See it online at http://www.hideahose.biz With Hide-A-Hose, 50' of hose is stored in the tube system. To vacuum, you simply pull out the amount you need and place your attachement on the end. When you are done, the suction of the central vac will pull the hose back into the wall.

Both products are a great value-add to the central vacuum system and add to the convenience of having a central.

Regarding the price of a central vacuum system, yes it is more expensive then a portable you would find at your local big box store. But you have to consider most centrals built today will last 15-20 years or longer. with a central vac, you aren't replacing your sweeper every year.

Plus, your home will be healthier as you are not recirculating dust and debris back into the air as happens with most portables.