If you have any questions or comments that are not covered in this FAQ, you may Email us or call our helpful staff at (479)750-2528
Central Vac | Central Vacuum Cleaner Central Vacuum Systems
1) How long is the vacuum hose? The standard length for a central vacuum hose is a 30 Ft Universal Hose, however a 35 Ft Universal hose is also available. Even longer hoses are available, and you can contact us at 1(800)936-0788 for details.
2) How many central vacuum system inlets come standard? Our standard kit is for a 2,000 sq ft house and would be 3 inlet install kit. Typically you need 1 inlet for every 700 sq ft, so if your house is 3500 sq ft you would need a total of 5 inlets. We have 1 inlet install kit($59)and 3 inlet kits($169) and you can mix and match them to your needs.
3) What do additional central vacuum system inlets cost?
$59.00 for either a 1 inlet pigtail kit or 1 inlet direct connect kit. Includes inlet, pipe, fittings, etc.
4) How does the central vacuum system Pan Vac work? Central vacuum systems Vac Pan or Pan Vac installs under kitchen or bathroom cabinets and turns on and off with your toe. Sweep dirt and debris into flow of the vacuum instead of using a dust pan. No bending over, and no searching for the dust pan.
5) What’s the difference between your brand Vacu Central 200 and Hoover S5626? Both use Lamb Ametek’s model #116765 motor so both can easily handle up to an 8,000 sq ft house. The Hoover S5626 adds Hoover’s quiet insulation, and exhaust muffler. A muffler can be added to our Vacu Central 200 for $15 extra. Noise is not an issue for most as the tank is usually in the garage away from the house, but we do offer noise reduction as an option anyway.
6) What is the Pigtail connection? At the end of the vacuum hose that plugs into your wall inlet, you also have a wire “pigtail” that plugs into the electric outlet. This is what powers the electric powerhead, while the suction of the unit goes through the hose. This is the preferred style by most people even though the direct connect is newer. Some central vacuum hoses do not have either because the hose is a non electric type Deluxe wind driven hose set. If you want to replace a hose like that you can either go with the Deluxe wind driven hose set or if you have an electric outlet within 8 ft of each hose outlet you can go with any of our electric powerhead hose sets with the pigtail type connection shown here Hose and Tool Sets
7) What is a one-step connection? The end of the systems vacuum hose that plugs into the wall inlet has a built-in electric plug. This is called the “one-step” or “direct connect” connector. The inlet needs to be wired by an electrician. If your system was not wired with 115 volts to each outlet you can not use the direct connect type hose, and must use either the pigtail(pictured below) or low voltage hose like the Deluxe Wind driven Hose Set. The older style one step or direct connects worked much better than the new electra-valve 2. We now strongly recommend going with the pig tail type connector
8) How does the central vacuum system turn on and off? From the hose handle you have a switch that turns on or off the electric floor brush and/or the central vacuum motor. Each inlet is wired back to the central vacuum unit with low voltage wire. You can also turn the central vacuum system on with the switch on the tank. Low voltage wire does not require installation by an electrician.
9) How much suction does the central vacuum system have? The simple answer is 2-3 times the suction of the standard upright vacuum. To be more specific our Vacu Central 100 has 114 inches of water lift or sealed suction, while our Vacu Central 200 has 136 inches. The 100 is rated up to a 3,500 sq ft home while the 200 is rated up to an 8,000 sq ft home. What is the difference? On a smaller house not much, but on a larger home(3,500-8,000 sq ft) you need a canister that has enough suction to travel the longer distance in the house.
This is where we feel having a 3 stage Lamb Ametek motor is advantageous. As you travel farther away from the tank, different stages of the motor kick in, keeping a steady suction level throughout regardless of how far away you are to the tank.. We feel that 3 stage motors are superior to 2 stage motors for handling this situation, giving you an extra gear of power if you will. We do offer even larger canisters for homes over 8,000 sq ft, give us a call at 1(800)936-0788 for more details.
10) Does the central vacuum system need to be vented? No. None of the central vacuums we offer need to be vented. They are all considered clean air systems, meaning that they are filtered before going through the motor and being exhausted. Both our central vacuums, the Vacu Central 100, and the Vacu Central 200 utilize Hybrid bag or bag-less technology. Meaning that you can use either the Microtex self cleaning filter that comes with it or the optional disposable bag. The choice is yours, most prefer the self cleaning filter but some are use to the bag style of their older central vacuum system.
11) How efficient is the filtering system? The microtex filtration system, of which 9 out of 10 of central vacuums in use today are, filters down to 0.1 micron at 95% efficiency. While our new disposable bag filter captures 99.4% of dust allergens. Our Vacu Central 100, and Vacu Central 200 gives you the choice between the convenience of the self cleaning filter or the added allergen filtration of the disposable bag at the same price.
12) What’s the drawback to a one-step connection? The inlet is electrified with the plug in the inlet. Also, if the one-step connector is jammed into the inlet you stand the chance of the pins breaking off. We have found after years of installation that the pigtail is the easier and less problematic of the 2. In the end it boils down to personal preference, we carry both types
13) What’s the advantage to the one-step connector? You plug the hose and the 115-volt connector in one step. There is no separate pig tail cord to plug in. However we have found that most people do not mind plugging in the pig tail cord along with the hose because typically the electric outlet is right next to the hose outlet. It takes an extra 2 seconds to plug in the pig tail cord. 6 one half dozen the other.
14) How do I determine the number of outlets I need for the central vacuum systems? One outlet for every 700 square feet is the standard, although homes vary.
15) Can I install central vacuum systems in existing homes? Yes, if you have adequate crawl space under the house or attic space above. Unfortunately most 2 story homes can not be retro fitted.
16) What stage of construction do I install the central vacuum system pipe? Typically after the heating and air. Definitely before the sheet rock. Most single story homes can be installed after sheet rock, it is just easier before. Usually the central vacuum installer is in around the same time as the electrician, plumbers, etc.
17) If I need to replace my central vacuum do I have to use the same brand that is there now? Are central vacuums universal at all? The quick and long answer is NO you do not need to use the same brand, and yes central vacuums are pretty much universal. There are over 100 central vacuum brands out there and many have long gone out of business. Almost all central vacuums installed in the last 35 years have used 2 inch thin walled schedule 20 pvc pipe. This means that all the outlets in the wall are the same diameter. For example Beam tanks will work with Nutone hose sets, and vice versa. So regardless of the brand we will have something that will work. If you have any questions on what you have, and what you need for your central vac system to work give us a call. 1(479)750-2528
18) What are your shipping policies? We ship free to the contiguous US via Federal Express, and some times USPS. All return shipping is up to the customer.
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