January 2008
Installing a central vacuum system
Central vacuum systems are far from new. At the turn of the last century, King Carol I installed one of the first in Peles
Castle in Transylvania barely a hop, skip, and a neck bite away from the home of the legendary vampire, Count Dracula.
Today's central vacuum systems require PVC piping through walls from the base unit to the wall-mounted inlet ports for the vacuum hose. A contractor can install a central vac in about a day. What you will pay depends on several factors. Here are the major ones:
The number of inlet ports. Figure on at least one per 600 to 800 square feet of space--or three inlets for a 2,000-square-foot home. You may need more if you want to vacuum in your garage, unless the base unit is installed there.
Where you live. If your home is near the Canadian border, where competition keeps prices low, you may pay as little as $45 per inlet. But in higher-priced areas such as San Francisco, higher labor costs can drive prices to $120 or more per inlet.
Which upgrades you choose. Unlike a basic inlet port, which is installed near a wall outlet so that power is available for the brush, a "direct connect" inlet port is wired internally. Figure on about $10 to $20 or more more per inlet. Another useful option is a floor-level toe sweep, which typically costs about $30 to $50 or more. You sweep dirt toward the inlet, open a flap with your toe, and airflow whisks dirt away.
Whichever upgrades you decide on, be sure your installer has the proper licenses, as required in some states; check with your municipality's building inspector for details. Also be sure that the installer you choose has experience retrofitting central vacuum systems and ask for references.
The unit's size. You'll pay roughly $100 in extra costs to upgrade from a base unit meant for up to 3,000 square feet to one designed for up to 8,000 square feet. Such upgrades are particularly worthwhile if your home is at or near the maximum area a central vacuum is slated to handle. That's because lots of piping twists and turns can tax a smaller system and reduce airflow.
Whether you're remodeling. You may be able to trim installation costs if you're already opening the walls as part of a kitchen, bath, or other remodeling project.
Whether you do the job yourself. Sweat equity will save you roughly half of what you'd pay with professional installation. You'll find user-friendly installation kits available, though you'll usually need to buy PVC pipe separately. You'll also need experience in electrical wiring as well as rudimentary carpentry.
We found several Web sites for mail-order supplies. Among the most comprehensive is www.centralvacuumstores.com. Some manufacturers have instructions on their Web sites. Here are some tips that can help ease a do-it-yourself installation:
Today's central vacuum systems require PVC piping through walls from the base unit to the wall-mounted inlet ports for the vacuum hose. A contractor can install a central vac in about a day. What you will pay depends on several factors. Here are the major ones:
The number of inlet ports. Figure on at least one per 600 to 800 square feet of space--or three inlets for a 2,000-square-foot home. You may need more if you want to vacuum in your garage, unless the base unit is installed there.
Where you live. If your home is near the Canadian border, where competition keeps prices low, you may pay as little as $45 per inlet. But in higher-priced areas such as San Francisco, higher labor costs can drive prices to $120 or more per inlet.
Which upgrades you choose. Unlike a basic inlet port, which is installed near a wall outlet so that power is available for the brush, a "direct connect" inlet port is wired internally. Figure on about $10 to $20 or more more per inlet. Another useful option is a floor-level toe sweep, which typically costs about $30 to $50 or more. You sweep dirt toward the inlet, open a flap with your toe, and airflow whisks dirt away.
Whichever upgrades you decide on, be sure your installer has the proper licenses, as required in some states; check with your municipality's building inspector for details. Also be sure that the installer you choose has experience retrofitting central vacuum systems and ask for references.
The unit's size. You'll pay roughly $100 in extra costs to upgrade from a base unit meant for up to 3,000 square feet to one designed for up to 8,000 square feet. Such upgrades are particularly worthwhile if your home is at or near the maximum area a central vacuum is slated to handle. That's because lots of piping twists and turns can tax a smaller system and reduce airflow.
Whether you're remodeling. You may be able to trim installation costs if you're already opening the walls as part of a kitchen, bath, or other remodeling project.
Whether you do the job yourself. Sweat equity will save you roughly half of what you'd pay with professional installation. You'll find user-friendly installation kits available, though you'll usually need to buy PVC pipe separately. You'll also need experience in electrical wiring as well as rudimentary carpentry.
We found several Web sites for mail-order supplies. Among the most comprehensive is www.centralvacuumstores.com. Some manufacturers have instructions on their Web sites. Here are some tips that can help ease a do-it-yourself installation:
- Determine where to place inlet ports by simulating the reach of a typical, 30-foot hose. Tape a 30-foot string to the site
and walk it around the room to see that the hose will reach all areas. Inlets that aren't direct-connect must be within 6
feet of an electrical outlet.
- Minimize noise by locating the base unit lower than the living space; putting it in a basement or garage is ideal. You'll need a dedicated electrical circuit for the base unit. Also invest in a muffler if the vacuum system doesn't include one. Then be sure that the system is vented outside, rather than within the house.
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