Install a central vacuum

The most ideal location for mounting the power unit is in the attached garage. If the home does not have an attached garage, use the basement. Utility or storage rooms can be used as well, but take into account the fact that power units can sometimes be loud. Mufflers can be installed to reduce the sound if needed.

1.1 Find a spot for the power unit that is close to a good electrical source; i.e. a 15 amp circuit. The location area should have a lot of open air space around the unit to allow for air to circulate keeping the motor cool. Make sure the collection bucket is easy to access for removal and emptying.

1.2 Use a stud finder to find the screw locations so that they are anchored into the wood or metal studs. The manufacturer will provide mounting hardware.

1.3 If the power unit will be installed on concrete masonry walls, mark the holes on the mounting hardware and use a masonry bit. Then sink either plastic or lead anchors into the holes and screw the mounting brackets into place.

1.4 Drill a hole through an exterior wall to run a venting tube outside. This step is not always necessary. Some systems depend on the exterior venting option. For other systems, the exterior venting is optional.
 

2.1 Walk throughout the home and determine the number of inlets needed.

2.2 Use a stud finder to make sure the space marked out for each new inlet is located between the studs and that the spacing behind the wall is open for the tubing to go through. Also check the back of the wall to make sure it is clear of obstructions such as utilities and outlets.

2.3 Elicit the help from another person to hold the end of a 30' hose at the proposed inlet location so that you can make sure the hose covers all the floor space and areas for which the hose is intended to reach.
 

3.1 Plan the routes from the inlets to the proposed power unit location.

3.2 Install metal central vacuum tubing if the runs next to a hot water heater or chimney flue (anything that produces a great amount of heat).

3.3 Wrap the tubing with insulation if the tubing runs through an unheated attic or other type of unheated space.

4.1  Wedge out the baseboard trim with a flat end screw driver at the location where the inlet will be installed.

4.2 Cut a piece of wire from the coat hanger and install it into the end of a power drill.

4.3 Drill the coat hanger wire down through the flooring and leave it there.

4.4 Go downstairs to look up at the bottom of the coat hanger wire. From below, drill a 2 1/4" hole in the bottom of the upper wall’s sill plate. Make sure this cut is made between the drywall on each side of the studs. Note that the tubing is 2" in diameter; so the hole will allow you to manipulate the tubing a bit if needed.

4.5 Grab a flashlight and peak into the hole to see if there are any obstructions.

4.6 If it appears clear, take a piece of tubing and run it up through the hole to check for obstructions.

4.7 If there are obstructions, the inlet site may need to be relocated.

4.8 If there are no obstructions, go upstairs and mark the inlet location on the wall.

4.9 Measure from the floor up to the center of an electrical outlet. Measure the same distance for the center of the inlet at the proposed location. Wall inlets are generally installed 18" from the floor.

4.10 Take a wall mounted bracket and snap off the new construction flange. In new construction, however, nail the tab to the stud.

4.11 Use a level, then measure the box and mark it onto the wall.

4.12 Take a utility knife and score the outside lines.

4.13 Cut a hole through the drywall with a drywall saw.
 

5.1 Attach the first fitting to the outlet so that the end points downward to where it will eventually meet with the plastic tubing. The open end of the fitting will face upward if the plastic tubing will be fed from the attic.

5.2 Attach the fitting to the wall mounting bracket. Do not ever put glue on the inside of a fitting or tubing. Apply glue only to the outside of the tubing to ensure the glue will not cause clogging to occur. The low voltage wiring will need to be installed before the tubing.

5.3 Run 6" of guide wire through the bracket hole.

5.4 Strip an inch of insulation from the low voltage wires.

5.5 Attach each end to the screws on the back of the inlet valve.

5.6 Attach a window weight to the end of the low voltage wire and drop it down the wall to the basement, lower floor, or to the crawl space.

5.7 Gently insert the wall mounting bracket into the wall. First put the entire bracket into the wall’s cavity. Then pull it up so that it fits snuggly onto the backside of the drywall.

5.8 Take the hook end of the wire hanger and hold onto the bracket while attaching the inlet valve to it.

5.9 Slide the inlet valve into the mounting bracket.

5.10 Screw the inlet valve and mounting bracket into the wall. Mounting kits usually come with a short and a long screw for each inlet valve mounting. Make sure to use the short screw on the side where the bracket it located.

6.1 Fit the tubing up through the cut hole in the sill plate.

6.2 Fit the tubing into the elbow joint fitting attached to the inlet plate.

6.3 Measure each section of tubing according to each run.

6.4 Make absolutely straight cuts in the tubing with a pipe cutter. Angled cuts will cause the suction power to be compromised or could cause pockets to form that would later cause the tubes to get clogged. Remember that 3/4" of the tubing goes into each fitting when measuring the tubing.

6.5 File down each side of the tubing before fitting it into the next section.

6.6 Apply glue to the outside of the tube to attach it to the fitting. Do not apply glue to the fittings.

6.7 Attach each run of tubing to fittings and to other runs of tubing throughout the home. It is a good idea to test-fit tubing and fittings together before gluing to make sure they will fit snuggly. Mark the connections so they are put together the same way when the glue is applied.

6.8 While assembling the tubing, install permanent clamps to attach the tubing to the home’s structure.

6.9 Connect the low voltage wiring from each inlet to the power unit. Always attach wires of the same colors to each other; i.e. copper to copper and silver to silver.

6.10 To hold the wires in place next to the plastic tubing, attach a homemade clamp that is made from a strip of the plastic tubing cut at one end. This strip of extra tubing acts like a spring clamp to hold the wiring in place next to the tubing.

6.11 If two tubes stem out from the main tube that leads to the power unit, make sure all the curves are set up so the dirt and debris go directly to the power unit.

6.12 If penetrating concrete or concrete masonry unit (cmu) walls, masonry drill bit will be needed. Check local building codes to check about what type of tubing material can go through the wall. Patch around the hole once the tubing is installed. There may be other special conditions such as steel tubing needed based on local building codes and fire code protection measures.
 

7.1 Finally, install the power unit onto the preset mounting brackets.

7.2 Connect the low voltage wires to the unit using the supply connectors.

7.3 Plug the power unit into its dedicated electrical outlet.

7.4 Flip the switch and the power unit should turn on.

7.5 Attach the last part of the tubing to the power unit. Do not glue this part of the tubing into the power unit because the system may need to be disconnected in the future for maintenance.

7.6 If the system came with a muffler, clamp it to the power unit’s exhaust pipe. Mufflers can reduce the power unit’s noise by as much as 50%.
 

At this point, the entire system should be fully installed and connected together.

8.1 First check to see if the system is completely closed by going throughout the home to listen for whistling when the power unit is turned on, but no attachments are connected to the inlets. Also, there should be no air coming out of the exhaust pipe.

8.2 If there is some whistling, there may be a tube connection that wasn’t glued. Make sure to check in the basement and attic as well.

8.3 With the system turned on, connect a hose and an attachment to each inlet.

8.4 Turn the attachment’s power button on and off. If the attachment doesn’t turn off, some low voltage wiring may be crossed somewhere.

8.5 If these post-installation tests all run smoothly, then the central vacuum system has been successfully installed.