Installing a central vacuum cleaner

A central vacuum system helps to keep the air in a house pure and uncontaminated. Unlike ordinary vacuum cleaners, it exits impurities and dust to the outside. A central vacuum may be installed in a house under construction or in an existing house and it is easily installed with no specialized tools.

The first steps for this project are to decide where the vacuum will be installed, where the pipes will pass and where the inlets will be installed. If possible, use your house plans to determine these locations. Decide if the exhaust will be outside or inside, keeping in mind that in the latter case the bin will have to be emptied regularly. If you choose an inside exhaust, ignore step 8 of the procedure.
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1. Choose the location of the vacuum
2. Choose the location of the pipes
3. Choose the location of the inlets
4. Install the inlets
5. Assemble the inlet
6. Install the piping
7. Attach the vacuum to the wall
8. Install the exhaust
9. Plug in the vacuum
10. Test the installation

1. Choose the location of the vacuum

Locate the vacuum in an isolated and seldom used room such as the garage or the basement. If you have chosen to locate the vacuum in a cabinet or a very small room, ensure that it is well ventilated. Avoid rooms that are over heated (such as a furnace room or an attic) and do not install the vacuum near a heat source (next to a water heater, for example). To ease maintenance, ensure that the vacuum is easily accessible. If the exhaust is inside, avoid small and poorly ventilated rooms. If the exhaust is outside, install the vacuum on an outside wall ensuring that it will be exhausted away from sidewalks, patios and windows.

2. Choose the location of the pipes

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Install the trunk line between the vacuum and the farthest inlet and connect the branch lines to the trunk line. Take care in designing the layout of the pipes as this will have a large impact on the circulation of the air in the pipes: make the pipes as straight as possible, avoid right angle (90º) branch lines, and plan for as few branch lines as possible. If the basement is not finished, run the pipes along the floor joists. Run along plumbing and heating pipes already installed and pass behind built-in appliances or under the bathtub. To reach upper floors, pass the pipes through closets (such as under the stairs) or through the laundry chute or the cold air return (if you have forced air heating).

3. Choose the location of the inlets

Determine the number of inlets taking into account the style and size of the house, the number of rooms and the power of the vacuum cleaner (see the manufacturer’s specifications). Place the inlets in such a way that all nooks and crannies of the house are accessible (corners of rooms, behind furniture, cabinets, ceilings) and that several rooms may be serviced by the same inlet (in a corridor, near a door, at the foot of the stairs). Avoid locations that are not easily accessible (behind a door or a large piece of furniture).

Tip: use a cord the same length as the hose to determine the range of action. Move this cord around the room ensuring that it can reach around all the furniture.
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