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Studio Blog

August 2nd

Popularity of Central Vacuums Picking Up

A central vacuum system is a convenient and healthful way to keep your house clean.

A central vacuum system is a convenient and healthful way to keep your house clean.

Our goal at Tracy Lynn Studio is not only to make your home more beautiful but also more functional. Because after all, if your home looks good but doesn’t fit your lifestyle, it isn’t truly fulfilling its job!

As we were at our interior design studio team meeting discussing what most enhances the practicality of our clients’ homes, we kept coming back to the central vacuum. Central vacs have been around for many years, but we find they are still a curiosity to many people and there are many misconceptions out there about it. So here is some quick insight into this super-handy tool. (In a future blog post we will showcase some new kitchen gadgets you are sure to love too!)

First off, a home central vacuum installation can happen in an existing home. Regardless of what you may have heard, the installation requires minimal wall intrusion because the tubes go through your cold-air returns and/or your attic or basement. They are connected to a receptacle you can place in an out-of-way area such as your garage, where the debris will land in either a canister or bag that you only need to empty every few months.

The installer will add hose inlets wherever you want in your home.

The installer will add hose inlets wherever you want in your home.

So everything is hidden except the hose inlets that look like covered electrical outlets. You can choose where you want these placed and the installer will assist you in making those decisions. Typically you will want one inlet for every 600 square feet of space to make it easier to maneuver the hose.

What does all this mean for you? Convenience plays a big part. Rather than hauling a heavy vacuum around the house and up and down stairs, you simply attach the lightweight hose as you move from space to space. This is also a healthier system because it eliminates recirculation of dirty air since everything goes straight into the wall and to the receptacle.

The automatic dustpan quickly zips away floor debris.

The automatic dustpan quickly zips away floor debris.

Another plus for a central vacuum installation is it will improve your home’s cleanliness and likely increase the life of your carpets, upholstery and draperies. Since the vacuum’s power unit is installed in the wall, you gain three to five times the suction power of a portable vacuum.

Just like a regular vacuum, the central vac has myriad accessories to meet your needs, including a retractable hose that stores in the wall to eliminate hose management issues. You can also get a smaller hose you might store in your kitchen to take care of quick cleanups. A floor-level automatic dustpan is handy for hard flooring — you can simply broom-sweep dirt right into the wall and it is whisked away!

We have trusted installers for a central vacuum system if you are interested, and we would love to discuss any other design or remodel needs you might have. Please contact us for a complimentary consultation.