If you’re in the market for a new vacuum cleaner in Chester County Pa area and considering purchasing a premium household vacuum brand, you should consider adding a Hide-A-Hose Central Vacuum Cleaning system as an option.
According to John Kooter of John’s House of Vacuums, “Even if you’ve owned a central vacuum cleaner in the past and weren’t thrilled, the latest Hide-A-Hose technology that brings lighter, longer hoses that automatically retract back into the wall when you are done cleaning, makes central vacuum systems worth considering once again.” John has been installing central vacuum systems in Kennett Square and throughout Chester County for quite a while and experienced first hand a resurgence in clients installing new central vac systems even if they were opposed only a few years ago. John attributes this to what is known as the Hide-A-Hose or self-retracting hose system and says it’s hard to keep up with demand as homeowners are learning about this amazing new hose management system.
In this article, we’re going to break down, in a few easy-to-understand concepts, why a central vacuum is not only a viable option but the overwhelmingly better choice if you are considering purchasing a premium traditional vacuum cleaner.
Standard Central Vacuum System vs Hide-A-Hose Self-Retracting Hose Central Vacuum System
First, we need to distinguish between a standard central vacuum system and one with the latest and best technology, a retractable hose from Hide-A-Hose and installed by House of Vacuums. Mr. Kooter says, “There is a profound difference in convenience between the two that is causing a resurgence in the popularity of central vacuum cleaning systems. The old traditional central vacuum system uses a 35-foot hose that needs to be stored away until needed. You have first to fetch the hose and then carry it to the area that needs to be vacuumed and plug it into a suction inlet.”
A 35-foot hose will clean up to an 800-square-foot area. If you have a 2400 sq/ft home, this means moving the hose 3 times, plugging and unplugging from inlet to inlet in order to vacuum the entire home. Convenient in theory. Tiresome in practice. A 35-foot hose can be slightly heavy and unwieldy making the chore of vacuuming less appealing.
Now imagine using a hose one-third of the weight of a traditional central vacuum hose and clean an entire area of 2400 sq/ft. One that is stored in a convenient inlet on the wall and easily pulled out of the inlet when you are ready to clean rather than being stored in a closet, basement, or garage. No need to fetch the hose and drag it from inlet to inlet. Simply pull out the length of the Hide-A-Hose hose needed, up to 60 feet, and vacuum. Now, when you’re done cleaning, simply place your hand over the end of the hose and it automatically retracts back into the wall for storage. No need to wind the hose up for storage. No need to drag and plug in this hose to multiple inlets. No need to carry the hose back to the garage, storage closet, or basement.
Wow! What a difference in convenience. Not only in theory but in practical use, a central vacuum system with a self-retracting hose is so much more convenient than a traditional 35-foot hose system. If you poll anyone that has ever used a traditional central vacuum system and then a self-retracting-hose system, they will tell you 100% of the time when asked, they would never use a traditional system again, given the choice.
Cost Comparison of Hide-A-Hose Self-Retracting Hose Central Vacuum System to High-End Traditional Vacuums.
Better traditional vacuum cleaners like Miele, Sebo, Kirby, and Rainbow run in the neighborhood of $900 – $3000.00. No doubt they are head and shoulders above their less expensive counterparts found in Kmart, Walmart, and Target. Better in every category: cleaning, filtration, durability, and cleaning tools. These vacuums typically last 7 to 15 years compared to lasting the average of 1 – 2 years of their Walmart, Target, and Kmart counterparts.
A Central Vacuum System with a self-retracting Hide-A-Hose by comparison will cost in the neighborhood of $2000 – $3000 and typically last between 20 and 30 years. Dollar for dollar, the investment in a self-retracting hose central vacuum system is, at the very least, comparable to a traditional vacuum system when considering how long they will last. Kooter adds,”considering overall performance as you will see, a fantastically better value overall.”
Power & Performance
Traditional vacuum cleaners regardless of price are limited to the size and power of their motors by weight and electrical considerations.
Consider that 15-amp receptacles throughout your home are suitable for standard household appliances, lamps, and other accessories. Traditional vacuum cleaners that plug into these receptacles use motors that are rated less than 15 amps and can only draw so much power or risk tripping a breaker.
A central vacuum power unit uses a dedicated 20-amp receptacle or electrical inlet. A 20-amp receptacle is for heavy-duty appliances. A central vacuum motor can draw much more power than a traditional household vacuum motor because of this.
As for weight considerations, a central vacuum cleaner power unit is permanently mounted on a wall in your garage or basement. Weight is not a consideration and therefore a central vacuum power unit can use a much larger and heavier motor than traditional household vacuum cleaners.
When we take into account motor size and power consumption considerations, it’s easy to see that central vacuum systems can use much larger and more powerful motors. More power. More suction and airflow. More cleaning performance.
Convenience
Sebo vacuums weigh 15 pounds. Miele vacuums, 16 pounds. Rainbow vacuums, 30 pounds. Kirby vacuums, 35 pounds. A self-retracting central vacuum hose weighs in at .35 pounds per foot. No further explanation is needed here!
Traditional vacuum cleaners need to be stored in a closet, garage, or basement. Then you’ll need to drag that 15 – 35 pound machine around with you everywhere you want to clean vs about 1 – 2 pounds of flexible vacuum hose. Hide-A-Hose self-retracting Central Vacuum vs traditional vacuum cleaner convenience considerations, not even close.
Filtration
If you suffer from allergies, filtration is a really big deal. If you don’t suffer from allergies you can skip this part because Miele, Sebo, and Rainbow all do a fantastic job of filtration. (The odd-man-out for filtration in the higher-priced vacuum category is Kirby as they emit an unacceptable level of dust due to their design, even when using optional HEPA filtration bags.)
While Miele, Sebo, and Rainbow do a fantastic job at filtration, they still do emit small amounts of the finest particles of dust. Keep in mind that these vacuums are recirculating air back into your living space that has been filtered through dirt and filth that is contained in a bag. So odor and gasses can still be a factor for some people with these vacuums.
Central vacuum systems on the other hand exhaust 100% of their dirty air outside of your living space. If a central vacuum system has been properly installed, all exhausted air is ducted to the outside of your home and there is zero chance of dust, gases, or odor being recirculated in your home.
Central vacuum filtration is far superior not only to the best and most expensive vacuums available, but they also leave behind cleaner air than even the very best HEPA filter air purifiers.
Don’t Central Vacuums Need To Be Installed While A House Is Under Construction?
By now you’re probably considering a central vacuum system with a self-retracting hose as a viable alternative to a traditional vacuum cleaner. But, you’re thinking this has to be installed during a home’s construction. This is a common misunderstanding according to John. The good news is professional installation services like ours can install a central vacuum system with self-retracting hoses in 90 percent of existing homes and typically for not much more than installation during a home’s construction. More good news; installation is a neat and clean process that doesn’t leave a mess. A retro-installation looks exactly the same as a system that was installed during the construction of a home.
A Central Vacuum System Adds Value to your Home
Like a car, a traditional vacuum cleaner is a depreciating asset. No one wants to buy a used vacuum cleaner. A central vacuum system on the other hand holds its value and actually increases the value of your home should you consider selling at some time in the future. All things being equal, a home with a central vacuum system sells quicker and at a higher price than homes without a central vacuum.
Conclusion:
Built-in, central vacuum cleaning systems are seeing a huge resurgence in popularity due to the latest self-retracting hose technology used today because of the Hide-A-Hose option.
While the cost of a central vacuum system may be slightly higher than traditional premium brand household vacuum cleaners, they represent a better value because they typically last twice as long as well as adding value to your home.
The power, suction, and airflow of a central vacuum system are typically twice that of a traditional premium household vacuum cleaner, letting you clean your home in half the time.
The convenience of using a lightweight hose to clean as compared to dragging or pushing around a heavy traditional vacuum is undeniable.
Hands down, the air filtration aspects of a central vacuum system are better than not only any premium vacuum cleaner, it’s better than even the most expensive stand-alone HEPA filtration air purifier.
And finally, if you weren’t considering installing a built-in central vacuum cleaning system into your home because you believed it needed to be installed during home construction, you have no more excuses to deny yourself and your family an easier, healthier better way to keep your home clean.
For more information on the benefits of installing a central vacuum system with a Hide-A-Hose in your existing home or home under construction, give House of Vacuums a call at (484) 7327956