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To answer which model is best, first you need to start with another question which you may have not thought applied to central vacuum systems: Bag or Bagless? Often the question of filtration and collection receives little or no consideration in central vacuum equipment selection. All too often central vacuum shoppers become entangled in a question of motor power instead of vacuum efficiency and easy of use. Some just assume that all central vacuums are made the same way or that they have no choice of how collection and filtration is performed. Some may even believe that it does not matter. Filtration and collection is the center of all central vacuum design and determines every aspect of usability, performance and even durability. Understanding central vacuum filtration and collection is the answer to which central vacuum is best.
For many of us the question of filtration and collection depends on WHO is maintaining the vacuum, WHAT is being picked up with the vacuum, WHERE the power unit will be located in the home and HOW maintaining the central vacuum will affect the performance of the system and the well being of the person doing the cleaning.
A long time central vacuum standard, the majority of central vacuum systems bagless. Bagless central vacuums collect their vacuumed debris into a removable bin that is dumped when full. For some new central vacuum owners and many more of those replacing an old unit the disposable paper bag system is the more convenient choice. More central vacuum systems are now available in the Hybrid design which can be used with or without a disposable bag. There are even a few models which exclusively use a disposable bag for the truly dedicated. While there are but two methods of collection, bagless or bagged, there are many methods of filtration including cloth filter, metal screen, pleated media and others. Every method has issues to consider and advantages. For many homeowners more than one method may be viable for their application. By learning about each method available you can quickly identify which is best suited for your home.
3 Steps to Select the Perfect CVS There are many brands and many more models of Central Vacuum power units, which can make selection of just one a daunting task. In reality the selection of a CVS power unit is simple once you understand just what it is you are looking for. Think of these three steps as a screening process. Apply each screen one at a time. The models that remain on your list after the third step are good candidates for your application. From there your choice may be influenced by personal factors such as brand preference, cost or availability. Instead of looking for "which model" is for me, look for "what model" does what I need. Find the right central vacuum(s) using this simple three-step process:
Purchasing a new or replacement central vacuum system can be as simple or as detailed a decision as you would like. Which filtration and collection system you choose should be based on your personal preference. There is not a single best method and all designs work very well but the most popular method may not be the best for you.
Central Vacuums Dirty Secret Many central vacuum shoppers start at the second step and can get bogged down in power unit selection by the confusing and numerous technical terms that describe a central vacuums motor power. Air watts, sealed lift, CFM, motor stages, db level, exhausting port and other specifications are important to be sure. But take a step back and you will find that many of the central vacuums within a given size class offer similar performance, function and features. Many of the CVS power units available today share the same motor systems and offer identical power specifications. Look deeper at the central vacuum models available and you may even realize that a few brands of central vacuum are produced by the same OEM, using the same components with only small differences between them. Knowing which central vacuum has the correct power for a given application is not as hard as some would have you believe.
And the secret to central vacuums: you cannot buy a bad central vacuum. Central vacuums from most any major line manufacturer that you might find browsing online or at your local vacuum showroom are great products - many times stronger, more efficient and more reliable than products produced just a decade ago. Even the wrong central vacuum for your application will likely clean very well but may leave the homeowner unsatisfied with the function or usage of the system overall. Shopping for your new central vacuum power unit will be simple now that you know the secret. Determine the best filtration & collection system for you, find the models with appropriate power for your home and get the extras you want. Remember these steps and you are guaranteed to have a lifetime of cleaning satisfaction.
What Vacdepot Recommends Do one thing, and do it better than anyone else. Where most online resources for central cleaning equipment often sell built in vacuums in addition to portable vacuums, air filtration systems, kitchen appliances and other housewares, Vacdepot stocks and sells only central cleaning systems. When other dealers expand their sales offerings of portable vacuums and cooking appliances, Vacdepot deepens it's selection of PVC fittings and hose inlet doors to provide the most comprehensive selection of central vacuum components for use in residential central cleaning applications.
Vacdepot is a supplier of central cleaning equipment. The difference of seller and supplier is subtle, but for us it means we promote the idea of central vacuum ownership - not selling the latest hot kitchen gadget. Selling only central vacuum systems and components allows us to offer the very best selection and focus our efforts on providing in depth product knowledge. Vacdepot staff does not contain a central vacuum expert or a Central Vacuum Department. Our entire staff are masters in the detailed construction, use and function of built-in vacuums and our company is devoted only to Central Cleaning Systems. Our philosophy is that time spent pursuing sales of any item other than Central Cleaning Systems does not benefit our core mission customer: the Central Vacuum installer & owner.
Vacdepot sells many central vacuum models of every type and most every brand of central systems built for the USA market. Ask us for our opinion on a specific model and you will likely get an ear full. All of us at Vacdepot have our own opinion on the differing methods of filtration and collection for CVS and each of us use different models of power unit for our own homes. Selling, installing, repairing, servicing and using all types, brands and models of central vacuum and perhaps most importantly speaking with tens of thousands of CVS owners for over 40 years gives us a unique insight on the floorcare industry. As a Vacdepot customer your project will benefit from our built in vacuum expertise.
Just like the furnace filter in your home's heating/cooling system, dirt and debris collect on the outside of the filter and the suction motor is protected from damage. This permanent filter is maintained by a mechanical flexing action which is part of the filters design that helps it to shed the filtered debris into the collection bin below for emptying by the user. Some dealers and installers prefer this type of filtration since the limiting design helps to protect the power unit's motor from a person unaware of the vacuum system or how full the collection bin may be. This method is quite simple and very fool proof but the permanent filter limits the performance of this system and there may be additional maintenance required.
The bagless design is advantageous in its low-tech approach to filtering. With a filter always in the vacuum system that will not be removed or affected by user operations, the design enjoys a long life. There are two less desirable factors for the actual owner/user of a bagless central vacuum power unit that impact performance and usage of the equipment. The permanent filter system is just that, permanent. This filter is never removed from the vacuum system and is not designed to be economically replaced. While the mechanical action does shed the majority of debris from the filter a good amount remains behind. What does remain behind on the filter is most often ultra fine particles that clog the pores of the permanent filter and slow down the airflow thereby reducing the vacuum system's performance.
How much suction can you lose in a bagless central vacuum? Depending on the filter material and debris being cleaned you can lose 50% or more of a new vacuum's suction with just a small amount of debris in the vacuum's collection bin. In one study a bagless vacuum dropped to just 44% of original performance after cleaning the equivalent of three rooms in a home. Even completely clean filters can create a pressure drop in a vacuum system and reduce airflow of the suction motor by 15% - 20%. All vacuum filters slow the airflow and thereby decrease performance; this is to be expected because this is how the debris is removed from the vacuum stream. But how much of a decrease varies. All residential central vacuums have filters, even those "filterless" models.
The second area of concern for bagless central vacuums is the collection system. Dirt, dust, debris and allergens vacuumed from your home are collected into the debris bin where they sit until emptied. For some of us with a shop-type vacuum this is a familiar task. A large bin full of dust and dirt, and a large filter that hangs inside the vacuum. Bagless vacuums have limited installation applications and the power unit should be installed in the garage or unfinished area. Emptying a bagless central vacuum can result in dust released into the air when you dump out the collection bin and dirt falling onto the floor when the collection bin is removed.
The advantage of HYBRID over a bag only style is additional safety. Though the permanent filter of a HYBRID vacuum does not provide any actual filtering when used with a disposable bag, the permanent filter is always in place and should a bag be misinstalled or not installed at all the permanent filter will provide filtration and motor protection. With the advanced synthetic bags the HYBRID vacuum makes for an excellent collection system where you need to sort through the collected debris or when you need to clean fine particulate including spilled powders or ash that would normally damage the permanent filter of a conventional bagless vacuum. The HYBRID permanent filter also provides you backup cleaning capability should you unexpectedly run out of disposable bags.
All HYBRID vacuums use disposable closed top or sealed bags and feature a locking collar or gasket that prevents dirt and dust from leaking around the disposable container. Just as with portable vacuum cleaner, using a central vacuum system with a disposable collection bag is simple and easy to maintain with no dustbin puff-back or particulate float. Replacing a disposable bag is not only more hygienic than dumping a bin full of vacuumed debris but also reduces the odors and increases the vacuum system's performance. Each time you replace your full vacuum bag you have also reset your vacuums primary filter performance. This short filter cycle will provide you with greater soil removal capability during the life of your CV system and will also increase the life span of your flooring by reducing debris wear.
HYBRID vacuum systems are directly comparable to any permanently filtered vacuum when used bagless. HYBRID units do encounter a static drop in airflow due to double filtering when used with a disposable bag but unlike bagless vacuums the permanent filter does not become dirty or clogged when using a disposable bag. A HYBRID vacuum system with a sealed disposable bag provides hygienic collection and maintenance and keeps your permanent filter clean. Using the HYBRID system without the disposable bag provides the easy dump-out emptying that many long time vacuum system users expect of their central cleaning system. HYBRID systems are quickly gaining in popularity with both consumers and installers as an efficient and easy way to give the homeowner a choice of tools in their cleaning arsenal.
Cyclonic Separation provides the least amount of resistance to airflow in the system when the filter system is clean. The cyclonic action is a proven low-tech approach to filtration that is used in many industries and filtration devices where bulk filtration is required. Interestingly cyclonic separation is often used in continuously operating very large (room sized) cleaning systems for industrial and manufacturing facilities where the exhaust is sent through a final filtering system before venting outside. Cyclonic separation is also used often in fluid filtration, particularly in the filtration of solids from lubrication fluids. Most fluid filtration systems use a backwash to clean the secondary filter for continuous operation. In residential central vacuum systems the cyclonic separation method has issues that limit its application for some users. Unlike large commercial systems or cyclonically separated fluid filtration the residential cyclonic cental vacuum requires regular maintenance and cleaning to operate at acceptable performance levels. Filtered cyclonic models do benefit from increased airflow over permanent filter units. The trade for increased performance in filtered cyclonic models is additional maintenance and replacement of the filter media to maintain peak performance. Without peak performance the filtered cyclonic vacuums efficacy can spiral down at an exponential rate. Unable to use a hygienic closed-top disposable paper bag, filtered cyclonic vacuums can suffer the same maintenance issues associated with any bagless vacuum when it comes time to empty the collection bin.
Fully cyclonic central vacuums are sometimes marketed as "filterless" vacuums. The fully cyclonic system suffers from the same issues as filtered cyclonic models and often require more maintenance to sustain peak performance. The secondary screen filter in fully cyclonic models becomes clogged with light debris that will not be removed from the air including animal fur, carpet fibers, upholstery & clothing lint and other high surface area - low weight debris. This includes material such as polyfiber fill, feathers and Styrofoam. Unlike Permanently Filtered bagless vacuums where the filter element will automatically shed debris while you vacuum, Full Cyclonic vacuums must be manually cleaned when they clog. The filter screen will most often require maintenance each time the vacuum is emptied and in some applications, such as homes with multiple indoor pets of fur or feather, you will need to clean the filter screen more often to prevent low flow performance. Once debris begins to collect on the filter screen the vacuum system's performance will drop. A drop in airflow allows more (and smaller surface area) debris to escape the cyclonic action and become entrapped in the filter screen which in turn reduces the efficiency, allowing more (and smaller again surface area) debris to collect on the filter and so on, and so on. This downward spiral will quickly result in unusable performance and require maintenance often times before your collection bin is full.
A complaint we often hear about cyclonic vacuums is messy maintenance. The secondary filter is mounted deep inside the vacuum and maintenance results in dirt and debris falling out of the vacuum onto the wall, floor and the person's clothing that is performing the required maintenance. The messy maintenance of Cyclonic vacuums is often a sore point for unsuspecting new CVS owners. Cleaning the central vacuum quickly becomes a job for the "man of the house" in homes with a cyclonic central vacuum. The routine maintenance of a cyclonic vacuum may also lead to dirt sent back into the air where fine particulate may float around for hours becoming a hazard to those with allergies or asthma. One customer who described himself as allergic to house dust told us of his "cyclonic vacuum maintenance regimen" which involved a painters dust mask and a tire/wheel brush with a long handle to clean the filter screen inside his fully cyclonic power unit. The inability to use a closed-top disposable bag limits the cyclonic vacuum mounting locations to dirty areas including the garage or unfinished basement.
Another design concern of Cyclonic central vacuums is the requirement for an outside exhaust. Due to the volume and size of particles that are vented from these vacuums they must have their dirty air exhausted to the outside air to prevent contamination at the mounting location. Fully cyclonic vacuum systems are not dangerous due to venting requirements, just more limited for some applications and locations. Permanently filtered, Hybrid and Disposable Filter vacuums can be vented within the same room which they are mounted, though we recommend venting any central vacuum to the outside when possible.
Cyclonic vacuums are limited in the type of debris they can safely or easily recover and should never be used to clean ultra fine particulate including baby powder, dry wall dust or fireplace ashes. Cyclonic action in residential central vacuums is not strong enough to remove these low weight, high surface area particles from the air stream and they will be pulled through the motors impellers and exhausted out of the vacuum. We are often asked about the potential for motor damage if a fully cyclonic vacuum is accidentally overfilled resulting in large debris being pulled through the motor. While a filtered cyclonic system protects the motor from the possibility of overfill damage a fully cyclonic vacuum does not.
This type of damage can destroy a central vacuums motor impellers which are not designed to contact debris and can destroy the entire motor unit if contact is severe enough. Accidental overfill damage is not considered a manufactures defect and is not covered by the warranty. No central vacuum motor system is designed or specially made to contact debris. Fully Cyclonic vacuums over time will also develop a collection of dust on the impeller blades. In humid areas this can happen more quickly which can result in an out-of-balance condition that can lead to motor bearing failure. For those fully cyclonic vacuum manufacturers that offer a lifetime parts warranty this type of damage would be covered as it is not the fault of the user. Careful consideration should be used with the application of a fully cyclonic central vacuum in a home where the cleaning system may be used by a cleaning service employee, children or other persons who may not keep a close eye on the debris level in the collection bin.
Bag Only units require the consumable disposable containers that can cost $15 - $20 per year. Bag Only units can be vented to the outside or vented at the unit providing for unlimited mounting locations. Thanks to the clean maintenance of a Bag Only system the power unit can even be mounted in an interior closet if no garage/basement is available or if you simply wish to make accessing your power unit more convenient. Along with disposing of all the vacuumed dirt, dust, debris, allergens, fleas, flea eggs and dust mites Bag Only units also allow you to quickly dispose of all the odors trapped within the collected debris - a highly coveted feature for those of us with inside pets. With allergens and dust trapped within the disposable collection container the Bag Only unit is the ideal design for those owner/operators with allergies. The dustless maintenance of a Bag Only unit means no puff back from dumping a bagless models collection bin full of dust and dirt into a garbage can which can send millions of ultra fine particles into the air where they may float around for hours aggravating allergies or triggering an asthmatic reaction. For many central vacuum users the Bag Only and HYBRID collection systems can fulfill the promise of truly convenient cleaning using a built in vacuum system.
Why Central vacuums It has been clinically proven that a central cleaning system is the most efficient means to rid your home of dirt, dust and allergens. Using a central cleaning system will not only easily maintain your home's neat appearance it will also allow you to maintain a healthy home. Central vacuums are also an excellent choice for green building and provide up to 5 points in the NAHB Green Building Guidelines. Central Cleaning Systems are not only more powerful, but are also many times more quiet and can provide perfect 100% filtration inside your home which can not be achieved using any portable vacuum that exhausts the return air into the same room your are cleaning. Central vacuums are both more versatile and more convenient to use than portable vacuums and unlike any portable vacuum, a Central vacuum System installed in your home will add resale value to your property often double or more the initial cost of the equipment.
The cost of purchasing and installing a central vacuum has fallen dramatically in the last 15 years thanks to increased production efficiency and robust competition that provides central vacuum users with a large selection of filtration methods to choose from. Conversely the cost of a quality portable vacuum has risen in the same period of time with some models now selling for more than the cost of a quality central vacuum installed in your home. Installing a central vacuum in your home is also easier now days with standardized tube and fittings that conform to the Uniform Building Code, and a do-it-yourselfer or handyman can often complete installation in two days for an existing home or less than a day for a new home under construction. We speak with thousand of people each year from all over the country and the question often is What's the best central vacuum? The answer is not a black box of confusing equations that can only be found with a slide rule by a professional installer. Knowledge is the answer and using this new tool you now have the key that can unlock the mystery of Which Central Vacuum is the Best for me. An Original Vacdepot Article. © 2014
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