Do You Need a Central Vacuum Cleaner?

Some of the newer and more expensive homes being built today have central vacuuming systems. Older homes generally don't, unless they were very expensive and full of the latest features at the time they were built. But do you really need a central vacuuming system? That depends on who you are, how much house you have to clean, and what other kinds of responsibilities you have. It could certainly be argued that no one actually needs a central vacuuming system, but for some people these systems definitely do make their lives much easier and are a great help to them. To find out if you're one of those people who would really benefit from one, it's important to know more about what a central vacuum really is and how it works. A central vacuum has hoses that run through the walls of a home and end in a collection chamber that's usually found either in the basement or in the garage. This chamber only needs to be emptied once every few months, making it very convenient for a lot of people who are tired of changing vacuum cleaner bags or emptying that bagless vacuum cylinder every time they clean. However, the collection chamber for the central system is large, and it can become heavy and cumbersome when it does have to be emptied.

If you want to have one installed in a home that's being built, it's pretty easy to do, and it won't be that expensive. However, if you want to have one installed in a home that's already constructed, this can be a lot more difficult. Of course, when difficulty levels rise prices rise also, so that's something that you'll need to keep in mind. The main problem comes in when you have a home that's very old. Some of these homes had much thinner walls than what homes are built with today. Because of that they don't have the space to run the hoses that are needed. Many of these homes simply cannot have central vacuum systems unless a person wants to tear out walls and actually make them thick enough to accommodate the hoses. Most people aren't willing to do that, and it wouldn't be cost effective. For others who have walls which are thick enough, the question then becomes whether they want to install their central vacuum system or whether they want a professional to do it for them. Professionals cost more, but they also avoid a lot of the hassle that a person would have to otherwise go through.

If you decide to have a pro put in your central vacuum system, check around. Not all companies charge the same and you want to make sure you're getting the best possible deal. Also make sure the company is properly licensed and insured, in case they damage anything in your home and then have to replace or repair it. If you decide the do it yourself approach is a better one, just be aware of the fact that it isn't the easiest job in the world and you need at least good, basic skills with standard tools. If you have trouble with it and have to call someone in to fix something you've damaged, you'll likely pay more than if you had a pro do it in the first place. Carefully weight all of these things against the convenience of it before you decide if you really need that central vacuum system.