Smart Homes: For allergy sufferers, central vacuum is nothing to sneeze at
By JAMES DULLEY, SPECIAL TO THE POST - INTELLIGENCER
Dear Jim: I am considering a central vacuum system because of my children's allergies. Should I vent it outdoors even though it will suck air out of the house? Are more powerful models best even though they use more electricity? -- Kim H.
Dear Kim: Installing a central vacuum cleaner is probably your best vacuum system option for removing allergens from the room air. Even though many of the small but powerful canister vacuum cleaners have high-quality HEPA filters, the exhaust air still will contain some very fine particles.
I have allergies to mold, dust and pollen, and I use a central vacuum cleaner most often.
A good-quality HEPA canister vacuum still comes in handy though for quickly cleaning small areas. Even with the new lightweight central vacuum hoses, it often is quicker to get out a small canister model.
If your primary concern is removing allergens, then venting the central vacuum outdoors is an option, but not necessarily the best. As you mentioned, it will suck much conditioned air from inside your home and this increases your utility bills.
When indoor air is sucked from your home, it is replaced by outdoor air that leaks in through cracks, around windows, etc. If your family is allergic to pollen and other outdoor allergens, the outdoor air that gets drawn indoors may contain more allergens than were in the indoor air initially.
With the multistage filtration systems that most central vacuum systems have, indoor venting is usually preferable.
Some of the manufacturers, such as Beam's Serenity Plus, offer units with extra soundproofing, exhaust filters and mufflers to reduce the noise level indoors.
Utility rooms and basements are common indoor locations for the central power unit.
More powerful models will clean faster and more thoroughly, so the additional amount of electricity used is not great.
Most dealers have guidelines for the minimum amount of power required for homes of various sizes.
It is possible to install a central vacuum system yourself, but most people have one installed by a dealer.
The systems use PVC piping that is assembled similarly to plastic drainage pipe in your home. In a two-story home such as mine, the main pipe is run in the corner of a first-floor closet to the second floor.
Safe low-voltage wiring is run to each outlet to switch the power unit on when the hose is inserted in the inlet.
MD Manufacturing has an optional electronic control system, Power3, that eliminates the need for the wiring. This simplifies installation, eliminates future broken wire problems and makes it compatible with fully automated home systems.
