More Central Vacuum Information

Lindhaus Powerhead with Unbreakable Belt

At Central Vacuum Stores, we are partial to the Lindhaus powerhead.  One reason is because of the cleaning capability, and another is because of the durability....but I would be falling down on the job if I didn't mention the superior belt design. 
Over the years we have sold thousands of Lindhaus powerheads, and to verify our findings Roger checked with Grant of MD Products.  MD's famous Stealth powerhead is manufactured by Lindhaus, and I believe I would be safe in saying MD has probably sold tens of thousands of these powerheads over the years. As far as we know, no one has ever reported a broken belt in a LIndhaus powerhead!  Now I am sure someone out there has broken a belt, but we've never had a customer report a broken belt to us.  If you have broken a belt on a LIndhaus or Stealth powerhead, give us a call at 1-800-221-8227, we'd love to hear from you and we'll send you a free belt just for calling.

We made one of our short YouTube videos highlighting the Lindhaus powerhead...take a look

Customer Reviews Central Vacuum Installation

Roger and I raised five kids so we have lots of respect for busy moms and dads who tackle DIY projects while raising a family.  Between school, sports, dance, and just life in general, I honestly don't know when they find the time to breathe. Last night was Halloween, and consider all those moms and dads taking their kids "Trick or Treating" or to a party somewhere....I get exhausted just thinking about it. Our kids take the grand-kids house to house every year on Halloween (thought you might enjoy a short slideshow of the grands' costumes this year, if not, please indulge grandma) Last week I got an email from a busy dad who spent a year installing a central vacuum system in his existing house.  I have great admiration for anyone trying to raise a family AND install a central vacuum system. I thought you might be inspired by his story...if you are check out the system he installed (Imperium CV7800) and just call us at 1-800-221-8227, if you need any assistance 

I wanted to drop you a line about my install experience on my Central Vacuum System.  I am a dad that has two active boys and coaching sports teams so getting time for the install was hard, but a little over a year the installation has been completed.  Central Vacuum Stores really helped coaching me through the install. Here is a picture of the motor assembly in the garage.
I have since tie wrapped the wires to neaten up the job and removed the lower receptacle box and went with the upper receptacle. You can also see that I have used your schedule 40 converter which was a big help when you don’t have much time and you can run to the store to get that extra elbow or sweep. I installed 8 inlets, connected all the low voltage wire.  All and all this system really made the wife happy. What POWER This is a vacuum system to have.I do suggest to people to buy a second hose and maybe attachments so you don’t have to keep carrying stuff up and down the steps especially with a 30-35 foot hose. That’s what I will be doing. 3 months ago I was talking to someone at work about it and they bought a head unit and hose from you guys to replace her old unit. My next project is finishing off the basement with a Home Media Center. Looks like you have some stuff that I need is on your website.

Thanks Central Vacuum Stores for all your help.

Timothy Riley

I.T. Technical Architect

Nutone CV450 Central Vacuum Parts and Motors Available

It's hard to say goodbye to an old friend...recently, Nutone discontinued the CV450 central vacuum power unit, and lots of central vac customers are going to feel like they are saying goodbye to an old friend.  This was a favorite among Nutone customers.  Ten years ago, when we first went on the Internet, we weren't sure what would sell, and I can remember having a hard time keeping the CV450 in stock.  They would just fly out of the warehouse.  Many of the sales for this product were to replace an older CV450.  It isn't hard to understand why customers loved this product.  It was all steel and had lots of power. 

At Central Vacuum Stores we have been an authorized Nutone dealer for almost 30 years and a factory authorized service center for over 20 years.  Nutone tells us that we are their largest distributor in, not just Florida, but the Southeast United States.  We still sell all the parts and motors (it was a dual motor system) for this unit, if you want to keep your CV450.   We sell the genuine Nutone attachments and tools,  genuine Nutone hoses, and also the motors for this unit (it was a dual motor system!)
If you want to replace your Nutone CV450 power unit and want a steel power unit, we can recommend the Nutone CV850, which is a powerhouse, but you will need 240v for this unit. If the CV850 is overkill and you would like a power unit made of high quality, engineered thermoplastic, Nutone also has their newer VX line, and the VX550 has similar specs to the Nutone CV450.  

The Nutone CV450 had a disposable bag and lots of customers really like this feature.  If you like central vacuum power units with disposable bags, we have a few units, manufactured by other reputable companies, that we highly recommend because of the reliability, price point, and impressive specs...take a look at our "We Recommend" Bagged Units page. 

As always, we love to hear from you, so  if you have any questions about replacing the Nutone CV450, or just replacing Nutone genuine parts call us at 1-800-221-8227.

Central Vacuum Motor for Cyclonic Systems: Seeing is Believing

Recently we were given a cut-away Lamb Ametek tangential bypass motor.   This is the motor that is used in true cyclonic central vacuum systems.  We thought you would all like to see how this motor works, so we let Faith Elliott, our Professional Engineer, make a short YouTube video explaining in plain terms (she calls the armature and carbon brushes the "guts" of the motor) how this type of motor works. Seeing is believing, and once you see this video you will understand that in a true cyclonic system the dirt, dust, and fine particles you pick up do not enter the  chamber of the central vacuum motor that houses the armature and carbon brushes. Take a look at the true cyclonic systems on our website. Just click the video if you would like to view a larger version on YouTube.

Nutone CV350 Central Vacuum Packages

Some of our customers like to customize their central vacuum purchase, choosing each and every component with care, but other customers prefer our complete central vacuum packages.  They like to click once and add everything they need to their cart.  One of the units we've put into three packaged specials is the Nutone CV350 central vacuum power unit.  The CV30 is the classic design that made Nutone a household name.  For years, this was the unit builders trusted to put in new homes.  At Central Vacuum Stores we have sold a boatload of these central vacuum power units....we've been selling and installing them for over 30 years! Take a look at our packaged specials and see if one of these will meet your needs. 

If you have any questions, just give us a call at 1-800-221-8227 and we'll be happy to help you. 

NuTone CV350 Super Packages

CV350 Package 1	CV350 Package 2	CV350 Package 3
$480.00	$505.00	$675.00
NuTone CV350 Rating Info	NuTone CV350 Rating Info	NuTone CV350 Rating Info
4 Inlet Kit	4 Inlet Kit	4 Inlet Kit
Bare Floor Tool Kit	Air Driven Tool Kit	E Classic Electrical Tool Kit
1 Pkg NuTone Bags	1 Pkg NuTone Bags	1 Pkg NuTone Bags
White Inlets Add to cart	White Inlets Add to cart	White Inlets Add to cart
Ivory Inlets Add to cart	Ivory Inlets Add to cart	Ivory Inlets Add to cart

Central Vacuum System Featured on HGTV Divine Design

I love Candice Olson's show Divine Design.  She's a 6' tall, Canadian designer, who really does have divine design taste.  On October 10th, the episode involved a first floor makeover she did for a member of her design team.  I thought our customers would be interested to know that she installed a central vacuum system in the house.  They mention it on the Divine Design website  "We also put in hardwood flooring, installed a central vacuum system and put up new ceilings with wiring for flat-mount stereo speakers."  Candice highlighted the built in vac pan  during the show.  The vac pan she installed featured the stainless steel trim plate. Both these items are available on our website.

This was a redesign, so the house was already built, and of course we always want to encourage our customers to go ahead and tackle a retrofit of a central vacuum system.  Almost every home can be retrofitted with a central vacuum system.  Sometimes it involves a little innovation, but Central Vacuum Stores is among the most experienced central vacuum installation companies on the internet, and we can talk you through almost any installation job. Just call us at 1-800-221-8227.

I do remember years ago, Gary Sheffield, the baseball player, wanted a central vacuum system installed in his house....Gary didn't live too far from us, down on Pinellas Point in St. Petersburg, Florida.  The house he built was a fortress, and I mean a fortress. 
Everything was poured concrete and there was no attic access.  We would have had to run all his pipe on the outside of the house, underground, and core drilled through his walls...we could have done it...but he opted out.  We did update a vac system for Gary's uncle, Dwight Gooden.  Someone had installed a tiny little vac unit for an 8000 square foot house.  We installed a powerful cyclonic unit which worked great, but unfortunately his life didn't work out as well as the vac system.

So, unless you have a house like Gary Sheffield, you can probably install a central vacuum system.  If you have questions, just call us at 1-800-221-8227, or visit our DIY knowledge base to find answers to your questions. 

Central Vacuum Motors: Domel and Lamb Ametek

At Central Vacuum Stores, we know that no two people are alike, no two families are alike, and no two houses are alike, so we always try to match a central vacuum system to the needs of our customer.  That being said, there are more than just two central vacuum motor manufacturers in the industry, but Domel and Lamb Ametek do seem to dominate the market.  Domel is a good motor, made in Europe.  For a while some online retailers were saying that Domel motors were made in Germany.  I had to blog about that to set the record straight (you can read that blog here) and the misinformation has since been corrected.

Lamb Ametek is a huge company manufacturing central vacuum motors on four continents, North America, South America, Europe, and Asia (some even in China). The motors they manufacture in China are some of the less expensive, smaller motors.  Lamb has been manufacturing vacuum motors for over 90 years, and has a solid reputation for quality and cutting edge technology.  You can read more about the company here. They are the largest manufacturer of vacuum motors in the world.

You can also check out our homemade YouTube video, where Roger explains a little bit about central vacuum motors.   

At Central Vacuum Stores we are partial to cyclonic units...you can read why.  Most of our employees have central vacuum systems in their homes and most of them have cyclonics.  Faith and Craig do not have cyclonic units.  Faith has a Rhinovac filtered unit, and Craig has the Imperium CV300. 

There are three major brands of cyclonic central vacuum units, Vacuflo, VacuMaid,and Imperium (Imperium is manufactured by Lindsay, the parent company of VacuMaid).  Cyclonic central vacuum systems have unique motors designed by Lamb Ametek specifically for cyclonic units.  That means the fan blades are specifically designed to not load with dirt.  There are some false claims on the Internet about the motors of cyclonic units.  And just like the Domel motor blog, I need to set the record straight with this blog.  The claim is dirt goes through the armature and carbon brushes.  This is a blatantly false claim.  In a cyclonic unit, the dirt enters the unit where 98% is drawn down into the dust can by the cyclonic action.  The other 2% is the fine dust that is suspended in the air.  That suspended dust goes through the no load fan and is exhausted to the outside.  The dirt and dust NEVER come in contact with your armature or carbon brushes. Our favorite Lamb Ametek motors are the 7.2" and the 8.4"

At Central Vacuum we have been installing, selling, and servicing central vacuum systems longer than anyone on the Internet.  We are installing products everyday in our local market.  We aren't bragging, it is just fact.  Cyclonic central vacuum motors are some of the cleanest that we have seen, and they are not in for repair any more or burn up any sooner than other central vacuum motor. That's why Roger and I have always had a cyclonic unit with a Lamb Ametek motor.  Even when all five of our kids were home and I was vacuuming multiple times a day, that Lamb Ametek motor kept going and going for years and years.

Vroom Central Vacuum Retractable Hose for Kitchen Cleanup

One of the things I really enjoy doing is baking for the family.  Because of all the health benefits, I purchased a mill and actually grind my own flour.  Let me just say,  on those baking days there is usually lots of flour to clean-up.   On Saturday, I accidentally flipped on the switch to the mill without it being properly hooked up and flour went everywhere.  I love the VROOM.  I opened the kitchen cabinet pulled out the hose, the central vacuum automatically turned on, and I cleaned up all that flour in seconds.  If you would like something that allows up to grab a hose and clean up a mess in seconds...take a look at the VROOM on our website.  Central Vacuum Stores is the only company authorized by HP Products to sell the VROOM online.  If you see it somewhere else, it's bootlegged and you won't have HP Products and their dealer network to support your purchase.

As I said, one of the reasons I grind my own flour is for the health benefits, and speaking of health benefits, at Central Vacuum Stores we believe employees that don't have to spend time and effort worrying about health insurance or how they are going to pay the doctor, can have the peace of mind to really concentrate on their jobs.  So, we begin by offering a quality health insurance plan for our employees AND their families that is paid 100% by Central Vacuum.  Then we go a step further and give each employee a health reimbursement account to help pay for their deductibles, and that is also fully funded by the company. 

We also encourage exercise and cheer on our co-workers who are choosing healthy foods and dropping pounds.  In our own quest for healthier eating, my daughter Dawn and I decided to plant an organic garden last year. The grandkids all got involved and it was great fun, in spite of some of the frustrations.  We learned about using garlic spray and soap spray to keep bugs off. (Roger kept saying, "Can you say Sevin Dust?")  We learned that next year we have to plant our cucumbers earlier....so Dawn won't have to murder another pickle worm...And we learned that okra plants grow very, very tall. 

Our best lesson began this summer when we read a blog about planting sweet potatoes.  The post said if we planted the potatoes in the summer we could harvest the leaves and eat them like spinach, then in the fall we would have sweet potatoes.  So we planted several sweet potatoes in the summer, but unfortunately, only one came up.  When it sprouted it grew really fast and really big.  Dawn harvested the leaves, sauteed them in butter(just like spinach), and served them to her family on more than one occassion, although she was perplexed by the thorns on the stems.   Roger would go out to the garden and eat the leaves raw. 

A couple of weeks ago, Dawn came over to work in the garden and she said Jonathan (my oldest grandson) had mentioned that we might not want to eat those sweet potato leaves anymore, because he saw a weed outside that looked just like them.  Dawn and I decided to take our little shovels and dig gently around the plant so we could see the sweet potatoes growing.  So, we dug up a little ground, then we dug a little deeper, and a little deeper, finally  we dug completely around the plant and Dawn realized she had been feeding her family weeds!  So this is our next purchase...

Weeds of the South

Charles T. Bryson  

Paperback, 512 pages

University of Georgia Press
June 25, 2009

Many Central Vacuum Systems Ship Free to Canada

Last week, Marilynn, our Administrator, asked me to keep an eye out for an incoming wire transfer from Ireland.  Seems one of our Irish customers was making a purchase and paying by wire.  Since you are reading this blog, you can look over on the right sidebar and see the little map of the world.  Every day we have international readers joining us on this blog and many, many more visiting our website. 

At Central Vacuum Stores we embrace the global community and ship all over the world. I know we've shipped products to more places than most people have stamps on their Passports, places like, Saudi Arabia, Greece, the Carribbean Islands, Mexico, South America, England, Belgium, Indonesia and many others. (I'll check our database and in a future post I'll let you know just how many different countries we do sell  to.)  We've been doing this for some time and have gained a lot of expertise in overseas shipping.  We know the ins and outs and are experienced in dealing with freight forwarding companies.  So wherever you are, give us a call and we can arrange to get you just what you need.  Our 800 number is a U.S. number, so you will have to call us on our regular line 727-526-5188 or email renee@centralvacuumstores.com.

Of course, I can't leave out our neighbors to the North.  At Central Vacuum Stores, we love our Canadian central vacuum customers and they love us, too!  I got this email last week from a satisfied Canadian customer...

Hi Renee,
The vacuum unit arrived in fine shape and I installed it without any problems.  We are very pleased with its quiet operation and great suction. And I was very impressed with your free delivery offer to a Canadian address.
Cheers
Stan M.

You read that email right!  We don't just ship to Canada, we ship many of our products FREE to Canada! This customer wanted one of our Imperium central vacuum systems, the CV3200 (one of our customer's favorites) and Central Vacuum Stores ships all Imperium products free to Canada. You can read all about our Free Canadian Shipping here. 

So, if you are in our backyard, or across the sea, give us a call and we can get you the central vacuum product you want.

Questions About a Central Vacuum Installation

Our son, Thomas, will be graduating from Georgia Tech in December.  He's been majoring in Industrial Engineering and we are very excited for him because Georgia Tech is rated the #1 Industrial Engineering school in the country and he is only 21 years old!   (We're also very excited because during that first year at Tech, we didn't know if he was going to make it!  How many of you mom and dads can relate to that? )  During this last semester he is working on a Senior Design Project.  These projects involve working with a local company to help them find a solution for a specific problem.

A couple of years ago we had a young man, Chase, who was working on a Senior project, contact us with some questions about central vacuum systems. Brad Prince kindly answered these questions for Chase. Remember, if you have any questions you can just pick up the phone and call us at 1-800-221-8227 and Brad, or any of our other central vacuum experts will be happy to assist you.  You can also check out our DIY Knowledge Base, which includes just about anything you'd ever want to know about a central vacuum system. Our DIY Knowledge Base is the result of years of central vacuum installation experience. Central Vacuum Stores is one of the only central vacuum companies on the Internet actually installing systems on a day to day basis.  We've installed thousands and thousands over the years,in both residential and commercial applications.  In fact, Central Vacuum employees have over 80 years of combined central vacuum installation experience.  We've installed systems in the Tropicana Bottling Plant, Home Shopping Network, and the Orlando Airport Air Traffic Control Tower, just to name a few.  To give our online customers the DIY help they need, we've brought Brad Prince, our most experienced installer, in from the field to answer phones.

We first published Chase's questions back in 2007, so in the spirit of recycling, we're bringing back this blog post.  Brad's answers to Chase's questions are in blue.

Hi, this is Chase Jones. I first just want to thank you again and if you could answer some more questions for me that would be great. I might of already asked you some of these but please answer them again.

1)Could you please state experience and reason for expertise?

I have been in installation of built in vac systems from day one here at Central Vacuum Stores.  About 2 years after that, I began installing intercoms. I had had some construction related experience previous to that. I've been at Central Vac Stores for 27 years.

2)When you are on the job and installing your product do you run intoany problems while running tubing, piping, wiring, ext. through TGIs,floor joists, or 2 X 4s?

There are usually no problems with the structural items you've mentioned that we cannot get around or through.I am sensitive to codes concerning framing and if I have a question,I will almost always defer to the head carpenter or superintendent for advice.

3) What are your methods for installing tubing, piping, wiring, ext?

You start with a sharp bit 2 9/16" with a right angle plumber's kit type drill.We use Milwaukee.I will establish the best locations for the inlet valves based on typically a 30' hose. Next I will drill all of my holes to prep for the tube and wire.After that,I set my mounting brackets then stub up or down depending on the location of my main trunk run.After that I will join my stubbed inlet brackets into the trunk line run.I will continue this all the way to the unit location.
   Then I will stub an exhaust to the outside.Now it's time to wire.I start with the inlet farthest away from the unit location.My wire pay out will be made as smooth as possible.I make a run of wire all the way to the unit.making my way back,I pull a loop to each inlet location.I leave a lenght of 6" looped at the valve openings.I also will use cable ties to fasten the wire along the tube.
   Once that is done, we are ready to protect our work.Using electrical grade nail plates,place one on each side of any top plate or sole plate the tubing and wire pass through.Also use the plaster guard supplied with the mounting bracket.

4)Have you ever had problems with pipe and tubing not being straight vertically or horizontally when installing around or through TGIs, floor joists, or 2 X 4s?

I haven't had any problems routing the tubing through the various structures you've mentioned. The vac tube has some flexibility to it and you can, over longer runs have slight curves or bends.  The important thing is to cut the tube lengths square and make sure the tube only is glued and the tube end is inserted completely in the coupling receiver.

5)What are the current solutions for these problems that you use or that are on the market?

The solutions for these mentioned above are securing the tubing with pipe straps and cable ties.

6)When drilling to install piping or tubing do your holes ever not line up?

Often. Typically we'll have a 2X4 fire block , truss, or joist in the way. The fire block because of the nails to avoid.That's when a couple of 45 degree fittings are ideal in an offset to make a great transition around such obstacles

6a)If so have you ever had to re-drill those holes?

Sometimes.That's where the pre planning walk through is helpful. You are less likely to haveto re-drill holes.

6b)If so how much time is spent re-drilling holes?

In a well planned rough in, very little time if any will be spent re-drilling.Also you see more when your on the ladder and close to your work.You make adjustments right there on the fly.
 

Celebrate Labor Day: Buy a Central Vacuum System Made in the USA

Since Monday is Labor Day and we are celebrating the great American worker, I thought i should probably highlight just a couple of the many products we sell that are made right here in the U.S.

First, when it comes to power units, the best, most reliable, and powerful central vac systems available are made in the states.  Vacuflo, VacuMaid, AstroVac, and our own Imperium central vacuum systems are all made in the U.S.A.  Unfortunately, you can't buy Vacuflo online, but if you are interested, just give us a call and we can put you in touch with a Vacuflo dealer in your area. 

VacuMaid, AstroVac and Imperium central vacuum systems are all made by LIndsay Manufacturing.  Lindsay is a family owned company with years of experience in the Industry.  We've been in this business for years, and Roger says that Winston Lindsay(Linsay Mfg.was started by his father in1958) knows more about central vacuum systems than anyone he knows.  Winston doesn't just know the how of central vacs (like so many vendors today), he knows the why.  He can explain to you the difference between one motor and another and why one unit needs this motor and another unit needs another. At Lindsay they don't play games with specs...the ratings you see are reliable, tested according to standards. Linday products are designed to do what central vacuums should do...clean!  You won't find all kinds of superfluous bells and whistles, just powerful units that last and last!

The innovations that LIndsay adds are really cutting edge...Take the Imperium CV7700.  This central vacuum power unit, manufactured by Lindsay Manufacturing is the greenest central vacuum system on the market today.  Our customers love this machine...it is a best seller....

Features of the Imperium CV7700

• Repairable long-life motors  - Special interrupters stop the motor near the end of brush life so that the brushes can be replaced prior to damage to the motor
• "Off is Off" - Less standby power. Features an On/Off switch that turns the power unit off completely, no energy leakage.
• IAQ, Green Label - The Imperium CV7700 has earned the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Green Label for indoor air quality. Our cyclonic central vacuum systems remove the dirt, dust, and allergens completely from the home because you vent it to the outside.
• Green Built - Proudly made in the USA, the Imperium CV7700 is manufactured by Lindsay Mfg. in a modern plant which uses products and processes that retain and recycle lubricants, minimizes or eliminates most volatile organic compounds and produces few carbon emissions in the production of Imperium Central Vacuum Systems.
• Recyclable - The Imperium CV7700 is totally recyclable featuring a 100% steel canister with no irreclaimable plastic body parts to fill landfills and dumps. Learn more about recyling your old central vacuum power units.
• Recycled and Recyclable Packaging - The shipping box and internal packing material are completely recyclable. No styro-foam or plastic is used in the shipping containers of our Clean Green Machine. The box and internal support pieces are made of at least 20% recycled materials.

Isn't it great to know that products like these are made in the U.S.A.?

Our own HolsterVac is also made here in the USA.  We know that, because we manufacture it ourselves.  A plastics company in the Tampa Bay Area makes the plastic model, and a woodworking shop makes the wood model.  A local electronics company solders the switches for us, and we put them together at Central Vacuum Stores.  This is a really neat product, and Roger says he is using it almost everytime he is in the garage.  Take a look at our video explaining the product...

Central Vacuum Ratings: Truth or Fiction

I haven't gone into internet watchdog mode for a long time, but I heard something today that makes me want to protect all those consumers looking for central vacuum systems on the internet.

It seems there are central vacuum companies on the Internet that choose NOT to publish the manufacturer's specifications on central vacuum power units.  Instead, they say they are doing their own testing and publishing their own findings.  Oh, yeah...that makes a lot of sense.  Super Duper Vacuum Online Store is conducting scientific tests of the power units in their "state of the art" vacuum repair room.

At Central Vacuum Stores we have been in this business for over 60 years, we have a Professional Engineer (Faith Elliott) on staff, yet we would still never have the audacity to publish our own specs.  We publish only the specs given to us by the manufacturer. These companies arrive at these specifications by doing strict laboratory testing of the units.  Now, each manufacturer may have their own method of testing, but nevertheless, these tests are consistent and you can trust the results.  I'm sorry, you just can't trust the results of tests conducted in some vacuum store's back room...you want to ask...was there even an engineer involved in the testing?

So, I hate to do this to you guys, but if in doubt, you may want to verify any specs you  see on the Internet with the actual manufacturer's specs (These can often be found on the manufacturer's websites). 

Sometimes Breaking Up Isn't Hard to Do

You know the song, "Breakin' up is hard to do..."  Well, it may be so in relationships, but in business, that just isn't always true.  Sometimes breaking up is for the mutual benefit of everyone involved.

For several years we have carried the DuoVac central vacuum power unit on our website.  We like the DuoVac and have maintained a good relationship with John, the U.S. distributor for DuoVac.  Today, John called and said another company was asking for exclusive rights to the DuoVac central vacuum system. 

At Central Vacuum Stores we are a factory authorized dealer for all the major U.S. central vacuum companies...Beam, Vacuflo, VacuMaid, Nutone, AirVac, Hoover, Eureka. and others.  In addition we are the U.S. distributor for RhinoVac and we have our own, well known brand, Imperium. Because of this, we just haven't really promoted the DuoVac central vacuum system.  We know it, and it really isn't going to change.

So, when John called, we weren't surprised and we parted with kind words and a mutual wish for the other's success. So, very soon, possibly today, you won't be finding the DuoVac on our website anymore...but you can check out the systems we recommend...

Cyclonic systems

Bagged systems

Filtered systems

Central Vacuum Customer Referrals

At  Central Vacuum Stores we love our customers, and we found out that if you love your customers, they will love you back. We get a steady stream of customer referrals...we like to call them "love letters".  Well, the other day one of our expert staff received this  email from a satisfied customer:

Thank you Debra,

I have ordered this part.Central Vacuum Stores is on my very short list of companies with the best customer service in the US.  I appreciate your assistance with this

Steve Lambert

Well, thank-you Mr. Lambert, now the rest of the world knows what we've known for sometime...Central Vacuum Stores is one of the best customer service companies in the U.S! (We're just waiting by the phone for Forbes or the Wall Street Journal to call us and ask us the secret of our success)

For us, customer service doesn't just mean serving the customers we have one on one contact with....we are always looking for ways to enhance our customer service to all the folks that visit our website and buy products from us. This week we added a great new feature to our shopping cart, which will enhance the shopping experience of all our customers.  When you go to the shopping cart you will see thumbnail images of all the items you have added to your cart, along with a link to take you back to that item.  This way you will remember everything you've added, plus you can go back to the item easily and make sure you have what you wanted.  We've also made the delete function easy to find so that you can easily remove an item it it isn't what you want.  The new shopping cart enhancements look like this....try it out....

Delete	Product
Delete		7611 Central Vacuum Imperium CV7700 Power Unit

Central Vacuum Installation for Do-It-Yourselfers

If you are looking for advice for your do-it-yourself central vacuum installation, Central Vacuum Stores can give you all the help you need.  We've got an extensive DIY knowlege base that includes installation guides, troubleshooting tips, and so much more. 

In addition, our most valuable tool for do-it-yourselfers is our trained experts waiting by the phones to answer your questions. Brad Prince, a long time Central Vacuum Stores employee and installer contributed this article to our blog....

I Don’t Get Out Much

By: Brad Prince

About three years ago, I was brought in from the outside service and install department to work in the office as a tech support and sales guy for the web site.  Since I began offering tech support to our online customers, I don't get out to do installations too often. Every once in a while I will be asked by our service scheduler, Chhaya, to pick up an intercom or vac service call in our local area (Tampa Bay). However, it has been a long time however since I have ventured out to do an actual central vacuum rough in.

One of our service techs recently took some time off due to minor surgery and so I was called on to help out on an outside job.  It was a central vac rough-in for a Hide A Hose (H.A.H.) installation. The job involved a remodel that included a room and kitchen addition, so  it had to be done in three stages.

My work was the first stage. I would prepare the rest of the house for the vacuum feed for two of the Hide a Hose valves and ready the system for the third Hide a Hose valve. This third valve would be in the kitchen and would service the family room, living room and kitchen.

One of my tasks was to run the tubing that would accept the retracting hose.  I ran that tubing for 27 ft. before introducing it to the trunk line with a sweep tee. That tubing and the main trunk line was stubbed to what would be the attic over the kitchen. Later, when that portion of the house was ready, one of our install techs would finish the job using that connection.

Generally an installation would move right along but I did find this job to be a little taxing. First, the job called for work on a 12 ft. ladder, which slowed down the process. Also, being a Hide a Hose installation, the job was a little more complicated, plus it was a typical sub tropical day in Florida with about 97% humidity.  I’m not complaining, mind you, I enjoy doing this work. But this particular job reminded me that I give installation advice to many of our customers who call in and purchase this type of equipment, and often time our customers are tackling central vacuum installation projects that far exceed this one in difficulty.

I guess what amazes me, after being out on this job, is that our customers are doing these installations themselves, and doing them in a professional manner! Kudos to all of you and I hope your installation and the satisfaction it brings gives you a great feeling of accomplishment. It does me, every time I wrap up an install and turn on that hose.