More Central Vacuum Information

Intercom Update Information

Greetings,
I thought I would address a possible intercom question that many of you may have but were afraid to ask.

Q:I have intercom equipment that is dated or no longer works and the replacement units look smaller or sized differently,what can I do for replacement?

A:On our web site,we have a full line of update frames that fill the needs of most of our intercom update customers.But there are some situations that require special attention.In this case you will need to contact us to make alterations to our existing line of frames or with your specifications,design a frame that will suit your needs.In any case,we look forward to the challenge to work with you to solve your intercom update needs.

Central Vacuum Parts

Here's an interesting email from a customer and an excellent solution from Debra, one of many innovative problem solvers at Central Vacuum Stores.

From Eric, a Central Vacuum Customer:
The floor brush that is for hard surface floors got chewed up by our chocolate lab puppy. How can i get a replacement?

Everything else is awesome i am sorry i waited so long to finish the installation.  We built the house in 2000 and just never had the money to finish the central vac. Glad its done!

From Debra at Central Vacuum Stores:
Thanks for your email back to us; and you had asked about suggestions for replacing a bare floor brush.  I attached a proposal that lists some bare floor brushes, but since you mentioned that your doggie chewed up the last one, I thought I would add the new metal floor brush that we have available that is almost certainly chew proof!

Central Vacuum Stores goes Above and Beyond

Our oldest son, Nathan, is a commercial pilot.  He flies out of Washington, D.C.  He wanted to be a pilot for a long time, but Nathan worked at Central Vacuum  while he was growing up, in college, and actually until the time he started flying commercially.  Recently we had a customer in Virginia who had ordered a system from us.  His installation plans fell through and called us looking for a local installer.  Roger gave him Nathan's number and on his day off he drove to the customer's house and installed the system for her.  Central Vacuum Stores once again goes above and beyond in customer service.  Here's a note the customer sent us...

Hi Renee

I am very please with the vacuum of it's power and performance - your son did an excellent job installing the vac. I thank you both Roger and you.
Dan L.

Central Vacuum Referrals VI

Central Vacuum Referral are kind of like the Rocky movies...they just keep coming.  Here's some from our latest batch....

Dear Ms. Ambrose,  
I dealt with Sales Specialist Marcie Cole.  She was professional,courteous and extremely helpful.  The unit I ordered arrived on time,was a breeze to install and has been working great.  My wife is extremely happy.  When she's happy, I'm happy.  Central Vacuum Stores, Inc. is an excellent company.  I wish it all the success possible.  
Kindest regards,
Joe from Carson City, Nevada

Thank you for your great service.  Everything works very well.  We are very satisfied with the fast, efficient service you provided us.
Thanks again,
The Egglestons  

You guys have been GREAT!  With our next building project we know we can do it ourselves and will order it from you! Thanks very much,  services was excellent and prices are fabulous.  Website is easy to navigate, too!
Michaele G.
**** ***** Builders

It was certainly a pleasure working with your company.  My order was
handled in a professional manner and delivery was as promised.  My new
central vacuum unit fit easily as a replacement for my 15 year old unit
that died.  One item that I really like is the muffler, what a
difference it makes for noise reduction. Should I require additional items for my system, there is no question that I  will be contacting Central Vacuum Stores again.
Regards,

Don W.

One word:  excellent.  Site was easy to use and service could not be faulted.  Your company could be a benchmark for E-trade.  I will certainly use your company for any other purchases of products you carry.
Thanks,
Mike M.

Regarding our  purchase of the Imperium Central Vacuum 
System.  My husband installed it in 1 day, and it is working great so 
far! Just wanted to let you know and say thank you to 
the staff that helped us make this decision.
Sincerely,
Norah 
B.

Hi,
I thought I would take the time to send you a thank you for your great service.I am very very satisfied with the short time it took when i placed the order & when I recieved the central vac.everything was in great shape.No dents no scratches no missing parts.The unit is up and running with no problems.I am very well pleased keep up the good work.
Thanks Again,
Larry G.

We made two orders from you and in the first one everything was just as we expected. The second one had a problem in that not all of the Nutone parts were included. We called and the missing parts were immediately shipped without charge. We have to say that we were very pleased with the installation kits and with the service.
Thanks
Ben & Cathy H.

Your company has exceeded my expectations in every way.  Your knowledgable staff were extremely helpful with my recent intercom upgrade.  They made sure I had everything I needed and answered all my questions thoroughly and made valuable suggestions.  It was also very comforting knowing that I had technical assistance available if I ran into any snags.  The installation went very smoothly and the system works and looks great.  Thanks again for all your help.  This is the way a business should be run.
Ron K.

Renee,
The parts I ordered worked perfectly and arrived shortly after I ordered them. I dealt with Debra, who was able to tell me about the parts so that I didn't have to order a more expensive unit. She has always been helpful and pleasant in each of our dealings. I've bought a number of things from your store, and I won't hesitate to call again when the need arises. Thanks for being there.
Bob

Order was exactly what I needed. Excellent price, too.
Thanks!
Dave P

Thanks so much - you guys are just way too efficient - a joy to do business with.
 

Installing a Central Vac in a Plenum Environment

Recently a customer emailed us this question:

"If the central vac is being installed in a plenum environment, is there anything special required? Can PVC pipe be used?"

When I saw this I thought, "What the heck is a plenum environment"  so I forwarded the email onto Brad, our resident expert.  Brad was a central vacuum and intercom installer for 25 years before we brought him in to work with our online customers.  Brad is standing by ready to answer any questions you might have about central vacs, intercoms, and the installation of both.  Our toll free number is 1-800-221-8227.  Here is Brad's answer about a plenum environment:

Good Morning Judy,

A plenum environment is one that is used to transfer air as in return and feed of  HVAC systems.  You should check with local codes to see if PVC is allowed.We have in the past used steel andin rare occasions 2" copper tubing for such applications.Also you will be required to use plenum rated wire.  I believe all this is required to minimize smoke in case of fire.

Central Vacuum Installation Help

Recently, Chase, a student working on his senior project, contacted us and asked if we could help him by answering some questions about central vacuum systems.  At Central Vacuum Stores we believe in the value of education, and so we like to help students when we can.  I turned his email over to Brad.  Brad went above and beyond in his explanations to Chase, and I thought I would share his correspondence with our customers just in case there's information here you can use. 

****************************************************************************
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?

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

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

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?

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

6)When on the job approximately how much time do you spend measuring
and drilling holes to install your product?

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

7a)If so have you ever had to re-drill those holes?

7b)If so how much time is spent re-drilling holes?

Thank you very much for your time and knowledge.
Chase Jones

***********************************************************************************************

Good Morning Chase,

I will list my answers in the order of your questions.

 

1) I have been in installation of built in vac systems from day one here at Central Vacuum Stores.  At 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 25 years.

 

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

 

6)  For a 5 inlet install, you will spend 45min.to 2 hrs. for walk through, and drilling.The time depends on the design of the dwelling.

 

7)  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.

 

7a) Sometimes.That's where the pre planning walk through is helpful. You are less likely to haveto re-drill holes.

 

7b)  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.

 

I appreciate the opportunity to put into words what I know concerning installation.I hope this is helpful regarding your project.

Yours Truly,

Brad Prince

A Brief History of Central Vacuum Systems

Our resident research specialist, Sean O'Connor came upon this really interesting article about the history of central vacuum systems.  Sean has a vast knowledge of all the products we sell at Central Vacuum Stores and is always looking for more information to share with our customers.  In his search he sometimes finds great articles.  Take a look at this brief history of central vacuum systems and don't forget to visit our website at https:www.centralvacuumstores.com for all kinds of technical information about central vacuum systems.
Here's the link to the article:  http://www.oldhousejournal.com/magazine/2002/jan-feb/vacuum.shtml

Central Vacuum Ratings and Customer Service

Just a reminder about central vacuum ratings.  To date, only one independent organization has rated central vacuum systems.  Any other rating system you see is just a vendor's opinion.  That doesn't mean we don't have favorite systems, it just means that apart from the Consumer's Report article, which system is the best is a matter of opinion. I bought a very outspoken friend a t-shirt a few years ago that said "I'm not opinionated, I'm just always right." 

After installing central vacuum systems for 28 years we do have some opinions and we have a store full of sales people who will be glad to recommend a system if you are unsure.  We still think the best way is for you to compare all the specs, (we have an incredible interactive comparison tool https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/chartm.htm ) and if you are still unsure call and talk to a member of our knowledgeable, experienced sales team. 1-800-221-8227.

This is our latest picture of the Central Vacuum Team.  We call it "The Class of '07".  They are all graduates from the school of Exceptional Customer Service. Unfortunately, Renee, Rosalind, Maris, Marcie, Dawn, Brandon,Dave, Carey, Gary, Micah, Faith, Dennis, and Cassie could not be there for the picture.  However, one of our lady employees came in for the picture after having back surgery the week before. View this photo
I think she did it to make those of us who didn't show up feel really guilty. Can you guess which one she is?
Email me your guesses, and if you are right, I'll send you a free sample pack of our Tornado Power Wipes for central vacuum systems. renee@centralvacuumstores.com

A Love Fest of Central Vacuum Referrals

We spent the Labor Day weekend with family and friends.  Our grandson, Jonathan will be ten on Wednesday.  Roger gave him a little boat we had and bought a small trolling motor for it. Here's Jonathan taking PaPa for a ride.

One of our friends who joined us for the weekend told us the "Satisfied Customer" section of our blog was like a Love Fest.  Well.. I cut, paste, and post these emails the way our customers send them, only omitting  last names or any personal information.  I just want to share the love.  However, sometimes things happen and customers are unhappy, but as you will see from the first two emails we work very hard to give each story a happy ending...

Renee,
The vacuum system is working great, but for the record it did not
arrive in great shape:  box torn open, broken electrical connector,
missing elbow piece.  I probably should have sent it back immediately,
but I did not realize that the items were damaged/missing until it was
already hung up on the wall.



The missing and broken pieces were promptly replaced, and I am satisfied in the responsiveness to my problems.
Thank you.
Eric V.
Renee,
I would like to thank you and Roger for the great customer service.I purchased a new central vacuum from you and unfortunately it had a manufacturer problem and didn't work correctly.  After trouble shooting via phone with Roger did not resolve the issue, he promptly sent me a new unit and a return label for the first one. It is in and works well.
Thanks again,
Best, 
JeffRenee:
Your company has been a pleasure to order from.  Everything worked out great.
Thanks
Scott


Dear Renee,

Everything worked great.  The delivery was very prompt and the 
installation was easy.

Thanks.

Paul

Dear Renee,
We are very pleased with the product so far.  Of course we have only gotten through the installation phase. We do not have all of the electrical supply for the new house in yet.  If the product functions as well as the installation process went...we should be very pleased.  The directions for installation were very easy to understand and follow.  We had every thing installed, except for the wire hooking the unit to the breaker box, completed in less than four hours.  The adaptors for the pvc to vacuum connectors is a fantastic idea.  We saved quite a bit of money.  I'll let you know how the electrical connection and vacuum function goes. 

Thanks for the follow up.
Have a great week!!!
Sherry

Dear Renee--

I was delighted with your products, your employees,your prices and your speedy service...I'll definitely turn to Central Vac again--thanks!

Karen

Renee,

Information you folks provided made my research painless and efficient.  Your site was easy to follow and your personal service and assistance was wonderful.  I've already recommended you to others. 
Ted Sulla


Central Vacuum did everything I had hoped - excellent product, speedy delivery, no hassles.  Buying on the net can be a risk - In this case itworked out very well!
Barry M.| Chief Operating Officer |


My wife said "Why in the world didn't we get this sooner?" It's great.
Joe
 

Thank you for your prompt response and replacement of  a defective part.
David


Hi Renee,
Thank you for the follow-up. I am very happy with my purchase from Central Vacuum. Debra was very helpful and my order was 100% percent what I needed, my home intercom system works so much better now! I will be placing another order with you in the future, I have no doubt!
Thanks again,
Gary Lowe


So far everything has been great. We are still in the process of
building and don't have it completely installed. I know I'm going to
love it though!!!
Tracy Weaver

I want to let you know, that I love my vacuum!  It arrived in excellent condition.  I was so relieved that it was so easy to purchase this type of vacuum system. online. Thanks for the great service and a great product.
Mae

Great and prompt service. You are certainly on my top list for future needs and recommendation to my friends.
Thank you
Dr. Raijman


As usual the service I received from your company was outstanding. Thanks 
Frank



The part I ordered and received for my Nutone bathroom fan was not 
available elsewhere, was priced fairly and shipped promptly. It worked 
perfectly, and I could do the installation myself. Thank you for being there. 


Bill C