More Central Vacuum Information

Central Vacuum: The Real Thing

Last week I saw a website for an IT company here in St. Petersburg, Florida.  I know this company, and it is a one man operation.  He operates out of his home.  However, on his website he had pictured a big fancy building with his company name Photo-shopped on the building. I live in this area so I know the building and this guy doesn't even have an office there!  Unbelievable?   Not really.  I guess it isn't uncommon for smaller companies to do this...there was a company selling central vacuums on the internet that did the same thing. 

We want you to be assured that Central Vacuum Stores is a real company with real people.  We aren't a mega store and we aren't ashamed of that.  We also don't operate in our pajamas out of our garage.  You've seen and read about our employees on this blog...well now, courtesy of Google Maps, you can see our building using their new street view feature.  In certain metropolitan areas across the country Google took pictures of the entire city (I'm guessing).  They offer street view of addresses in the Tampa Bay Area...I'm embedding the link so you can see who we are.  The Central Vacuum Stores building is our main warehouse, and we also own the white warehouse to the left of our main warehouse.

View Larger Map

Central Vacuum Referral Says it All

A recent email from a central vacuum customer:

Renee,
I am in love with our new central vacuum system.  It's hard to believe that keeping my house clean is so easy - and we have two dogs and five cats living in our home!  My only regret is that we waited so long to install it.  Now I'm remembering all the weekends I wasted trying to catch up on my vacuuming.  That's not a worry anymore because everyday I can quickly grab the hose, plug it into the outlet and vacuum up any mess.  I can even vacuum when my husband is still sleeping because he can't hear any vacuum cleaner noise in the bedroom.  I am a happier woman.  Take it from me... if you want a clean house but you hate vacuuming - the time, the noise, the dust that blows right back into the house, the mess of emptying the bag or canister every few minutes - then give yourself a break and get a central vacuum system.  Thank you for a great product!!
Kim A.

With two dogs and five cats, Kim can surely appreciate our Pet Lover's Accessory Kit.

We Do Structured Wiring

In addition to central vacuum systems and intercoms we also sell and install structured wiring systems and components.  The installation experience we have is important because that means we can help our online customers install these products themselves.  Here is a recent email from one of our structured wiring customers.

I have not completed all work, however everything is good so far; I have
completed rough-in wiring for the RG-6 and CAT-5 wiring.  Once the
drywallers complete their work, then I will finish final connections.  Thank
you for your assistance for the orders and the return.  I have attached a
picture of the central communications box that I purchased from Central
Vacuum Stores.

Structured Wiring at Central Vacuum

Central Vacuum Hose Finder

We have a really great interactive tool on our website for finding a replacement hose for your central vacuum system.  If you are looking for a hose, our interactive tool will take you through the steps to locate the proper hose for your system.  It is truly "dummy" proof.  Not that I think any of our customers are dummies...but you know what I mean...
Central Vacuum Hose Finder

Happy Easter

I wanted to wish all our customers and friends Happy Easter.  Tomorrow is Easter, and right now I am sitting in my living room, looking out my picture window at the rain pouring down.  It has been a dreary, cloudy, sun-less day.  Here in St. Petersburg, Florida it is unusual to have a day without sunshine.  In fact, when I was growing up we used to have an afternoon paper called The Evening Independent.  Any day that the sun did not shine meant you would get a free paper the next day!  I don't think they had to give too many away! 

The gloominess today reminds me of what Easter is really all about.  No matter what life looks like, we have the  promise and hope of new life..."It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!"

Speaking of Friday, we had lots of fun at Central Vacuum on Friday...it was our annual Employee Egg Hunt.  Roger and I  go into the store on Thursday night before Easter and hide eggs with $20 bills inside.  Everyone has a great time as they discover the hidden eggs throughout the day.  With the egg hunt behind us, we know that Spring is here.  If you are planning some big cleaning, take a look at all the accessories we have for your central vacuum system. 

Central Vacuum Motor Information

Central Vacuum: Helping Is Our Passion

Everyday at Central Vacuum Stores our staff of experts goes about the business of offering help and assistance to our customers across the country.  Sometimes we have the opportunity to step outside our four walls and offer a different kind of help and assistance to those in other parts of the world. 

Recently, we were given the opportunity to donate and collect items to be distributed to a poor community and school in Colombia.  Our staff is passionate about helping our customers, but I saw the same passion as they were able to help, in a tangible way, those less fortunate.  During the first week of March our Web Project Manager and her mother visited the area and distributed the items we collected. I thought our customers would enjoy seeing a video of the Colombian children performing a traditional dance for their visitors from America.

Central Vacuum Article Is A Winner

This article was submitted by Mary Anderson, Assistant to the President at Central Vacuum Stores, and was the 1st Place winner in Central Vacuum Stores, first ever, Article Contest. 

If You Can't See It, Is It Really There?
I have been thinking lately…if you can’t see it is it really there?  This isn’t a Faith vs Science question, but it pertains to dirt and debris.  I had a customer call the other day looking for a Central Vacuum System.  His wife had just been diagnosed with allergies and he was concerned for her health.  We discussed his options for a whole house cleaning system and then I asked what type of flooring he had.  He said it is all carpet.  I explained that this could be a source of the problem.  But a friend had told him that bare floors just allow the dirt to be stirred up into the air and that carpet at least holds the dirt down!  I was flabbergasted at this concept!  Why would you want to have a place for dust mites and dirt to cling?  He needs to see the Beam video that is on YouTube! 
If you can’t see it is it really there? 

At home I was vacuuming my ceiling fans with my new Ceiling Fan Vac Attachment.  The fans are up high where you need a stepladder.  They have stain glass globes with 6 small bulbs inside.  Some of the bulbs had burned out, so while I was up on the ladder, I replaced the burned out bulbs.  When I turned the fan light back on I was amazed at the dirt I had not vacuumed off!  Sure looked good in the dim light! I went back over them with my Nutone CT143B Dusting Brush to be sure they were spotless.  If you can’t see it is it really there? 

I recently added a table lamp to my bedroom dresser.  It illuminates nicely when selecting socks on a cold, dark morning rather than carrying them into the closet to verify color.  As long as I was looking down into the sock drawer everything was great – but when I looked up at the large mirror behind the new table lamp I saw dirt clinging from static electricity!  I always vacuum the frame around the mirror but now I know I need to turn on the light and vacuum the face of the mirror too!   If you can’t see it is it really there?

Central Vacuum Installation in Tight Spaces

Brad Prince, with over 26 years of installation experience , now stands by our phones to offer tech support to our online customers. Give him a call if you need any help;.  1-800-221-8227  He wanted to share this story:

While I was working last Saturday, a gentleman came in to purchase parts to finish his NuTone IMA-3303WH install.  While he was looking around the show room he asked, "Could I install a vac system in a home with a flat roof and only enough room to lower 12-18 inches of tube at a time?"  He really wanted to have the vac system and was willing to go to extraordinary lengths to get it done.

In the past I’ve been on installs that put me in that same situation.  Gary Lamb,our top tube tech,has been in spaces that seem humanly impossible to fit in. He has an incomprehensible attitude of "whatever it takes" as he goes about the task. This "matter of fact" approach has served our customers well over the years and when they turn on the switch of their central vacuum hose they are always delighted that their new vac is ready for use.

The method of installing in small spaces is this:

1.You must adjust your position to be able reach the location with the tools and materials.

2.Drill a 2-9/16" hole,best done with Plumbers Kit right angle drill motor.

3.At the first piece of tube, tuck 4-6" of 2 cond. wire into tube end. Two inches past that, wrap wire against tube with cable tie. At the top of the tube in front of the stop coupling,place another cable tie. This will hold the tube in a position that will in able you to pull it back up through the hole if the tube and coupling fall past the hole opening. This infuriating situation can be a real setback if the above technique is not followed.

4.Once the length of tubing and wire are lowered to inlet opening, the connection to the mounting bracket and face plate can be made. Having a person to do this task will speed this process.

We know why customers want to have one of our central vacuum systems up and running in the home. Most of us have one, Gary too, and all of them were retrofits. The above technique applies to attic installs, the type of retrofit most common for those of us in Florida.  Gary,being a fitness aficionado, gets ready by doing a series of stretches and other preparatory moves before retrofit installs.  Smart,huh?

You don’t have to be a tube tech like Gary, who has installed literally miles and miles of tubing, to install a central vacuum system. But, with a little patience, our online instructions, our fine line of products, and experts on board to offer you advice, you can get this done.

(Gary is also a personal trainer so let us know if you need some tips on how to get in shape for attic installations.)

Check out our Central Vacuum Installation Manual

Nutone Central Vacuum Attachments Upgrade an Old System

I recently received this email from a customer who decided to try to upgrade his older system by purchasing new central vacuum attachments and accessories.  His is a success story.  If you have an old system, and you think it is worthless, consider upgrading your attachment set.  Often customers blame their central vacuum system for poor performance instead of the real culprit, an inadequate attachment set.

"We have been in the process of renovating our house. We have an old Nutone
system in place from the 70's.  The old hose and vacuum head had died some
years ago and we were not happy with the either the hose or the head as they
were heavy and unwieldy. So we abandoned the central system and bought and
destroyed two upright vacuums through the abuse of our slow construction
process. After the last upright died we were considering one of the Dyson
vacuums as a replacement. Smarting from the sticker shock we actually
decided to replace the central hose and head as a stop gap measure until we
could figure out what we wanted in the way of an upright.

There has been a lot of improvement in the hoses and heads since the early
seventies! So we added an additional drop upstairs and then added two new
drops and an additional hose and head for the downstairs. We are very happy
with the end result and I don't think we spent much more than we would have
on the more expensive upright.

This was I think our third order from you. Since we are trying to match the
old system as best we can we have had to exchange pieces with you a couple
of times. Both times you folks were very helpful and your response time was
great. I wish you would handle some of the other things we need in our rehab
project."

Nutone Central Vacuum Attachments