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.
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