More Central Vacuum Information

Are Imperium Central Vacuum Dealerships Available?

Q: I would like to install Imperium central vacuum systems in my local area.  How do I get set up as a dealer?

A: Central vacuum installation companies, security installation companies, contractors, electricians and plumbers ask us this question on a regular basis.  In response to these requests, Imperium Industries is now offering dealerships to installation companies across the country.  If you are interested you can call them and speak to a representative.  Their toll free number is 1-866-681-4058.

A: Here is a recent email from a contractor in Louisiana.  He would be a perfect fit for an Imperium Dealership. 

I am very pleased with my experience with Central Vacuum Stores.  Your customer service reps are courteous, knowledgeable, and prompt.  I really appreciate the fact that you guys answer the phone with a live, warm, breathing human being!  My orders have been shipped promptly, accurately, and have arrived when promised

I am in the process of installing a system in a new home I am building (I'm a licensed contractor in LA).  I will be ordered the vacuum canister & motor, hoses, handles, etc. in a few months as we near completion of the project.  I look forward to continuing to do biz with yall.  Thanks again for checking in!
Clifton B
******** Custom Homes
Lafayette, LA


 

Is there a "green" central vacuum?

I am concerned about the environment and want to do my share to help the planet.  Is there such a thing as a green central vacuum?

There is absolutely no question or even debate over this fact:  central vacuum systems are the only 100% dust free way to clean your home.  But, if you are looking for a green central vacuum system there are some things you want to consider. 

First, you will want to choose a system that doesn't have a paper bag, or filters made from paper products.  This means only the dirt is thrown away.  You have a choice between a true-cyclonic unit that uses no bags or filters, or a unit that uses a cloth inverted filter.  The main true cyclonic brands are VacuMaid, Imperium, and Vacuflo.  Here is a link to a true cyclonic animation from Vacuflo.  http://www.vacuflo.com/TrueCyclonic.mov   Central Vacuum Stores has been a Vacuflo dealer for over 20 years.  We like their products and sell their attachments on our website.  Vacuflo units are available only from local dealers, but if you would like to give us a call at 1-800-221-8227, we can help you locate one in your area. Imperium and VacuMaid units are available for sale to our Internet customers.

The Imperium LTD has inverted cloth filters.  Here are the links to these products on our website.
https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/limited_special.htm

Secondly, you will want to purchase a unit made primarily of steel, because steel is recyclable.  Imperium, Vacuflo, and Vacu-Maid  are all made primarily of steel.

Lastly, if  you would like to conserve electricity, you can choose a turbine power head rather than an electric power head for your central vacuum system.  Here is the link to several Turbine power heads on our website.
https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/nozzles.htm

One last thought, the average life of a central vacuum system is at least three times more than a normal vacuum cleaner, meaning less vacuum cleaner carcasses in landfills. 

Central Vacuum Stores is a Secure Site

From a recent customer:

I bought my Nutone Central system from you and what a nice unit!  I need some gaskets and retainers for the outlet covers.  I didn't realize they were sucked up and threw them out by accident.  It is the round, flat rubber piece with a center hole.  The retainer slips over a little nub in the cover and acts like a chinese finger to hold the rubber gasket in place. I need 3 sets of them.  (2 replacements and a spare)  Could you tell me if I can order them from you?If you have my C-card info from my last 2 orders, please ship them to me asap  (ground or US mail ok)
Thanks in advance,Keith P

To Keith and all our customers.  We really appreciate your past orders, but as of May 1st we are no longer storing credit card numbers.  If you notice ,our entire website, not just our shopping cart, is a secure site (only sites with https in front of their address are secure).  To make sure a site is secure, look for the https and a small lock near your address bar.  Also, secure sites usually display the logo of a secure site provider.  We display the thawte logo on our site.  To verify, click on the security logo (such as thawte) on a website.  When you click it on, a secure site will display security information about the website.   In light of reported internet security breaches across the country , we have decided to eliminate the storage of credit card numbers.  We hope this doesn't inconvenience you, but we believe it is far better than having your credit card information stolen.  If you like the convenience of storing your credit card information, we also offer Google Checkout and Paypal.  So, shop securely at Central Vacuum Stores, where our secure site guarantees the protection of your sensitive information.

Nutone Central Vacuum Support

Q:       I need information about my Nutone central vacuum system.  Can you tell me how to contact the factory? 

A:     We can do better than that!  If you follow this link to our web site it will take you to our Nutone page.  Once you get there just click on the Nutone logo and you will get a pop up window with pdf downloads for numerous Nutone central vacs, plus all the information on how to contact Nutone.

https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/nutone_advantage.htm

I forgot to run the low voltage wire for my central vac system, what do I do?

Over the years this problem has come up from time to time.  There are also other issues that can affect your low voltage wiring.  Sometimes a rodent will chew through the low voltage wire, sometimes a wire gets shorted, sometimes another workman cuts the wire, and sometimes whoever installed the wire made a mistake in the installation.  When this happens the central vac unit will not turn on automatically from the inlets.  Often customers think this means they have to run new wire (which can often be extremely difficult) or they think they have to go to the garage or basement and turn the unit on manually every time they want to use it. 

We have good news.  There is a wireless remote available.  This small device has two wires that attach to your central vacuum power unit.  It comes with a small key fob.  You just press the button on the small remote and your central vacuum system will turn on.

This is a quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive solution to an  irritating problem.  You can see this product on our web site.  It is on our "Tools and Stuff" page, at the very bottom of the page.  Here is the link:

https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/tools.htm

Can I use a central vacuum system to suck up liquids?

Usually when someone asks this question it is too late.  They are already in the middle of a disastrous situation where they need to suck up water, fast...or they have already done it and are hoping that we can tell them they didn't damage their system.   Unfortunately for these folks, the answer is no!  That is, unless you own an Aqua-Air central vacuum system or a wet interceptor.  The Aqua-Air Wet/Dry Built-In Total Cleaning System is the latest technology in central vacuum systems. An Aqua-Air system not only can handle all your vacuuming needs but can also clean with hot water and vacuum away any water-based soils all with the same system. The Aqua-Air is installed a little differently than a traditional central vacuum system, so give us a call at 1-800-221-8227 and we can discuss it with you.  You might want to check out the Aqua-Air website, which is full of great information about this product. 

http://www.aquaair-wetdry.com/

We also carry wet interceptors at centralvacuumstores.com.  One of them is manufactured by Aqua-Air and the other is manufactured by a company called DustMate. Check out both these products on our website.

https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/aqua_air_interceptors.php

https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/dustmate_interceptor.php

How can I be sure the pipe I am using will meet the building code in my area?

Here is a recent email conversation I had with a customer concerning the use of schedule 40 two inch plumbing pvc pipe and the building code in his area.

Customer Comment: I have been researching central vacs for new construction (2,400 sq ft).  I certainly see the convenience and benefits offered by your custom adapters and plumbing PVC; however, will building inspectors look kindly on non-standard vac pipe?  In other words, how likely is it that I plumb my central vac system with SCH 40 pipe and the new home doesn't pass the home inspection as a result?  Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.   CRAIG

Hi, Craig.
Thanks for your inquiry.  If you would like, let me know the city and state in which you live and we will get back with you tomorrow on the building codes in your particular city.
...We have been installing in Florida for over 25 years, and we have had no problems with plumbing pvc and code here.  Actually, we have had problems with vacuum pipe not meeting code.  Some of the cities we deal with require steel tubing. We can do the research for you and help put your mind at ease...RENEE

HI Renee-
Thank you for the reply!  I live in Racine, Wisconsin.  I would greatly
appreciate you looking into my local building codes.  I wouldn't even know
where to start on my own. CRAIG

I really wanted to help Craig out and so I did a little research and found this wonderful site that lists contact information for building departments in the major metropolitan areas in the country.  (Here is the link:   http://www.reedfirstsource.com/codes/index.asp )  We then called and spoke directly with a building inspector in Racine, Wisconsin.  He informed us that there is no building code in Wisconsin regarding pipe used in central vacuum systems.  I was happy to email Craig this morning with that inspector's name and phone number.  I also let Craig know that he could use schedule 40 2" plumbing pipe.  If you are wondering about the code in your area, use the link above and find out for yourself.  At Central Vacuum Stores we are all about more information and we love helping our customers in their search for reliable information.

What does the term cyclonic mean?

The first thing you need to understand is the term cyclonic.  Many manufacturers call their unit cyclonic, but that is different than a true cyclonic.  Cyclonic means the air inside the dirt canister is twirling like a tornado or cyclone, thus the term cyclonic.  If the unit has a filter or bag, it is not a true cyclonic. True cyclonics are manufactured primarily by Lindsay Manufacturing (Vacu-Maid and Imperium) or Vacuflo.  These units have no filter.  Dirt separation is by the cyclonic action plus gravity.  Most debris falls to the bottom of the can, while very light dust (like drywall dust) is exhausted outside, much like a dryer vent.  True cyclonics do have a porous lint screen that needs to be checked periodically.  True cyclonics MUST BE vented outside.    The main advantage to a true cyclonic unit is that there is no paper bag or filter to restrict air flow so their is no loss of suction as the dirt canister fills.

Lindsay Manufacturing has been manufacturing cyclonic central vacuum systems since 1956.  They are the same company that manufactures Vacu-Maid, AstroVac, and Imperium.   Here is a quote from their website about cyclonic systems and motor life...

"Some competitors may say that there is no way to keep all of the fine dust off of the loading fans, but our cyclonic power units and Ametek motors are built to withstand dust in the motor without affecting the life or function of the system. Ametek specifically designs motors to function under these conditions for use with Vacu-Maid® cyclonic systems"

At Central Vacuum Stores we have been installing true cyclonic central vacuum systems for over 25 years.  We understand that there are advantages and disadvantages to each and every central vacuum on the market, but shortened motor life is not an issue with true cyclonic systems.  The average motor life for a central vacuum system is  8-12  years, and that is regardless of whether they have a filter, bag, or are true cyclonic. 

Everybody wants to sell you their product.  Sooo...manufacturers that make true cyclonic units will tell you how how much better a cyclonic unit is, and manufacturers that make bagged or filtered units will tell you how much better their central vacuum is.  How can you decide?  At Central Vacuum Stores we sell true cyclonic power units, bagged power units, and filtered power units.  We know that everyone has different needs and we want to help you find the system that is best for your specific needs.  If you would like to visit our website you can read more about the different types of units, their advantages and disadvantages.

https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/unittype.htm

Can I use PVC plumbing pipe to install a central vacuum system?

There is a lot of misinformation about using plumbing PVC pipe for central vacuum system installation.  You will hear and read all kinds of information about this.  While vacuum manufacturers usually recommend vacuum pipe for residential installations, I have never read a good reason for that.  My daughter graduated from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida and works as a structural engineer.  She has spoken with professors and engineers and none of them could find a significant difference in vacuum pipe and plumbing pvc pipe.  In fact, engineers often require schedule 40 plumbing pipe for installation of central vacuum systems in commercial applications.  Engineers from Murray Company, Mechanical Contractors in Compton, California, recently purchased materials and a system from us.  They requested PVC schedule 40 for a vacuum system, so we asked them for their professional opinion. We wanted to know if there were any disadvantages to using schedule 40 instead of vacuum tubing and the engineers at Murray agreed there were none.  They told us they could find no reason why schedule 40 pvc would effect the system in a negative way.  IN FACT, they all agreed that the slightly larger diameter of schedule 40 pvc pipe would increase air flow and central vacuum performance.  By using the "Air Velocity in a Pipe" and "Air Volume Discharge from a Pipe" formulas you find out that PVC pipe could actually increase your CFM (airflow) by over 25%. Plumbing pipe also has a thicker and stronger wall, making it more substantial than vacuum pipe.  Plumbing pipe is great for underground applications and has less chance of clogging because of the larger diameter.  One big advantage of vacuum pipe is that it is more flexible and can be easier to use.  If you do decide to use plumbing pipe, you will need adapters for your vacuum inlets.  There is a patent pending adapter, and we are the only company that sells them.  Read more about it on our website. https://www.centralvacuumstores.com/cvs/pipe.php