Central Vacuum Systems

REMODELER’S WISH LIST: GO FOR THE CENTRAL VAC

A sluggish housing market is prompting many homeowners to reinvest in and upgrade their existing homes rather than try to sell. If you’re contemplating a makeover, it’s the perfect time to give serious thought to the conveniences you’ve always wanted, so you can make allowances for them in both your timetable and your budget.

Moreover, since remodeling always involves living in a bit of temporary chaos and construction mess, it’s best to think ahead of exactly what you’d like in the finished results, so as not to go through the process more times than you need to. Clustering projects together in this way not only saves time and inconvenience, it saves you money. Your contractor’s estimates will bear this out.

While granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and glamour baths are popular choices right now, it’s possible that the remodeling features that will give you the most long term value are those that offer comfort, convenience, ease of use and energy efficiency, as well as aesthetic qualities. Also, as people plan to stay in their homes longer, following a trend to “age in place,” investing in home features that allow accessibility is also wise.

Consider plans for increased built-in storage, first floor laundry areas and mudrooms. Wider doorways and step-in showers are another plus. And when it comes to indoor air quality, ease of use and maximum cleaning power, you just can’t beat a central vacuum system.

Central vacs, as they’re known in the building industry, can easily be retrofitted into existing homes, often in a single day. Qualified distributors are trained to install lightweight, sturdy plastic tubing inside your walls, as well as individual outlets for extra long hoses that feed into those tubes. Instead of lugging a vacuum cleaner from room to room and up and down steps, this system is easy on the back. Simply insert the end of the hose into the outlet and vacuum. Virtually all dirt and dust is sucked through the hose and into a large sealed canister away from living space, which can be periodically emptied at your convenience. No more dust recirculating through the air, as with traditional vacuum cleaners. No more heavy machines nicking corners and furniture. Hoses can be wound up and stored in a closet.

Or go for the ultimate in ease. The Hide-A-Hose is stored right inside your wall, so you pull out the hose exactly where you need it, when you need it, and the hose retracts back into the wall when you are finished.

If you’re making your remodeling wish list, learn more about the beauty of a central vacuum system here. You’ll congratulate yourself for your wise purchase for years to come.