How to Install Central Vacuum System in Existing Home?

The time has come to replace your old and heavy traditional vacuum cleaner. You have decided to suck up the expense and arrange for a central vacuum system to be installed in your home.

You know that a central cleaning system is a lot more powerful but quieter and so much easier to use than most traditional vacuums on the market. You also know that it adds resale value to your home and not to mention the many benefits it can offer you and your family.

But while researching the different central vacuum systems. You have realized that it is a system that they are typically installed in the walls of your home. Which leaves you wondering, how to install a central vacuum system in an existing home.

In this post, we discuss the different ways in which you can install a central vacuum system in your home that already exists. We also look at the average costs to expect and the different items that can affect it.

There are two ways you can install a central vacuum system in your existing home: 

• By a professional, or
• You can install it yourself

Hiring a professional

If you are not handy with tools and do-it-yourself, type of home projects. It is advisable for a professional to do the central vacuum system installation. Professional central system installers have the expertise and experience. They will also ensure that proper installation is done and it all works 100% before leaving. They will check for available access points. Plan and design the best possible installation system that suits you and your needs. 

Keep in mind that it does typically cost more for the installation of a central vacuum system in an already built home. This is because there are extra labor costs involved. They need to work around the drywalls of your home to install the pipes that will connect the system together. 

They will also give you a choice between a cyclonic and a filtered central vacuum system. They will also offer you different methods of installation. Methods such as:

A Standard Installation

A standard type installation is the quickest type of installation and it is when only two to four inlets are installed. They are spaced out equally to enable you to use a 30-foot hose that will cover the entire area of your home.

This type of installation typically costs between $1200 and $2800. It involves you carrying around the hose to plug it into the different inlets. But, you can also use any number of universal hoses and there is the option of including an electric carpet brush.

Hide-A-Hose Installation

For this type of method, the inlets installed are less, only two are required to cover the entire area of your home. You can choose to use a 30, 40, 50, or a 60-foot hose. But generally, a 50-feet long retractable hose is used. This enables you to pull it out from the wall inlet storage space and use it. 

It is a more involved and difficult type of installation. There is no need for extra storage space for the hose, as it is stored inside the walls. This type of installation will typically cost between $2400 and $3900

A Standard and Hide-A-Hose Installation

For the third option, if you have a home that is a double story home, you can choose to have both methods installed. A standard and hide-a-hose central vacuum installation cost between $2400 and $3000 and offers three inlets for you to use.

With this method of installation, the hide-a-hose installation with the 50-foot retractable hose is used to cover the first story. Then for the second story, the standard method is installed.

As you can see that the installation cost varies and depend on a few things like:

Installing the central vacuum system yourself

Your second option for how to install a central vacuum system in an existing home is to do the job yourself. This way can help you save on some of the installation costs but you do need to make sure that you do the job correctly.

The DIY central vacuum system is not that difficult to install yourself. But if you are unsure, you can research the internet for instruction videos from central vacuum manufacturers that will help.

If you are, before you attempt on installing the central system yourself, it is important to plan each step out carefully. This is in order for you to ensure that you are able to clean your entire home effectively. 

Start with:

The tools and equipment

It is always best to start by gathering all the necessary tools and equipment that you will need to complete the job.

The inlets

Then plan how many inlets you will need and where they will be located. Remember the more inlets you install, the more chance you have to end up with air leaks that decrease your suction power.

The placement of the main canister unit

Generally, the best placement of the main canister unit is in a garage or basement. This is because of a few different reasons, such as:

• The canister unit takes up valuable space
• The garage or basement helps block out unwanted noise
• The dust and dirt from emptying the canister will remain outside the living areas

Placement for the exhaust

Placing the exhaust in the garage or basement near an exterior wall will also ensure that the dust and dirt will remain outside your home. This also ensures that your system will be placed in a more open area so that it can receive the proper ventilation that it requires.

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