Replies

1. Expert Member
   Malcolm Taylor|Jun 28, 2018 08:53pm|#1

   Are you sure it doesn't exhaust to the outside? I've only installed a couple of them, but they both did.

2. 
   Steve Knapp CZ 3A Georgia|Jun 28, 2018 09:16pm|#2

   Steve,

   Ideally you would locate the motor unit in any outdoor room or garage. One reason to have a central vac is the ability to exhaust vac air to the outdoors. I don't know how good your vacuum bag might be, but I suspect it fails to trap a lot of nasty material.

3. 
   Steve Mackay|Jun 29, 2018 02:19am|#3

   You know I'm not sure where it vents. My contractor has it as a line item on my budget (I'm sure my wife had something to do with that). I thought I'd better try figure out the technical details.

4. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay|Jun 29, 2018 05:20am|#4

   Steve Mackay,
   I'm going to disagree with Steve Knapp on this one.

   If you install a central vacuum cleaner, the ideal location for the dust collection bag is in the basement (or, in your case, in the mechanical room) -- that is, inside the home's conditioned envelope.

   If, instead, the dust collection bag is located in the garage, the house will be depressurized every time you run the vacuum cleaner, raising the possibility that any atmospherically vented combustion appliances (like a gas water heater) will backdraft.

   Some people like the idea of locating the dust collection bag in the garage. If you do that, it's important to remember to crack a window every time you vacuum.

5. 
   Jonathan Lawrence CZ 4A New Jersey|Jun 29, 2018 07:00am|#5

   Steve,

   Google recirculating central vac, I saw a couple of manufacturers at IBS this year but I can't remember the names. The dust collection bag and exhaust are inside the thermal envelope. They use a HEPA filter on the exhaust. My old school central vac has the dust collection bag in the basement, but it exhausts to the outside. On a separate note, I liked the hide a hose feature they offer now. The hose retracts back into the tubing for storage.