A central vacuum system – also known as a whole-house vacuum – is a built-in system in which pipes run through the interior walls of the home and are connected to a large vacuum system typically located in a garage or basement. Inlet valves, which resemble electrical outlets, are added to walls throughout the home, allowing the user to easily attach and detach a hose and move from room to room without hauling around a heavy vacuum.

The system is designed to be more powerful than a traditional portable vacuum, offer less noise, and reduce the re-circulation of dust and dirt into the home’s air by utilizing an external venting system similar to a dryer vent.

“When it comes to severe allergies and asthma, vacuum cleaners are one of the worst offenders at stirring up dirt and debris.  With a central vacuum system, you’re never having that recycling of air. It actually exhausts it outside your house so it’s never coming back in contact with the user or anywhere in the home.  The average cost of a system is about $1,800 – based on a 2,400-square foot home – and that includes the cost of installation. Prices go up from there, depending on features of the system and the number of suction ports required. Some systems include automatic dust pans, in which the homeowner can sweep a pile of dirt to the baseboard, flip the switch and a built-in port sucks the dirt away.