Congratulations

At this point you should have a good understanding of what to look for in a central vacuum unit and be able to make an educated evaluation among the various systems available on the market.

Remember, the central vacuum unit is like the engine in your car. You want one that offers good performance, is reliable, has a good warranty, requires little if any maintenance and will last a long time.

While the central vacuum unit may be compared to a car engine, the accessories which accompany your system are the suspension, tires and other parts which impact handling performance. In other words, even if you have a very powerful central vacuum but choose poor cleaning accessories, the overall cleaning performance of your system will suffer not to mention the enjoyment of using your system.

This section will show you what to look for in cleaning accessories.

Choosing Good Quality Central Vacuum Accessories

Virtually all central vacuum manufacturers do not manufacture their own cleaning accessories because they rely on suppliers to the industry whose specialty it is to research and develop better cleaning tools. Just like General Motors and Ford do not manufacture tires, they too rely on the technology available from the tire companies and focus instead on the engineering automobiles, not tires.

Sorting the good from the bad isn't always easy based on appearance, but we will show you what to look for in determining which accessories are better then others.

The Central Vacuum Hose

Essentially there are two main suppliers of hose to this industry: Plastiflex which manufactures crushproof style hoses and Flexible Technologies which manufacturers wire reinforced or "Kink Proof" hoses.

Flexible Technologies Hose (Wire reinforced Kink Proof)

Cana-Vac offers both "Kink" proof wire reinforced and "Crushproof" style hoses.

The Kink proof wire reinforced hose "The Flex™" shown left has a 1.375"ID to maximize airflow and will not kink around corners and furniture shutting off airflow. That is perhaps the biggest benefit to this style hose. Another nice benefit is you will find it easier to coil and hang on a hose hanger since the outside of this hose isn't as slippery as the crushproof hose.

Myth: A wire reinforced hose is twice as heavy as a crushproof hose: A common misconception of a wire reinforce hose is that they are a lot heavier. This used to be the case many years ago. Today a wire reinforced hose is a mere one pound heavier then it's crushproof equivalent.

Plastiflex Hose (Crushproof)

The crushproof style hose remains to this day the most popular choice in the market. That's not to say that it is a superior hose, this isn't the case. In reality a wire reinforced hose is stronger and more durable.

While a crushproof hose will spring back when stepped on, it will also kink cutting the supply of air off when going around furniture or corners. This is only a minor nuisance. On the plus side it's slippery exterior does allow it to glide across flooring easier but also acts to it's detriment when coiling and storing the hose because it will want to unravel

Which Hose Should I Choose?

In reality, it would be best to choose a hose that you feel most comfortable using since both are excellent choices.

To maximize your system performance, always choose a maximum 30 foot hose length, opting for a 35 foot hose only if the 30 foot hose does not reach all areas of your home. You'd be surprised that five feet make a big difference in performance loss!

Even the diameter of a hose results in a performance gain or loss. Choosing a hose which has a diameter of 1 3/8” compared to 1 1/4” results in most cases a 20% improvement in airflow performance.

In addition, the hose you choose should also be equipped with a 360º swivel handle. This reduces hose tangle and wrist strain.

Buyer Beware Tip

When choosing a hose with your system, make sure that (1) it turns the central vacuum unit “on” and “off” and (2) the powerhead “on” and “off”. This is called a "3-Way Switch"

Often to cut costs and reach a lower price point to the consumer, you will find some retailers offering kits with hoses which only turn the powerhead “on” and “off” but does not shut the main unit off.

Since this "Two-Way Switch" does not turn off the main unit, you will have to unplug your hose from the wall inlet each time you wish to turn the unit off. Know what you are getting so you can compare apples to apples.

The Electric Powerhead

If you have carpeting, then Electric Powerhead is perhaps the most important accessory which will accompany your complete central vacuum system. The powerhead is what you will use virtually every time you vacuum so the enjoyment of your system will depend a great deal on the quality and performance of the powerhead you choose. The quality of the powerhead is also a deciding factor in the overall cleaning performance of your system.

In your evaluation of accessory kits, pay close attention to the quality of the powerhead. A powerhead with a "cogged" or geared" belt has constant performance at all times. Friction belts stretch with age and performance will diminish until it is necessary to replace the belt which can be often as every several months or every few years. A cogged belt is much more durable and will last considerably longer than friction belts meaning infrequent belt changes and constant performance all the time!

Most powerheads vary in cleaning widths from 12" to 14”. The wider the width, the quicker your vacuuming job is finished, however a wider powerhead typically does not maneuver around furniture as easily as a powerhead with a smaller width.

Look for a powerhead with a quick release wand system. This means the wand separates from the powerhead with a tap of the toe or push of a finger. A Quick release wand system makes changing tools easier. Most high end powerheads have a user adjustable "telescopic" wand. This allows the user to adjust the wand to the most comfortable vacuuming height and also aids in storage of your unit.

There are literally dozens of powerheads available to the industry. To numerous to show here, we have chosen three from the industry which have a very good reputation for performance, reliability and longevity. 

While we will not go into performance detail on these powerheads, rest assured that your choice of any of the above is an investment well spent compared to any lesser grade powerhead available.

The powerhead is what you will use every time you vacuum and typically takes the most abuse.  Choosing a good quality powerhead with a geared belt will mean not only better cleaning but also reliability and longevity.

There are many varying degrees of powerhead quality so be very particular when it comes to this critical component of your central vacuum system.

Buyer Beware: Since central vacuum accessories in this industry are readily available to wholesalers and manufacturers alike  it is quite possible that the kit you are purchasing is not one supplied from the central vacuum manufacturer. This then raises the question of warranty.

Central vacuum manufacturers back the powerheads, hoses and accessories they sell in their manufacturer's warranty. If the kit isn't one that was supplied by them, then don't expect the kit to be covered under the central vacuum manufacturer's warranty.

Why Quality Central Vacuum Accessories?

The first thing you will likely notice when unpacking your central vacuum accessories is the quality compared to those which are typically supplied with upright or canister type vacuums.

(1) This type of brush would normally be found as part of a onboard toolset with a conventional upright or canister vacuum but may also be found in lesser priced central vacuum accessory kits.

(2 & 3) Are examples of dusting brushes that you would normally find in a typical central vacuum kit.

You can usually tell better quality accessories from the cheaper counterparts by examining the bristle and amount of bristle. Cheap tools use a synthetic polymer bristle exclusively (usually all black) whereas better tools will use a natural fill which is softer and more durable.

Today, you will also expect that your central vacuum kit come standard equipped with a  12” floor brush in a good quality kit, 10 inches in a lesser priced kit.

Another consideration is to look at the front of the brush. some have small cut away channels and others (shown right) have a channel along the front in which dirt can enter thus preventing "bulldozing of dirt".

 

Questions You Should Ask:

1) Do the accessories use polymer bristles or natural bristles. Natural bristles are softer and last longer than polymer fill. (black bristles are a indication of polymer fill, brownish bristles are a natural fill)
2) Is the floor brush 10" wide or 12" wide? A wider floor brush makes cleaning faster.
3) Shown (right) does the floor brush have a full length channel to allow dirt to be swept away? Some floor brushes have notches cut out but these tend to "bulldoze" dirt in front of the floor tool.
 

When shopping, take note of the quality of accessories. And while you cannot take accessories with you from store to store to make your comparison, paying attention and asking the right questions will help you notice these often huge differences in quality.

 

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