Only 5 to 7 percent of new homes in the United States come with central vacuums. People don't quite understand that it is very cost-effective, it's going to last you about as long as the house, and the misconception that it is very expensive, which it's not. They believe that a central vacuum cleaner is a luxury, a high-ticket item. Forty-two percent of new home buyers want a central vac, according to a survey conducted for the National Association of Home Builders, and builders often offer them as an option, usually in more expensive homes. The big factor that may change attitudes about central vacuums is the growing concern about indoor air quality, vendors and health experts say.
Portable vacuums allow some of their dust to be expelled back into the house.
Dust is one of the major allergens, and, for people with allergies and asthma, it's a big trigger for asthma attacks. She said she was aware of no academic studies documenting the superiority of central vacuums. She has planned five inlets where she can plug in the 30-foot hose. Mrs. Jones believes the central vac goes a long way toward eliminating dust and cat hair. In their previous home, they ran the plastic piping in the wall during construction but didn't have Central Vacuum Stores add the motor unit until a few years later.