m4p

Hi everyone,

We have a central vacuum cleaner, probably from the 1990s. The unit is located in our basement. The cannister has 2 vents, one for the air/dirt being sucked into the cannister, and another vent to exhaust it.

Only the intake vent has PVC pipe connected to it. The exhaust does not have any PVC pipe. The central vac was already installed in the house when we bought it.

Unknowingly, we've been running the central vac for the past 8 years without the exhaust vent being vented to the outside. Do we really need to connect a PVC pipe and vent it to the outside? I don't notice any dust or dirt, but I'm thinking small micron particles could be coming out of the exhaust vent.

For those who have central vacuums, is yours vented to the outside?

BridgeMan

I've never owned a house with a central vac, but I don't recall the ones I've inspected with vacs having them vented to the outside. Think about it--a normal vacuum cleaner is not vented to the exterior while it operates. As long as the filter bag system is properly maintained, it shouldn't be a problem.

And if you have any doubts, contact the vac system's manufacturer (should be a name plate on it somewhere). They could tell you what their preference would be (exterior venting or not) for optimum operating conditions.

m4p

Thanks so much for the reply, BridgeMan, I appreciate it. I know, doesn't make sense that you would have to vent it to me either, but when I went to have some work done on the vacuum at an authorized dealer, they did recommend having it vented. According to them, small particles escape going into the cannister and that's why it should be vented. My sister also has a central vac and she said hers is vented to the outside.

Good idea, I think I will just contact Electrolux and see what they say.

nealtw

I you do vent it outside go to a bigger pipe so you don't make the vacume work to hard.