Central Vacuum Pipe vs. PVC

Your central vacuum system is going to need piping in order to work all around your home. The type of piping that you use can have more of an effect on your vacuuming than you'd think. Should you buy specially created central vacuum pipe, or will regular PVC piping do? Here's everything you need to know.

 

Using PVC Piping In Your Central Vacuum System

 

Central Vacuum PipesPVC piping is readily available in most hardware stores, making it the option most homeowners go for first. If it's easy to get hold of, they can fit it sooner and start using their central vacuum right away. There are many homes that use PVC piping, but it's not actually the best option.

 

There are several issues with this kind of pipe. The first is that they're often designed for moving water around the home, and so have interiors that are rough. If they're moving water around, then blockages aren't as much of an issue. The force of the water should move most solid objects along until they reach the end of the pipe. With a central vacuum system though, debris can get snagged on the inside of the pipes, causing blockages.

 

Blockages can also happen on the joints of the PVC pipe, too. This is thanks to the way they're cut to shape. These pipes are much thicker than a central vacuum pipe, so when they're cut the edges can be rough. This causes debris to snag on the edges, causing blockages at the joints.

 

Central Vacuum Piping

 

So if regular PVC piping isn't the way to go, then what should you use? If you're buying your central vacuum system through a dedicated seller like us here at Think Vacuum, then you can get the piping to go with it.

 

These pipes are often a better option as they're designed especially for your vacuum system. Firstly, the walls are thinner which leads to cost savings for you. Because they're thinner though, they're made to fit the joints smoothly. This creates a bobsled effect, so debris coming through the pipe will meet no resistance at all, before being collected at the end.

 

As well as this, this pipe can be cut to have a clean fitting at the end, meaning no more snags for any dust or hair when you vacuum them up. Specially designed central vacuum pipe fittings are designed to minimize this and give everything going through your pipes a smooth run.

 

The upshot of this is that central vacuum pipes are the way forward when it comes to your central vacuum system. They're easier to buy now, and some are even showing up in hardware stores now. If not, you can easily buy them from online stores such as ourselves. They're so much better than in many cases, they're being recommended as the industry standard.

 

Other Piping Options

 

Central Vacuum PipesThere are other options for piping too, depending on your needs. For example, you can buy flexible piping which first became popular in the 1960's. This was designed to eliminate the need for joints, as the pipe would simply bend where needed.

 

However, this piping didn't turn out the way it should have done. The problem with the flexible pipe is that the ridges in the pipe that make it flexible stop air from traveling smoothly through it. Thanks to this, the vacuum can actually lose suction.

 

These days, flexible pipe is sometimes only used at the beginning of a vacuum system. You may be better off simply sticking with rigid piping, though.

 

What's The Best Pipe?

 

The best piping to use with your central vacuum cleaner is going to be specially designed central vacuum pipe. These pipes are the best for moving the debris you clean up around, as they're designed for the purpose. You'll never deal with clogs somewhere in the pipes, and you'll have a fully functioning vacuum system every time you go to clean your home.

 

If you're not sure which piping to buy, come to check out our selection. We have everything you need to help you set up your central vacuum system, so come to talk to us about what you need. We can recommend the right pipes for you, so you'll have a central vacuum system that works every time.