Cleaning Central Vacuum Pipes

If your central vacuum system is to work seamlessly, it needs to have clean pipes. Although most people use portable vacuum cleaners, they aren’t near as versatile or comfortable as their central vacuum system counterparts.

This piece isn’t going too deep into the functions of a central vacuum system, but it is essential to mention a few to help understand this discourse. Many central vacuums use cyclonic technology, so they rarely have problems with lost suction.

Nonetheless, if you accidentally vacuum a ball of debris or any other large object, it could get stuck in the pipe that leads to the central power unit. Since the pipes leading to the power unit run through walls, tracking the location of the clog can be tricky; on the other hand, calling a professional can turn out to be costly. Therefore, it is best to be watchful for large lumps as you vacuum. However, if it does happen, here is a guideline that can work for you.

Locating and Cleaning Out Clogs in Central Vacuum Pipes

It is important to note that central vacuum pipes don’t get so dirty that they need cleaning; cleaning the pipes is only necessary when clogging has occurred. Ideally, your house will have several central vacuum wall outlets. There’s a central pipe that runs through the walls connecting these outlets to the canister in your utility room, garage, or basement. When clogging occurs, its position within the pipe depends on the specific outlet into which it was sucked. If the suction of an outlet drops, you could be right to suspect a clog. A drop in suction implies that something is obstructing the airflow from the vacuum to the outlet. You should then test the airflow from the outlets that are closer to the vacuum and see how their suction is. If the outlets closer to the power unit have low suction too, this means that the clog is even closer to the vacuum. If all the outlets have lost suction, it could be that the loss of suction is not due to the clogs, but the power unit itself.

Steps to Cleaning Central Vacuum Pipes of Clogs

Once you’ve located the clog, the easiest way to clean it out is with another vacuum – one with even more suction power than your own. The procedure attempts to pull and push the clog repeatedly until it comes loose.

The best vacuum to use for this task is one with a hose that is detachable from the brush head, such as Shop-Vac. Here is how to do it:

1. Insert the nozzle of the ‘external vacuum’ into the nearest outlet and turn it on to suck the clog toward the outlet.
2. Look at the dust cup. If it hasn’t been sucked in, insert the hose of your central vacuum and try sucking the clog toward the central vacuum.
3. Repeat the two steps a few times until the clog is sucked into either vacuum.
4. The clog is more often sucked into the external vacuum since it is closest to it.

Central vacuum systems are a fantastic asset. They have many advantages, such as the quiet with which they operate. They also make for very clean and healthy air in the house. Furthermore, they aren’t that expensive and come with numerous attachment tools that add to their functionality.

Resources and References:

• Vacuum Cleaner