For a lot of people buying a Central Vacuum is a new experience. Often consumers are overloaded with terms they have never encountered or considered before. Below is a list of common stats associated with a Central Vacuum.
AMPS
- Amount of electricity the unit uses when it is not in operation
- Insinuation being the higher the ampage the more effective the vacuum cleaner; not true
- Amps are not an indication of true cleaning power
BAG
- Collection device for dust/dirt/debris used by some vacuum cleaners
- The hybrid version of a Central Vacuum Cleaner is available which operates efficiently with or without a bag
CLEANING SURFACE
- The surface area that can be effectively cleaned by the Central Vacuum System
- This information is available in the technical data sheet and is measured in square meters or feet
- Important information to consider if you have high square footage in your home to achieve optimal performance you may consider installing two Central Vacuum Systems
CYCLONIC ACTION
- Natural action or movement of a tornado
- In a vacuum air carrying debris swirls downwards like a tornado the debris then separates from the air as it reaches the bottom of the swirl
DECIBAL
- Measurement of sound volume
- A human ear cannot perceive the difference between 5 decibels
With no industry standard for measuring decibels all manufactures claim to have the quietest unit. Decibals can be changed by taking measurements farther away or by venting a unit in an open room opposed to a closed one
Take in to consideration…. by simply changing the size or acoustics of a room where the decibals reading is taken you will notice a significant difference in a rating.
Consider a measurement taken in:
A TYPICAL ROOM + 6FT AWAY = 73 – 74 DECIBALS
OR THE SAME VACUUM WITH A MEASURMENT TAKEN IN:
A SMALL AUDITORIUM + 6FT AWAY = 67 – 68 DECIBALS
FAN
- The combination of blades in the base of the vacuum cleaner that spin to create airflow creating power that removes dust, dirt and debris
HEPA
- High Efficiency Particle Arrestor
- To be deemed Hepa the filter must meet certain standards of efficiency
- The filter must remove 99.7% of all particles greater than 0.3 micrometer from the air that passes through it
- Hepa filters reduce airborne dust and allergens are superior to those unqualified
- All Hepa filters are not created equal; when purchasing a Hepa filter be sure you are getting the specific grade required
AIR WATTS = CFM + WATERLIFT = TRUE CLEANING POWER
AIRWATTS
- Represents the mathematical measurement calculated by the relationship between inches of Waterlift and CFM in a vacuum unit
- It is the correlation of pulling and sweeping in a vacuum cleaner representing true cleaning power
- The suction power is measured at various size openings between ½” and 7/8″ diameters which corresponds to using common attachments such as a floor brush, crevice tool or power head
- In simple terms, Airwatts takes into account both CFM and Waterlift by representing their combined power
- Demonstrates motor performance and its efficiency; Airwatts are the true optimal performance of a vacuum cleaning system
WATER LIFT (H2O)
- Measures the Central Vacuum Motors strength or suction power
- Ability of the motor to pull 1” column of water vertically
- Suction is measured via inches of Waterlift using a suction gauge
- Higher the column of water is pulled the stronger the strength of the motor
- The “pull” or “lift” power of a Central Vacuum Motor
***REMEMBER A HIGH SUCTION POWER AND ZERO AIRFLOW WON’T CLEAN ANYTHING.
CFM (AIRFLOW)
- Cubic feet of air per minute; as air moves dust it is the movement of air which carries dirt away
- Stronger the suction, the stronger the movement of air rushing to fill the vacuum
- Ratings occur when the vacuum system is wide open with no restriction to Airflow
- Friction loss occurs through piping, adding a hose and/or cleaning attachments as these restrict airflow; maximum airflow can be misleading if consumer is not aware of these conditions