If you are looking to compare standard floor mounted vacuum with a whole house or central vacuum model, the very first thing you will notice is that they look the same—and they don’t at the same time. Yet in the battle between the floor vac and the central vacuum hose, it is the later that has the power, longevity, quality, and convenience to come out ahead over time.
Ground vacuums are self-contained units that sit on the ground where they are pulled around furniture until it is time for them to go back into the closet. They typically also have a pull-out arm to reach smaller, hard to reach locations. They are heavy, bulky, loud, and need to plugged in to the wall to work.
Central vacuums don’t need to be plugged into the wall per-se. These units have a large dedicated motor unit and storage area inside the house somewhere, with tubes that run to outlets in the walls. You simply take a lightweight hose attachment, plug it into the wall, and go to work. Because the motor is far away the sound is much quieter than a floor vac. Also the hose is light because, after all, it is only a bit of plastic instead of a whole vacuum unit crammed into a little standing case. Also, central vacs do not recirculate air, making them the system of choice for any allergy sufferers.
And, maybe best of all, central vacs have a very large storage space. This space rarely fills in the length of a year. Think of it—an entire year before you need to empty the vacuum. These systems are so well loved that adding a 1000 dollar unit can actually add more than its price to a house’s resale value. No depreciation for a household appliance! There is no wonder that the central vacuum hose is showing up in houses more and more.