green central vacuum system

For those who are committed to a green lifestyle, a central vacuum is an outstanding choice. I guess you could sweep your floors, but if indoor air quality is an issue, this will only stir up the dust and exacerbate your breathing difficulties. A central vacuum made of recyclable steel with no paper bags is a green alternative to traditional vacuums made of plastic with throw away bags. Central vacuum systems can be retrofitted into most homes. So whether you are building a green home or upgrading your existing home to include green features, a central vac is a feasible option. Systems that are made of steel and have no paper bags include, VacuMaid by Lindsay, Imperium, and Vacuflo.

Ratings are a funny thing. This is what I have seen over the years with Consumer's Report. If a manufacturer likes the way their product was rated, then they will tell you Consumer's Report is the ultimate authority. However, if a manufacturer does not like the way their product was rated, then they will be sure to make you aware of all the flaws in the way Consumer's Report tested the products.

In terms of green building, whose ratings do you trust? One of the main central vacuum manufacturers told us that a major non-profit organization in this country offered to give his company's vacuum system their seal of approval for a donation in the tens of thousands of dollars. Yuck.

All the information is available to you to make a good choice without phony recommendations. You can compare manufacturer's specs and consider a couple of features when looking for a green central vacuum system to include in your building project.

1. Look for a unit that is made of recyclable steel, and

2. Look for a brand name that offers you the choice of cloth filters or bagless Imperium central vacuum systems offer one of the largest selections of central vacuums in the country. Some manufacturers have lots of models, but they only offer systems with bags, or filters. Imperium offers units with bags, inverted filters, and no bags at all. Check out the complete product line on their website:

http://www.imperiumvac.com/cyclonic.htm

Many green builders are including central vacuum systems in their specs because of the obvious clean air advantages over even the best hepa filter vacuum. There is a great article about the University of California study on central vacuum systems and indoor air quality. http://www.beamvac.com/usa/healthy_home/articles_links.aspx However, there are many other reasons to consider a central vacuum system if you are interested in building green. Several central vacuum power units offer the following environmentally friendly advantages:

1. Made of recyclable steel reducing the impact on landfills

2. Require no paper bags or filters reducing the impact on forests and landfills

3. Longer life - less impact on landfills than traditional vacuum cleaners

4. Improved indoor air quality

Another central vacuum feature,the built in dust pan (also called a vacpan),encourages sweeping dust to the vacpan. This means your central vac runs less, thus conserving energy.

Finally, turbine powerheads are great for conserving energy. They run from the airflow of your central vacuum instead of from electricity.

http://www.centralvacuumstores.com

http://www.centralvacuum.typepad.com