General Questions

When the installers are done, am I going to have a lot of painting and wall repair to do?

No. When we retrofit a home, our installers take care to only open the amount of wall space necessary to install the valve. All of the rest of the pipes are located in your attic space, or crawl space under the home. Additionally, we can install the valve in hidden locations such as closets and under the stairs.

What is the VDTA, and why is it important to me?

The VDTA is the Vacuum Dealers Trade Association. The VDTA sets the industry standards for central vacuum installations. Tidy House installations comply with VDTA standards. Tidy House is also an authorized Hide-A-Hose, Cyclo Vac and Vacu-Maid dealer/installer.

I'm building a new home. When does Tidy House need access to my new home to install the system?

We need access to your home after the HVAC and plumbers have finished their rough in, but before the drywall is put up. Generally we show up with the electricians. When we fist come out, we will install all of the piping necessary, and all of the valves. After the cabinets are installed, we'll need to install your VacPans, and finally after the carpets are installed we need to come out to hang the motor and run the hoses into the pipes. Finally, when you are ready for us, your territory representative will arrive with your tool kit and show you how to use your system.

 

Hide-A-Hose Questions

I'm not building a new home, or doing any remodelling. Can Tidy House install a Hide-A-Hose system in my home?

Although each house is different, as a general rule, we can retrofit most homes. It is rare when we cannot.

How long will it take to install in my home?

Typically, we are able to install a Hide-A-Hose system in a single day. Larger homes, and older homes that have special needs take two to three days.

I have an existing Central Vacuum system. Can it be upgraded to a Hide-A-Hose system?

Most homes that have an existing Central Vacuum system can be upgraded to accomodate the Hide-A-Hose system.

Does the Hide-A-Hose system use a special pipe?

No and yes!! We use standard 2" vacuum system pipes, but we do not use standard elbows. Because the hose is traveling inside the pipe, we use a sweep elbow system based on a 12" radius.

Does it use a special hose?

The hose is standard and has a a sock on it. This not only protects the furniture and molding in the home, but allows the hose to slide inside the pipes. The hose is crush-proof, and should the sock become dirty, simply put the sock in your washing machine and wash on the regular cycle; once dry it is ready for use again.

What about the power head?

We use the TurboCat power head. There are two reasons for this: First, because the hose is moving inside the pipes there are no wires within the hose. This eliminates the expense of having an electrician add outlets, or wired valves. Safety is very important to us; 120 volts inside a hose that is constantly being bent in many directions, eventually breaks and exposes you to a potential shock hazard. Wired hose replacement is expensive and needed on an average of every 5 to 8 years. Second, we power our system with a more powerful cyclonic power unit. This power unit delivers maximum vacuum suction on the first day of installation, and many years later is still delivering maximum vacuum. The competition uses a variety of filters and bags to capture the dirt before expelling the air out of the motor, these filters and bags clog and hinder the vacuum system.

Is there any special wiring requirements?

The only wiring requirements are a dedicated 120 volt, 20 amp circuit for average sized homes. For larger homes a 240 volt, 20 amp circuit may be required. Low voltage wiring is used at each inlet to turn the system on and off.