I started an earlier thread about terminating my central vac pipe. But in the suggestions, a more important (I think) question came up. And that is whether or not a central vacuum system should be vented outside at all!
The system I’m installing is a Beam with a “permanent HEPA self-cleaning filtration material infused with the anti-microbial agent AlphaSan¯”
http://www.beamvac.com/usa/healthy_home/filtration.aspx
Beam claims that the clean air needs no exhausting!
But earlier someone brought up a good point. Why exhaust 125 cfm of air that I’ve already paid to dehumidify and cool (I live in the southeast). But others say outside venting is what sets central vac’s apart. Both valid arguments, is there a right answer????
Replies
I don't think there's a right or wrong answer.
I also don't like blowing conditioned air outside. But it's not like you're gonna run the thing 2 hours a day.
IMHO it's just personal preference.
The air may be dehumidified but it is not cool most vac air is pretty warm.
Wallyo
He meant that he's taking air conditioned air from the house and blowing it outside. Obviously that air has to be replaced. He'll be getting warm, humid air sucked in from the outside through cracks and such.
Does killing time damage eternity?
Boss nice to hear from you, you must be pretty busy I have not had a posting with you in quite some time.I understand if the vac is vented out side he is taking the air conditioned air and blowing it outside.The point I was trying to bring up is that if the vac is vented indoors since the manufacture says with filter it can. He will be taking the indoor air running it through the vac here it is heated when it goes through the turbine and then is sent into the air conditioned house in effect warming the house. now it might not be much but it is still hotter air. Almost seems a no win situation send it out and warm exterior air leaks in due to pressure imbalance, leave it in and it warms the house. So if exhausted to the living space you might what to be sure it is far from a thermostat at the very least, in that the air in that area alone is not heated a bit causing the ac to cycle on needlessly.An almost ideal situation exhaust indoors in winter out doors in summer. Except for the points riversong makes for the summer case.Wallyo
Edited 3/7/2008 11:46 am ET by wallyo
No offense, but sometimes issues get "overthought".
If you are worried about a little extra heat, what about the fridge, stove, microwave, dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, hair dryer, TV, computer, printer, radio, lights........
I'm thinking the CV is the least of the culprits.
Heck, the human body gives off about 200 btu/hr. Might be better off making the better half wear lots of clothes year round. A couple of layers of sweats should have a good r-value. LOL
None at all taken, but which is better in your opinion, to vent it out side and suck in hot air through the cracks as some have pointed out , or to vent it indoors? To me I think either way equals out, how much is one going to vacuum once to twice a week two to four hours. I don't know I was just playing devils advocate here with my posts.I myself have never seen a central vac vented indoors, only outdoors or in the attached garage with filter. Personally I hate vac noise period, in our next house I hope, no dream, to have one and will have it as far from the living space as possible so all I here is the whoosh and the clink of the legoes going down the hose. It would be nice if someone wanted to talk to you and you did not have to turn off the vac. Maybe it is my childhood, Saturday was my mom's cleaning day (She figured we were home to help) and she would vac right during Saturday cartoons, boy if nothing ruined a kids week then for vac noise during JOHNNY QUEST.Wallyo
Twice a week for four hours?????????????
Uhhhhhhhhh you are supposed to vacum the house, not the barn. LOL
Vented in or out, I don't think you will notice. And there are mufflers available.
I did not mean twice a week for four hours sorry on any confusion. I meant once to twice a week for two to four hours total per week not per session. I guess it depends how big the mac mansion really is? But Rich you have still not answered the question where would you put the thing?Wallyo
Not confused, just having fun.
Just installed a brand new Broan in the furnace room. If I had an attached garage, that's where I would put it.
Edited 3/8/2008 9:12 am ET by rich1
Rich did you install it your self or have it done? If you did it on your own where did you get the Kit so to speak?Wallyo
replaced an existing one, our lumberyards carry all the parts needed.
The only ones here that carry anything are the franchised installers themselves.Way back Sears used to have them in there big book, parts fitting and all.Wallyo
Haven's seen that many CV setups, but they've always been vented at the unit, which I've seen in the basement (here in cold country) more often than the garage. Likely a unit in the garage risks icing.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Locally our winters are not that bad so they put them in the garage right next to the furnace and hot water heater, vent them out the garage wall. In mountain country they may do different. When the house is in the foothills due to the acoustics you can sometimes hear those things a half mile to mile away like it is the house next to you. lt is the weirdest thing you can sometimes hear whole conversations people are having on the ridge across from where you are standing and there 3/4 a mile away.Wallyo
the human body gives off about 200 btu/hr
Actually, the average human is about as bright as a 100W light bulb = 340 btu/hr (some are, obviously, brighter than others).
Might be better off making the better half wear lots of clothes year round.
And it makes no difference how much clothes you're wearing as the heat loss to the environment is the same as your metabolic rate (as long as your body temperature remains the same).
Riversong HouseWright
Design * * Build * * Renovate * * ConsultSolar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes
I'm glad you added the part about body temp staying the same. I was about to say something about DW..............
Sometimes I'm only 40W.
It seems like several guesses are going on here. A complete analysis would be required to figure out which resulted in more warm air, or more specifically BTUs, into the house, either vacum heated air or exterior warm air. AT this point we are all guessing.
My central vac is vented to the outside. That's one of the prime reasons I got a C/Vac. I doubt the quantity of "lost air" is enuf to overcome the fact that I want the dirt outside! And NO filter is 100% for any lenght of time. The hepa filter in this unit says 98% effective on .3 microns.
So 2% go back into your interior air for your lungs to filter and 100% of those than .3 microns go back into the air for the lungs to collect.
And remember, those "microns" are being lifted out of the carpet and blown into the air.
Just my opinion.
Edited 3/7/2008 10:51 am ET by rwjiudice
Edited 3/7/2008 10:52 am ET by rwjiudice
A central vacuum unit should be a pressure-neutral device. In a cooling climate, it's important to maintain a slight positive pressure in the house to prevent humid outside air from infiltrating the envelope and causing moisture problems.
Why go to the trouble of pressure-balancing a house and then imbalance it while the vac is in use?
One of the advantages of a central vac is that the filters are much more effective than a portable vac and can be located in the basement or other "non-living" area.
Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes
Vhich vey did dhey vent?
I vent to the animal fair...
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
but vhat became of da monk? (da monk, da monk)
De elephant sneezed an fell on 'is knees
And dat was de end uh da monk.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
bud whatta the boids and da beests?
Peach full,easy feelin'.
De vas deah.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Edited 3/7/2008 2:18 pm by DanH
For those who are saying "What the #### is that?":I went to the animal fair
The birds and beasts were there
The old baboon by the light of the moon
was combing his auburn hair
The monkey he got drunk
And climbed the elephant's trunk
The elephant sneezed, and fell on his knees
And that was the end of the monk, the monk, the monkFavorite poem of my grandfather. Always seemed a little ribald somehow (and out of character for him), but it was a part of the landscape as a child.I would guess that few people under 50 ever heard this.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Eh! My grandfather's favorite too. However he always concluded it with, "and what became of the monk"?, leading me to envision the monkey flying through the trees.
My Grandpa had a million of them he was always reciting.
One old one I do recall is:
I got up in the morning and I looked upon the walland there I saw the bedbugsa playin' a game of ball.
The score was six to nothingthe cooties were aheadthe bedbugs hit a homerunand they knocked me out of bed.
Another:
There was a girl with a wooden leggot buried in the sandThen all the boys from all aroundgot splinters in their hand
Peach full,easy feelin'.
I suppose it depends on whether you're a believer in Vedanta or Kashmir Shaivism.
Nonetheless, it's my favorite rhyme from childhood. Right up there with:
"You are old Father William", the young man said,
"And your hair is increasingly white.
Yet you incessantly stand on your head.
Do you think, at your age, this is right?"
and; "Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gire and gimble in the wabe." etc, etc, and so on.
Edited 3/8/2008 8:20 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Bottom line is sometimes it's therapeutic to vent. I say go for it.
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