Hide A Hose solved the problem by allowing the hose to retract into the vacuum tubing. Quite ingenuous, and pricey ($2500). But when the chief cook and dust demon (aka the Decision Maker) for the new house says that’s what she wants, what are you going to do ? (order it, and the urinal).
Since the central vac is built out of plastic piping (thin wall PVC), now is the time to install the system. In addition to the tubing, each wall inlet and toe kick pan is powered, so it makes since to do this right before the electrical goes in. Mike from Monroe (Hide A Hose installer) is coming over next week to do the job if we accept their estimate. I’d love to do it myself: if you don’t care about a warranty you can buy all the parts over the internet. Dr. Olsen of Denver installed his and he says it really sucked (the old house). However, to protect their margins, Hide A Hose and their dealers hide behind the warranty vale. Don’t even get me started on the whole Wolf, SubZero MSRP thing.So for several thousand dollars (which everyone has too much of these days), they’ll install the tubing, power ports and central vacuum all in a day (see how hard it is). Then when the drywall and painting is complete, they come back to install the face plates and test the system. Seems pretty simple. Maybe I should become a dealer for them in Port Townsend (none here now). I could couple it with my mobile knife-sharpening business, and wrap it all under the “Slice and Suck” moniker (or We Slice, You Suck). Ken, are you looking for a good investment?
