A central vacuum system can be a nice amenity to have in your home. It makes it easy to clean up messes or care for carpets without having to haul a heavy vacuum out of the closet, up and down the stairs or around the home.

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But a whole-house vacuum is a major appliance, so it's important to know how to maintain and care for it. After all, if your traditional vacuum goes bad, you can simply replace it with a new model by ordering online or visiting a store. It's a lot harder to do that with a central vacuum system, so keeping it in good working order should be a priority.

What Regular Maintenance Should Be Performed on a Central Vacuum System?

Inspections, maintenance and cleaning are all important tasks when it comes to maintaining your central vacuum unit. You can — and should — perform some of these tasks yourself. Others are the territory of trained professionals.

What DIY Maintenance Should You Do on Your Whole-House Vacuum System?

While your new central home vacuum system might seem exotic, it's still basically a vacuum. You probably already know some of the most important things to do to maintain a vacuum.

For example, you must empty the dirt and debris that you suck up. While whole-home vacuums tend to have larger canisters or other storage mechanisms for this debris, the space isn't infinite. Eventually, it will fill up, and if you keep vacuuming at that point, you may damage the machine. Depending on the size of the vacuum unit, how often you vacuum and the general level of dust and other debris in the home, you may need to empty your unit two to six times per year.

If you know you'll forget this periodic task, set a schedule. Depending on how often you need to empty the unit, consider checking it each time seasons change. For good measure, you can even check it once a month — perhaps setting a reminder on the first of every month.

You also need to change or clean the filters if your model has these features. Again, this is a task that may only be required two to six times a year. Make it a habit to check the filters whenever you empty the vacuum.

Some other things you may want to do to keep your whole-home vacuum running well include:

• Eyeball the motor occasionally to ensure everything looks like it's working well.
• Check your brushes regularly to ensure they're working well and hair or other debris isn't caught up in them.
• Clean your attachments as needed, and store them in a way that keeps them safe and reduces wear and tear.

It's also worth noting that it's critical to ensure your vacuum is installed correctly to begin with. If you DIYed the job, bring in a professional to inspect and sign off on the installation to ensure everything is in working order.

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What Type of Professional Services Central Vacuum Systems?

Think about a whole-home vacuum system as you would any other unit or feature in your home. Just as you get your fireplace and chimney inspected or your HVAC unit serviced, you should get professional eyes on your central vacuum unit from time to time. In most cases, you only need to have your home vacuum unit checked every few years, and you can call a professional if you notice a problem in the meantime.

Professionals who can service these types of home additions include vacuum repair and maintenance technicians and experienced home handymen. If you recently purchased the vacuum, you may want to start by calling the shop where you purchased it or the manufacturer, as the unit might be under warranty. Otherwise, you can connect with vacuum repair professionals in your area to inspect or repair your central vacuum system.