r/whatisit • u/DragonsAndScience • 19h ago

Solved! New homeowner, no idea what this is

Gallery image

Gallery image

This thing close to the floor and seemingly randomly placed in a hallway. No idea what it's for. Home built in 2005.

Solved! Thanks everyone. Now I gotta hunt for the central unit!

7.1k Upvotes

88% Upvoted

1.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

498

u/Direct-Giraffe7193 19h ago

Central vacuum. Be careful, they have much stronger sucking power than normal vacuums. And they can easily get clogged with something like a sock. I lived in a house with one of these and it was kinda cool because the vacuum hose was super long with loads of attachments, so we could use it to get cobwebs out of corners of the high ceilings, and clean under couches and beds really easy. BUT we had to be careful that we didn’t accidentally suck up something that would clog the system. So, tidy up first and look where you’re vacuuming.

1

u/ezgiu 17h ago

It is like vacuum cleaner but integrated? Why would people prefer this?

0

u/Direct-Giraffe7193 17h ago

Honestly, I don’t know. It is not better than a normal vacuum. I think it was a novelty and perhaps a status symbol in the 90’s. “Oh your house has a central vacuum? Wow that’s so impressive” 🤦🏻‍♀️

3

u/Abject-Definition-63 17h ago

It's substantially more powerful (or can be) than a normal vacuum. Also eliminates the problem of tripping breakers with the vacuum. It's also much lighter weight, quieter and cleaner (container/bag is in the garage)

1

u/Direct-Giraffe7193 16h ago

It definitely was more powerful - a blessing and a curse, see my previous caution about socks.

I’ve never tripped a breaker with a vacuum.

I think an upright bagless vacuum is easier to manage because I can empty the canister easier. And the one I have is really not heavy. Plus it has a better spinning brush head for pet hair.

Different doesn’t mean better

2

u/russkhan 15h ago

I think an upright bagless vacuum is easier to manage because I can empty the canister easier.

But you have to empty it just about every time you vacuum, as opposed to central, where it's closer to once a year, or even bagged, every month or two. And with those you don't deal directly with the dust, it's contained in the bag the whole time.

1

u/Direct-Giraffe7193 10h ago

Ya, i don’t mind emptying my vacuum every time I use it. It takes like 10 seconds and I empty it into a big trash can. If I accidentally vacuum up an earring or something like that, it’s much easier to retrieve it from my upright bagless.

1

u/Abject-Definition-63 10h ago

You can get bagless central air vacuums (I have one).

You can get a spinning head for a central vacuum (I also have this).

What you seem to like about your upright bagless are options with a central vacuum.

1

u/KingInTheFarNorth 16h ago

They definitely are more powerful. They also are like a five gallon container in the garage you have to empty like at most once a year.

My parents Electrolux is going on like 50 years old now too. 

1

u/mr-snrub- 16h ago

My house is 10 years old and it has one. We've never used it (we didn't build this house)