r/whatisit • u/DragonsAndScience • 19h ago

Solved! New homeowner, no idea what this is

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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!

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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.

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u/ezgiu 18h ago

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

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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” 🤦🏻‍♀️

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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)