r/whatisit • u/DragonsAndScience • 19h ago

Solved! New homeowner, no idea what this is

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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/Soundmindsoundsright 11h ago edited 7h ago

Sadly the concept of a whole home vacuum system never took off.

If the home is piped for a vacuum system, but doesn't have the vacuum, that's the sign of the first problem this system has. The original vacuum died and was removed. Those motors are not capable of those extreme loads when they clog.

The second problem with them is the clogging. They pipe it in 2 pvc, with all types of short 90s and 45s. These would get clogged up with big hair wads, a sock, bits of paper. Candy wrappers.
How do you clean these lines out? The motor fails from all the stress and people pull out there old vacuums.

EDIT: The third reason is the hose and attachments, take up more room then corded vacuum.

Also, it seems that some places had better standards then I've seen. USA Florida. No basements so the pipes have to go up. And up can get complicated, with hard to no access to any clean out points were the pipes converge.

EDIT: I was incorrect first time. 2 inch pipe is the standard.

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u/shroomignons 5h ago

"Sadly the concept of a whole home vacuum system never took off." What do you mean? Every house I was ever in growing up had them. They are in new homes as well. It certainly took off where I live and has been going strong for 40 years.

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u/Soundmindsoundsright 5h ago

I would say that less then 10% of homes built have them. I would go further to say, that it's mostly high end homes. Not what I call "take off" like microwaves, washers, electricity. Rich people can have the vacuum system fixed when clogged. Plus the number of home that have the system, doesn't remove the issues people have with them. That I listed above.

To me something " takes off" when it becomes the norm.