Every inlet you plan will raise the cost of a system and increase the possibility of air leaks, which decrease the system’s suction. With this in mind, plan carefully so that you can keep the number of inlets to a minimum.

Most houses need one or two inlets on each story, centrally located, so that every corner of every room is within the vacuum hose’s reach (typically about 30 feet).

Though inlets are best located along the base of interior walls, they may be installed in floors if they are placed away from foot traffic (all floor inlets should have metal covers).

In a single-story house with a basement or crawlspace, tubing can run under the floor and stub up a short distance into walls or directly serve floor inlets (by far the easiest method when retrofitting).

Interior, non-bearing walls not supported by foundations or beams are generally easiest to penetrate from below.

If a house has limited access below floors—as with a two-story house, for example—tubing must route elsewhere. Typical solutions are to run tubing vertically through laundry chutes, behind cabinets, exposed in closet corners, or boxed in at one of a room’s corners.

Another popular option is to run tubing horizontally in an attic and then drop it down through a wall or into a closet or cabinet. The best runs are short, straight, and direct.

Once you’ve established possible inlet locations, be sure they allow the vacuum’s wand to reach every corner of the house (including ceilings). Don’t forget to consider furniture and obstructions. To test your layout, stretch the hose and wand (or a small rope of equal length) from inlets to the far reaches of each room.

Plan to put the power unit/collection canister in the basement, a utility room, the garage, or a similar location away from living areas. Though most central vacuum types don’t need to be exhausted outdoors, you can minimize dust around the unit by doing so.

Don’t put the unit where temperatures may get hot, such as in a furnace room, small closet, or attic; the power unit requires good ventilation for long life and proper operation.