Though vacuuming floors, carpets, and furniture isn’t exactly a good time for most people, one home appliance can help you complete this chore with a minimum of dust, noise, and hassle—a built-in central vacuum system.

With a built-in central vacuum, you do not have to lug a heavy vacuum cleaner from room to room or up and down stairs. Instead, you just tote around a cleaning attachment on the end of a long, lightweight hose. To vacuum, you plug the hose into any of a several wall- or floor-mounted receptacles. Dust and debris travel through the hose into the receptacles and is then delivered to a remote canister by a system of hidden plastic pipes. The vacuum canister is typically located in the basement or garage.

In addition to being handy, central vacuums reduce allergy symptoms and do an excellent job of vacuuming. Because the vacuum canister can be larger than a conventional household vacuum, it can do a more powerful job of collecting dust, pollen, dander, and other airborne pollutants without recirculating those allergens into your living spaces the way a conventional, portable vacuum cleaner does. And even though they are larger and more powerful than conventional vacuums, they are quieter because the motor is remote.

This section of HomeTips will tell you what you need to know to make an informed buying decision, as well as how to install your new central vac after you’ve made your purchase.