I initially contacted Hide-a-Hose to find an authorized installer in my area. You can match any brand unit with the HAH as long as it has enough power to pull the hoses up into the tubing. I just went with the unit recommended by my installer - a Vacumaid. I didn't find the HAH at any of the vacuum stores in my area and they hadn't even heard of it.

The only drawback of a big powerful motor is once whatever you pick up is in the tubing - it's GONE! Within a few weeks of moving in, I did have one instance of busting the tubing. I sucked up a metal tool that was sitting on the counter! Fortunately, since the HAH uses gradual sweeps instead of sharp turns, the damage was done at accessible places so it wasn't hard to fix. I was even able to rig up a temporary patch using rubberized tape. My installer awarded me the prize of having done the most damage to the tubing he's ever seen!

Mine (I use that term loosely because everyone now wants to use my vac - where were they all before when I was lugging a heavy vacuum cleaner up the stairs??) is the Imperium from Central Vacuum Stores. It is even better than expected!

Thank you for your input! The house we are currently renting has a central vacuum (unknown brand) it has electrified outlets. I have found dragging the 30 foot hoses around rather cumbersome and the 'Hide a Hose' sounds as though it's time has come!

If/When we get started, we have planned to use Beam central vac. with the Hide a Hose. Beam seems to be the big seller in our area.

We are getting our hide-a-hose installed in a couple of weeks. Our installer recommended the vaccu-maid too.

The Beam would not be a good choice with the Hide-a-Hose because you really need the power behind a true cyclonic unit to suck up the hose. The Vacuflo is a good choice, but you can't buy those online, you will have to buy one from a dealer. They have a dealer locator on their website. Just Google Vacuflo. VacuMaid is also a high quality cyclonic unit, and the Imperium is actually made by VacuMaid. This site sells the Imperium central vac. They also sell everything you need to install a Hide-a-Hose, plus they are pretty knowledgeable and offer free tech support.

Here is a link that might be useful: Central Vacuum Storesw

Although I don't own one yet, I was made aware at a Building Show that the Dirt Devil system also works with Hide-A-Hose

Emilynewhome, I am wondering the same thing. The dealer my builder works with sells the Airvacs here is the Dallas area and he has never installed a Hide a Hose with his system. He is researching it now and is looking for a local dealer for Hide a Hose.

The Airvac (made by M & S) is a regular filtered to a bag type of system, not the cyclonic bagless type. He recommends I get their largest system so it is powerful enough for the Hide a Hose - the EVR12000. He is not sure this will all work the way I want.

Does anyone have an Airvac with the Hide a Hose??

Ginny

I just found a HAH dealer in my area (DFW) after I posted the previous message. He told the central vacuum dealer that installs the Airvac systems that he can't buy the HAH parts separately. They are exclusive to Vacuflo systems. So if I want to use a HAH I have to get the Vacuflo system with it and the Vacuflo/HAH dealer has to install it.

This is contrary to what people are saying before me in this thread. I am wondering if things are different in different parts of the country.

Has anyone else run into this?

Ginny

Yes after several unacknowledged emails to supposed 'Hide a Hose' dealers in Louisiana, I have actually tracked one down in Lafayette. They will only install the Vacuflo model with the Hide a Hose, which happens to be one of the models that has been recommended on this site.
I have emailed our floor plan to them and am now awaiting the cost breakdown!

There are limited vacuums that work with hide a hose-Vacumaid and Vacuflo are two of them. I think we will order from the link provided above and ask our electrician to install. From what I understand Central Vac, sells a lot of these hide a hose systems to DIYers. It's not the unit our electrician normally works with and he's never installed hide a hose before, but I talked to hide-a-hose directly and they said if he's installed central vac systems before and he reads the installation instructions a few times it shouldn't be that difficult.

We had never installed a central vac before but we installed ours with Hide A Hose.

Installing our Hide A Hose system was more like plumbing for waste water than electrical work. It involved drain type pipe (ours is regular Schedule 40) with straight runs and gently sweeping bends to accommodate the hoses, and low voltage wiring. Planning was key to ensure the lengths of hoses would return easily into the pipes after vacuuming.

Sorry in taking so long in getting back with the bid info, but we've had other pressing issues, anyway here is the bid from the dealer in Lafayette, they only install with Vacuflo.

8971-50RF-A HIDE A HOSE INLET KIT WITH RF HANDLE AND 50' HOSE
8971-50-A HIDE A HOSE INLET KIT WITH 50' HOSE
8719 ACCESSORY KIT
9050 MAXAIR VAC UNIT
ADDITIONAL TUBING, VACPAN, GARAGE INLET, TRAVEL, LABOR
TOTAL COST $3133

Last summer you wrote about your plans to get a HAH with central vacuums, and I'd love to hear an update --
- what you bought,
- how your installation worked out,
- how happy you are with the power of your unit,
- the look of the inlets,
- and whether a 50' hose is usable, not too unwieldy once you've got it pulled out....

Also, if you have any photos of how the HAH inlets look on your wall, that would be great -- I see that they're a lot larger than the regular CV inlets, and am a bit scared of having these at light switch height (all our runs will go up to the attic).