Earth Week and Indoor Air

It's hard to believe that this week marked the 33rd anniversary of Earth Day. A lot has changed since 1970. The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act became law. Fuel efficiency standards have increased and battery powered cars are transporting more and more people.

More recently, environmental protection efforts and Earth Day observances are focusing on the indoors as well as outdoors. Indoor air quality has become a major concern globally as familes battle the growing epidemic of allergies and asthma. Electrolux, manufacturer of BEAM Central Vacuum Systems and BEAM HEPA Air Filtration Equipment has provided important contributions to better indoor air quality with products that remove allergens from the living environment, resulting in healthier homes.

Spring. Finally!

Here it is, the week before baseball season begins and the TV weather guy is saying that 49 percent of the country is covered in snow. The only bear dirt to be found is the sand and slop my  car dragged into the garage.

The whole place needs a thorough cleaning. A few years ago I bought a 21-inch wide bare floor brush from BEAM that's perfect for the job. It's called the DustDriver. Just plug a hose into the utility valve on the central vac power unit, attach the brush to the other end and clean the garage floor in no time -- without kicking dust into the air. 

Building a New Home?

At long last the housing market in the U.S. is starting to recover. New home construction this year is expected to climb to its highest level in more than four years. Interest rates remain at historic lows and home values are rising in most major markets in the U.S.

The upturn was evident at the 2013 International Buildlers Show where both builder and exhibitor attendance was up sharply from last year. And the mood among builders was decidedly upbeat. Many stopped by the BEAM exhibit at the Builder Partnerships pavilion at the show to learn more about how they can provide their customers with healthier indoor air quality -- and differentiate their homes in a competitive market by installing BEAM Central Vacuum Systems.

They weren't disaappointed.

The BEAM Allliance System -- more powerful, quieter and more convenient with advanced communication technology and a sleek, contemporary design will be introduced in coming weeks. It will be a game changer in home cleaning technology.

BEAM Earns Top Ratings from Bulders

BEAM by Electrolux is the most frequently chosen brand of central vacuum systems installed in new homes, according to a survey of builders, developers and contractors by Hanley Wood, the publisher of BUILDER magazine. Builders also rated BEAM as the highest quality central vacuum systems for the ninth year in a row.

Improve Your Indoor Air

As you prepare your home for the winter season, don't overlook the importance of safe indoor air. There are several steps you can take to prepare and keep your home healthy.

1. Get your heating system inspected. It's work a few extra dollars to have the system checked by a trained technician to make sure the system is in good working order and that there are no gas leaks that endanger your family's health and safety. Also, be sure to change the furnace filter.

2. If you don't have a carbon monoxide detector in the home, you should intall one.

3. Take the time to clean your home more frequently to remove dust and allergens from the home, especially if a family member has allergies or asthma. A BEAM Central Vacuum System offers the best way to remove surface allergens because it completrely removes all contacted dust from the living area.

4. Take advantage of whatever mild weather comes your way. Open up a window when you can to let in fresh air.

Amenities Key as Homebuilding Begins Slow Recovery

For the first time in nearly four years, new home construction is showing signs of a belated, albeit slow recovery in many communities around the country, with new home sales rising 19 percent in May compared with the same month a year ago and permits for future residential construction rising by 25 percent from May 2011.

Photo Courtesy of Classic Homes

Mark Fuerstenberger, purchasing manager for Classic Homes, Colorado Springs, Colo., senses a change in consumer attitude with the uptick that started around the first of the year.

“I think a switch triggered in everybody’s mind. All of a sudden there was a lot less negativity,” Fuerstenberger says.

Classic Homes sold 167 homes during the first half of 2012, well over one-half of the company’s goal of 250 sales for the entire year.

“With interest rates as low as they have been for home buying and costs at the moment being down and knowing there’s only one direction they could possibly go, a lot of buyers think now is the time to buy,” he notes. “We’ve had a stellar start to the year. “

He said that consumers remain very cost-conscious when shopping for a new home. However, they are increasingly interested in adding high-end finishes and other amenities to the home. Builders are working to accomplish both.

“We bumped a few things down a little bit without compromising the quality of the home, but we put that money back into the home in finishes and the things that buyers would want to touch and feel,” Fuerstenberger adds.

Central vacuum systems are among the “touch and feel” preferences for many buyers because of their contributions to indoor air quality. Classic Homes works with BEAM Central Vacuum Systems by Electrolux. The two companies are exploring ways to pre-pipe Classic’s homes so buyers can either complete the installation of a system now, or adding a central vac later with minimal installation.

“People are looking at a new home as a longer-term investment than they did in the past. Protecting the investment and maintaining a healthier living environment are a high priority,” notes Jay Rollie, National Business Development Manager for BEAM. “As a result buyers are choosing products that are durable. They want more built-ins. And they want products that are convenient and easy to use.

“Central vacuum systems pass each test,” Rollie says.

BEAM Cited as Innovative Addition to Vision House

Editors of Green Builder magazine have selected the BEAM Serenity QS Central Vacuum System as one of the 25 top innovations included in Vision House LA. The system improves the indoor air quality of the home by capturing more dirt and allergens and completely removing them from the living space.

Read the cover story in the May-June issue.

BEAM Recognized as Ecofriendly

The summer issue of Ecohome Designs has named the BEAM Serenity IQS Central Vacuum System as one of "20 Ecofriendly Products We Love."

BEAM Featured in VISION House LA

LOS ANGELES -- A construction site in fashionable Pacific Palisades will become much more than an example of southern California luxury living. The home also will serve as an education and demonstration site for sustainable building and healthy living.

The VISION House Los Angeles incorporates California’s new mandatory green building standards, CalGreen, that emphasize performance, durability, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, efficient systems, and sustainable materials. The project is a joint effort of Green Builder Media and Structure Home, a Los Angeles-based builder. The project team will host a wide variety of educational, promotional, and community-focused events during and after completion.

The BEAM Serenity QS Central Vacuum System chosen for the project delivers up to five times the deep cleaning power of a conventional vacuum. It removes 100 percent of contacted dirt and allergens from the living area without stirring up dust inside the home. The system has been clinically proven to relieve allergies. The BEAM system also qualifies for green building certification points in both the National Association of Homebuilders and LEED green building standards.

Remodling Season is Here

The return of warm weather throughout the country also marks the return of the home improvement season. Odds are you'll be among the millions of homeowners who will spend an estimated $113 billion on home remodling projects this year.

Certainly, most projects will add value to your home, but not necessarily as much as they will cost. Installing a BEAM Central Vacuum System comes very close, typically adding $1,200 or more to the value of the home. Plus, it will improve the air quality of the home.

Remodeling magazine has put together an excellent online tool to compare the cost and the value of a number of major improvements. And it breaks down the cost and benefits by region and by scale.

Mama Loves Her BEAM

It's fairly common for people to move into an existing home that is equipped with an old central vacuum. That was the case for Brett Martin, her husband three young children and white Labrador moved into a 1970s era home in Ohio. The old central vacuum power unit wasn't doing the job and the hose was worn out. So she relied on uprights to clean the house.

Brett, who founded the popular blog, Mamalovesherbargains, decided to give a central vacuum another try. She learned how a BEAM Central Vacuum System can relieve allergies -- an important consideration since one of her sons has allergies. She chose the BEAM Serenity QS Central Vacuum System with the BEAM Q PowerTeam. 

"We were wowed," she wrote.

Read her full product review.

BEAM Featured in Builder Concept Homes

One of the highlights of the International Builders Show is the unveiling of new homes that showcase the latest products and design. Centerline homes has built three near Orlando that are featured as Builder magazine's Builder Concept Homes for 2012.

Each of the homes is designed for a different generation in a community that seeks an broad mix of homes and homeowners. There's a Gen B home for Baby Boomers, a Gen X home and a Gen Y home.

BEAM Serenity IQS Central Vacuum Systems were installed in the Gen B and Gen X homes to assure healthy indoor air quality.

BEAM Rated Highest Quality Central Vacuum System

BEAM Central Vacuum Systems by Electrolux have been rated by builders and contractors as the highest quality central vacuum systems. The ratings are the result of Builder magazine's annual survey of readers to determine builders' preferences for brands in more than 100 different product categories. Read more.

3 Tips to Maintaining Your Central Vac System

Tens of thousands of homeowners have enjoyed years of reliable deep cleaning performance from their BEAM Central Vacuum Systems. It's not uncommon for a system to outlast three upright vacuums. 

Keeping your system in tip top shape year after year only takes a few minutes.

1. Empty your collection receptacle regularly. If the bucket is full the system won't perform at its optimum level. Typically the bucket should be emptied two or three times a year -- probably more if you have pets. Some homeowers will wrap a plastic bag in the bucket wrap and shake the permanent cloth filter into it to remove dust that collects on the outside of the filter.

2. Also make sure the inside of the bucket remains dry. It's okay to wash the bucket with warm soap and water after you empty it. But make sure the bucket is completely dry when you reattach it to the power unit. That will prevent any mold from forming in the bucket. And it will prevent freezing if your your power unit is installed in the garage.

3. Clean out your tubing system. Your BEAM dealer can provide you with tacky cloths called Tornado Power. Simply vacuum one into the system at each inlet valve. The cloths will remove any dust that may cling to joints in the tubing.

Growing Market for Central Vacs in Existing Homes

Historically, more than two-thirds of all the central vacuum systems sold in the U.S. have been installed in new homes. But that's changing. More and more consumers are having their existing homes retrofitted for central vacuum systems. There are a variety of reasons for this.

For starters, BEAM dealers have been educating customers that almost any home can be retrofitted for a central vacuum system without damaging or replacing sections of interior walls. As long as tubing can be routed horizontally between joists and vertically through an interior wall, utility chase or cold air return, the home can be equipped with a central vacuum system. The only openings required in walls are no larger than an inlet valve. 

Secondly, because of a volatile real estate market in many communities, a growing number of consumers are choosing to upgrade their existing homes, rather than sell and buy a new home. Central vacuum systesm have been shown to increase the value of homes, as well as to make the home environments cleaner and healthier.

A third factor is that many consumers want the added cleaning convenience a central vacuum system delivers. It's much easier to clean stairs with a hose that covers the entire staircase than trying to balance a portable vacuum on a stair tread, or to extend the central vacuum wand to reach ceiling corners, fans and vents.

To learn more about retrofitting a system into your home, contact your BEAM dealer.

Adapt Your Cleaning Routine to the Season

Everywhere we look these days we see reminders that the cold dark days of winter will be here soon. For most of us, it means less time outdoors, driving to and from work in the dark and wearing layers of clothing.

I've also noticed that I've changed my cleaning routine.

The cleaning starts a little later in the day when there's enough natural light to see what we're doing. The hardwood floors get vacuumed more frequently to remove the leaves that blow in from outside whenever I open the garage door or front door. A BEAM Central Vacuum sure beats a broom for removing leaves. And raking the yard is overrated.

Speaking of outdoor issues, some Asian beetles were introduced to the Midwest several years ago as a way to control other insect pests in farm fields. They look like ladybugs, but an insect expert told me once they're a different species. The problem is they have become pests in their own right and cling to the south wall and window of  the house and often find their way inside. And they occasionally bite.

So last week, I pulled out the ultimate weapon -- my 30-foot central vacuum hose, and got every last one of them, removed the bucket, wrapped it in a plastic bag and drove five miles out to the countryside and liberated my catch.

Is Your Home Ready for the Chill?

With several remaining weeks of nearly perfect weather remaining, thoughts are starting to turn to the fall and winter heating season and how best to prepare for it.

Is there enough insulation in the attic or over the garage?
Is the furnace in good working order?
Is it time to re-caulk around windows and doors?

Another thing to consider should be the air quality in your home. Afterall, the windows will likely stay shut in most American homes from November to March. That means the air quality inside the home could get worse. The pet dander, dust mites, other allergens and smoke from the fireplace or elsewhere, will be trapped.

As you know, BEAM Central Vacuum Systrems improve indoor air quality by completely removing contacted dirt and allergens from the living area.

If you own a system there are a couple of things you should consider this fall to keep your central vacuum system at peak performance.

Empty the system's collection bucket. Doing so now will mean less frequent trips to a cold garage or basement this winter.

Clean the tubing system. Most BEAM dealers offer specially design cloths that remove dust residue from central vacuum inlet valves and tubing. Simply vacuum the cloth into the system and it will clean the tubing all the way to the collection bucket.

BEAM Exhibits at CEDIA

Members of the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) will get an opportunity to learn first-hand how they can enhance homeowners' indoor air quality and grow their custom installation business with BEAM Central Vacuum Systems.

BEAM will be among exhibitors at this year's CEDIA Expo in Indianapolis. CEDIA members, including many current BEAM dealers, will learn about the Serenity IQS Central Vacuum System, BEAM Q PowerTeam and Hide-A-Hose, a complete central vacuum hose system that retracts into the central vacuum system's tubing, eliminating the need to carry a hose from inlet to inlet.

CEDIA members also will attend training sessions covering a variety of topics ranging from sales techniques to installation. 

Builder Survey Ranks BEAM No. 1 in Quality

Builders and contractors have ranked BEAM by Electrolux as the highest quality central vacuum systems on the market for the seventh year in a row, according to an annual survey of more than 3,000 builders and contractors.

“Builders and buyers of new homes have great experiences with BEAM Central Vacuum Systems,” says Brian Campbell, senior product manager for BEAM. “For builders, that means more satisfied customers and few call-backs. For home buyers, it means years of reliable, deep-cleaning performance and healthier indoor air.”

The survey sponsored by Hanley Wood, the publisher of Builder magazine, examined respondents’ familiarity, usage and quality perceptions of brands in 81 product categories from appliances to windows.

To determine builders’ quality preferences, respondents rated central vacuum brands on a scale of one to seven, with seven being “excellent.” BEAM earned an average score of 5.51.

The survey also found that the number of builders who installed BEAM systems in their homes increased by 31 percent since Hanley Wood’s previous survey released in 2010. More than one-fifth of builders and contractors have had BEAM Central Vacuum Systems installed in their homes during the past two years. READ MORE.

No Installation Challenge Too Great for Resourceful Dealer

Central vacuum system dealers pride themselves in their abilities to install systems in nearly any home, new or existing. Installation generally can be more complex in existing homes. However, dealers occasionally find new home installations that seem intimidating. That was the case for Jerry Nelson, owner of Central Vacuum Systems of Northern California, when he won the bid to install a BEAM Central Vacuum System in a 22,000-square-foot mansion in northern California'a wine country.

The house was built on slab and included several areas with 30-foot ceilings and no attic space – making it impossible to run tubing horizontally. Adding to the complexity was a dual winding staircase – reminiscent of the one featured in the movie classic, Gone With the Wind. Nelson also needed to install a system to clean an 8,000-square-foot detached office and garage where the home owner planned to keep classic cars.

In all, the installation required 33 inlet valves and three KickSweep Automatic Dustpans.

When he measured the house for the first time Nelson began to worry, “Did I bite off more than I could chew?”

Then the idea struck him. Much like a heating and air conditioning contractor might install zoned HVAC systems, Nelson decided zoned cleaning systems would solve the problem.

"I mentally broke the house down into five separate systems and provided five power units strategically located to service all areas of the house,” Nelson says. “A sixth unit was installed in the detached garage.”