How to create healthier air inside your home

Air quality is a major issue to consider when renovating your existing home or planning a new build – with Covid-19 still about and one in six Kiwis living with a respiratory condition – it's only going to increase in importance. There are ways to help with this though, such as installing a built-in vacuum cleaning system.

In the local market since 1957, Beam Central Vacuum Systems NZ is a pioneer in central vacuums and has independently tested its systems – proving their performance in removing 100% of contracted dust, dirt and allergens from the floor as well as contaminates from the air.

“We’ve had tests done worldwide that show that a Beam central vacuum cleaner is much more effective than a normal vacuum in a house,” says Mike Wiggins, Beam’s business manager.

“The common stick or a portable vacuum cleaner is one of the main polluters of the air inside a home. These noisy systems take the contaminants from the floor, and while some will capture larger particles in their system, they pass the smallest particles through the dust and dirt in the system and reintroduce it into the air all the way around the home. This is the dust that you can smell and that you can see in the sunlight – that’s the air you are breathing.”

Beam’s built-in vacuum systems, such as the award-winning Beam Alliance, capture 98% of dust and allergens leaving the system thanks to the use of a patented Gore-Tex HEPA standard self-cleaning filter.

“So what comes out is basically pure air,” says Mike. “It won’t expel dust or contaminates larger than 0.3 microns – that’s smaller than a hair follicle.”

It’s because of this technology that the Beam Alliance built-in vacuum system has been clinically proven by independent tests to significantly relieve allergy and asthma symptoms in the home.

Rather than lugging around a heavy machine – especially on stairs – using a Beam built-in vacuum involves a lightweight hose that can be connected to two or three outlets around the home. By having the power unit and sealed dirt container installed in the garage, it makes for a remarkably quiet time doing the vacuuming.

“One of the surprises people have after installing a Beam Alliance built-in vacuum system in their home, is not that their carpets are deep cleaned every time it’s used, or that the air is more pleasant to breath, but at how quiet these systems are,” says Mike.

There’s no compromise on power though, with the new HE (High Efficiency) motors producing better suction, yet saving 30% on power usage: “It means a Beam central vacuum system offers between three to five times more suction power than a conventional vacuum cleaner, and there is never any loss of suction because you’re not sucking through the dirt coming into the machine.”

Mike explains that because of this extra suction, floor surfaces enjoy a deep clean every time and the deposit container only needs to be emptied three or four times a year.

The design of new homes sees the improvement of heat retention through quality wall, ceiling and underfloor insulation and double-glazed windows, making the buildings almost airtight.

“The fitting of DV systems, dehumidifiers, automatic insect sprayers, central heating and heat pumps to new houses also means the air inside the home is being constantly recirculated and the quality of the air inside the home is vulnerable to a multitude of allergens and inside pollution,” says Mike, adding that older homes also face these problems – combined with dampness and mould issues, and in-ground dust and dirt to contend with.

The good news though, is that a Beam Alliance can be installed to both new and existing homes. When building, the system can be added at the same time as electrics, allowing flexibility in where the outlets can be placed, such as in a kitchen island.

“Central vacuums can also be neatly retro-fitted into most existing properties. It’s something that our Beam dealers are very experienced at and we have lots of techniques to hide the ducting pipes.”

If you’d like to learn more about adding a central vacuum system to your dwelling, get in touch with your local Beam dealer, with 25 located across New Zealand to assist in the entire process from purchasing through to installation of the system.