Central Vacuum vs. Dyson:
The Comparison No One's Showing You

The battery indicator drops from three bars to two. You're only halfway through the living room, and by the time you reach the stairs you're on boost mode watching the runtime collapse. The Dyson V15 advertises 60 minutes of runtime, but on the setting that actually cleans, you're looking at 15 to 20.

This is the comparison most reviews skip: not features or filtration ratings, but the actual experience of cleaning a multi-floor home.

The Numbers Most People Never See

Central vacuum systems deliver 500 to 700 air watts of suction power. The Dyson V15, one of the most powerful cordless vacuums on the market, maxes out at 240 air watts—a three-to-one difference in cleaning force.

The gap shows up in deep carpet cleaning, pet hair removal, and anything embedded in fabric. A PowerHaus™ power unit maintains that suction indefinitely. There's no battery depleting, no airflow diminishing as the canister fills.

That runtime claim deserves scrutiny: Dyson advertises 60 minutes, but that's in eco mode, the setting where suction drops to a fraction of the machine's capability. Switch to boost mode, the setting that justifies the price tag, and you're looking at 8 to 15 minutes before the charge is gone. Most real-world use lands somewhere in the middle: 15 to 20 minutes of actual cleaning before you need to find the charger.

For a single-floor apartment, that works. For a 5,000 square foot Southampton home? You're recharging mid-clean or accepting diminished performance.

Where the Exhaust Goes

Power and runtime tell half the story, but the bigger difference is what happens to the air.

Portable vacuums pull debris through a filter and exhaust the air back into your living space. Even with HEPA filtration, this creates a problem. Research from Molekule found that HEPA filters only perform at their rated efficiency when the entire airpath is sealed. Internal leaks can drop actual filtration to 50% of the rated spec. These leaks are common in consumer vacuums as gaskets age. The particles that escape stay airborne for hours.

Central vacuums work differently. The motor sits in your basement or garage, connected to wall inlets throughout your home through PVC conduit hidden in the walls, and when you vacuum, debris travels through this network to the power unit before exhausting outside through an exterior vent. What you cleaned up leaves your home entirely.

The EPA recommends exhausting vacuum air outside the living space to reduce indoor allergens. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America echoes this guidance. Their data shows eight out of ten Americans are exposed to dust mites in their homes, and over half of U.S. homes contain six or more detectable allergens. When your vacuum exhausts into the room, those allergens just get redistributed.

The EPA notes that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air—sometimes ten times worse in energy-efficient homes with limited air exchange. In winter, with windows sealed and heating systems running, everything you stir up stays inside. Your vacuum's exhaust location matters more than its filter rating.

The 20-Year Math

A Dyson V15 starts around $750. In a multi-story home, most owners buy two or three—one per floor to avoid hauling a heavy vacuum up and down stairs. That's $1,500 to $2,250 upfront.

Each Dyson lasts 5 to 7 years before battery capacity degrades. Over 20 years, you'll replace each unit three to four times. Two Dysons becomes six to eight. Three becomes nine to twelve. The 20-year total: $4,500 to $9,000, plus replacement batteries, filters, and accessories along the way.

Central vacuum installation during new construction runs $2 to $5 per square foot. For a 3,000 square foot home, that's $6,000 to $15,000 depending on the number of wall inlets and power unit selected. The system lasts 20 years or more with basic maintenance. Multiple inlets mean one system covers every floor—no hauling, no charging, no degradation.

The 20-year cost lands in the same range. But one option means managing a fleet of cordless vacuums with batteries that fade and performance that declines. The other becomes invisible infrastructure you forget exists.

"But What About..."

These objections come up often. Most don't hold up.

Quick spot cleanups. With wall inlets throughout your home, you're never more than a few steps from one. Plugging in—or pulling out a retractable hose—takes seconds. No hunting for the vacuum, no checking the charge level, no carrying anything heavier than a lightweight hose.

Car detailing. A garage inlet or dedicated garage power unit solves this. Same 500-700 air watts of suction, no extension cord required. HausVac installations offer either as an add-on for exactly this reason.

The upfront cost. We covered this above. The 20-year math lands in the same range as cycling through a fleet of Dysons. The difference is one option becomes permanent infrastructure, the other needs replacement every few years.

Renting or temporary housing. This is the one scenario where portable genuinely makes sense. If you can't install, you can't install. Central vacuum is for homeowners who plan to stay.

The Decision

Three questions clarify the choice.

Are you building or renovating? The optimal time for central vacuum is the rough-in phase, after framing but before drywall. Installation costs 30-40% less than retrofit work because the walls are already open. If you're opening walls anyway, add it to the scope.

Do allergies, asthma, or respiratory sensitivities affect your household? Central vacuum's exterior exhaust removes particles from your living space entirely. The EPA recommends this approach for reducing indoor allergens. If air quality drives your decision, the data points one direction.

Is this a multi-floor home where you'll live for years? Battery anxiety and charging interruptions disappear. You plug into a wall inlet and clean with consistent suction until you're done.

HausVac has installed over 10,000 central vacuum systems across Eastern Long Island since 1981. If you're considering the switch, we can walk you through what a system would look like for your specific home.

The battery indicator on your current vacuum will drop again. The question is whether you want to keep working around that limitation or solve it permanently.

Contact HausVac to discuss your home.

FAQ

Is central vacuum better than Dyson?

For whole-home cleaning, yes. Central vacuum delivers three times the suction power, unlimited runtime, and exhausts particles outside your living space.

How much more powerful is central vacuum?

500 to 700 air watts (central) versus 240 air watts (Dyson V15). That's a 2-3x difference in actual cleaning force, sustained without battery depletion.

Does central vacuum help with allergies?

Yes. The EPA and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommend exhausting vacuum air outside the living space. The key difference is exterior exhaust—particles leave your home entirely instead of recirculating into the air you breathe.

Can I have both?

Yes. Some homeowners use a Dyson for quick spot cleanups and their central vacuum system for weekly deep cleaning. They serve different purposes.