Central vacuum cleaning hoses for home use come in different diameters and several lengths. The size and configuration of your home affects the length of hose you need.
Central vacuum hoses come in 1 1/4-inch, 1 3/8-inch and 1 1/2-inch diameters. The 1 1/4-inch (32 mm) diameter has long been considered standard for central vacuum hoses. Hoses of 1 3/8-inch (35 mm) have become more commonly available. The larger diameter makes the hose less likely to get clogged or blocked. It also increases suction. Hoses 1 1/2-inch (38 mm) in diameter are also available but aren't common in residential equipment.
"The average length hose in a central vacuum system used to be 25 feet," says Paul Auger of Auger & Sons, a Rochester, New Hampshire-based vacuum service company. However, he says, as new homes got larger, the standard length increased to 30 and even 35 feet. The shorter the hose, the more inlets (place in wall or on floor where hose plugs into the system) you need to install.
The number of inlets installed affects the length of hose you need. A hose longer than 35 feet, warns Paul Auger, "becomes unruly and is no longer practical." Beside the size of your home, you need to also consider furniture configuration when determining inlet placement and length of hose. Auger warns that moving furniture around potentially makes inlets inaccessible; it is best to install two inlets in the room from the beginning.