FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Some frequently asked questions by our customers.

Yes! Virtually any home, from new to decades old, can enjoy the cleaning power of a Duovac system installed in just a few hours without mess or disturbing walls by one of our professional installers. Contact your Duovac Dealer for further details.

Yes! Use the bare floor tools or ask for the installation of an automatic dustpan. It’s the ideal solution for removing debris from the kitchen, bath or mudroom. Simply sweep trash towards the automatic dustpan, touch the toe-switch and use the power of your Duovac to instantly remove the trash. No more dustpans or stooping over to pick up swept debris.

Duovac systems are practically maintenance free. No lubrication is ever required. Just empty the dust canister or replace the disposable filtration bag two to three times per year.

Most Duovac models have a hybrid filtration system which means they can be used with or without a filtration bag for your convenience. The antibacterial permanent filter inside hybrid models needs only to be lightly patted to take the dust off when emptying the dust canister. It can also be machine-washed for a deep clean-up once or twice a year.

To make things even easier, Duovac hybrid models have an intelligent module with an LED that starts blinking when the canister needs to be emptied.

To create lightweight, powerful cleaning, better air quality and less noise, the Duovac power unit is typically located in the basement or garage and is connected to convenient inlets throughout the home via vacuum piping. Plug the hose into an inlet and the system is turned on with a switch on the hose handle. Particles are completely removed from living areas and collected in the power unit’s dust canister.

A Duovac central vacuum will remove dust, allergens and other pollutants away from the living area more efficiently than the competition brands or a regular portable vacuum. The Duovac hybrid filtration system will remove 99.97 % of particles that have a size of 0.3 μm or larger.

Duovac Cleaning Sets and hoses are lightweight and designed for whole house cleaning from floor to ceiling. Unlike short and flimsy hoses found on portable vacuums, Duovac crush proof hoses are created to withstand everyday kinks and twists.

It depends on your home, really. Each one is different! Central vacuums systems are convenient and versatile, which makes them the ideal solution for most types of homes. In most houses, only three inlet valves are needed to reach each place with the hose and accessories. Each inlet valve, strategically located, allows you to vacuum on an area of approximately 65 to 75 m² (700 to 800 sq ft). To vacuum easily in the garage or basement area without having to install an extra inlet, you can connect a direct inlet kit to the power unit’s air intake.

Yes! A properly installed Duovac Central Vacuum System offers the same powerful cleaning performance at every inlet whatever the distance from the power unit and won’t lose suction over time.

Duovac offers a full complement of tools and attachments for virtually any cleaning need — from ceiling fan cleaners to handheld power brushes to mini-vac tools for cleaning computer keyboards. There are even pet grooming brushes that attach to your Duovac hose. More information on accessories are available here, or at your local Duovac Dealer.

Follow these steps if you have problems starting your unit.

  1. Check the LED status light on the side of the unit (if applicable). If the light is red, call a service centre near you to schedule a service.
  2. Check that the power unit’s electrical cord is plugged directly into a power outlet and that the breaker or fuse to the electrical outlet is not tripped.
  3. Push the button on the side of the motor housing to reset the mini breaker which protects the motor against an overload. If the power goes off one more time, call a service centre near you.
  4. Unhook the low volt wires at your vacuum cleaner unit, take a pair of needle nose pliers with rubber handles, insert them into the unit where you unplugged the low volt wires and squeeze lightly. If the unit comes on, you can plug the low volt wires back in and proceed to step 4. If the unit does not come on when the low-volt terminals are crossed, contact your local authorized Duovac dealer.
  5. Inspect each inlet to make sure the 24-Volt circuit is adequately connected. To do this, open the inlet cover and touch the small contact pins using a pair of metal pliers with rubber handles (to close the electric circuit). This should start the motor. Repeat for each vacuum inlet. If the unit comes on for each of the vacuum inlets, proceed to step 5. If the unit will not start when touching the contact pins, contact an authorized Duovac dealer or the installer.
  6. Insert your hose into a wall inlet and turn the vacuum unit on using the switch on the hose handle. If you have followed the previous steps and you can’t turn the system on using the hose, contact your local authorized Duovac dealer.

Note: Always start at your vacuum and trouble shoot back to the hose. Failure at any point directs you to where the problem most likely can be found.

Follow these steps if you have problems with the suction on your unit.

  1. Check if the flexible hose is blocked. If it appears obstructed and you have trouble unblocking it, insert the opposite end of the hose into the wall inlet, frame the inlet with your hands or a large enough piece of cloth (such as a towel) to ensure maximum suction, and touch the contacts which are located on the inside of the inlet with the hose wand in order to start the power unit.
  2. Check whether the dust canister / disposable filtration bag / permanent filter needs to be emptied / cleaned.
  3. Check that the canister is clipped properly to the motor housing and that the gasket, which fits around it, is in good condition. If the gasket appears to be damaged or detached from the vacuum unit, contact your local authorized Duovac dealer for service.
  4. Make sure all inlets are airtight. If one of the inlets appears to be damaged, contact your local authorized Duovac dealer or installer for service.
  5. If the pipes are visible in some areas, check if the fittings are well glued and that there are no air leaks.
  6. Check if there is a blockage in the pipes. Start at the closest wall valve to the unit and open the door to the wall valve. Touch the small contact pins using a pair of metal pliers with rubber handles to start the unit and let a tissue be sucked from your hand. If the tissue makes it back to the dust canister proceed to the next wall valve. If at any valve the tissue fails to go through to the dust canister, there might be a blockage of some degree. At this point you can use another vacuum at this wall valve and try to use back suction to unclog the blockage or contact a Duovac dealer to snake the pipe.

All Duovac products are protected by an advantageous warranty that will provide peace of mind for years to come. The warranty may vary depending on the product. To know the warranty that protects your product, see the model page in the product section of this website or the accompanying warranty document enclosed in the product’s packaging.

We recommend that you complete the registration form on this website in the warranty section to confirm your purchase and simplify the validation process if warranty repairs become necessary. For questions about your Duovac product, the warranty or the warranty registration form, please contact us at 1-800-361-3965 or by email at info@duovac.com.