Woman using a central vacuum powerhead on hardwood flooring
THE RETRACTABLE REVOLUTION

The hose finally has somewhere to go.

Pull out exactly what you need. Clean the room. Let the house put the hose away.

01 PULL.
02 VACUUM.
03 RETRACT.
COULD THIS WORK IN MY HOUSE?
NO MORE HOSE CLOSET

Central vacuum got considerably less annoying.

A retractable central vacuum hose stores inside the vacuum tubing instead of in a closet.

Pull out a few feet for a quick mess or keep pulling for a larger cleaning area. When you're finished, release the hose and let vacuum suction return it into the wall.

CentVac works with both Hide-A-Hose® and Chameleon®. The basic idea is similar. The systems themselves are not identical.

SYSTEMS 2 RETRACTABLE APPROACHES
PROJECTS NEW + EXISTING HOMES
SUPPORT INSTALL + SERVICE + PARTS
Retractable hose being pulled from a finished wall
EXISTING HOME

You may not need to start over.

Existing central vacuum systems can often be upgraded by keeping useful infrastructure and adding retractable hose storage where it makes sense.

Retractable central vacuum valve in a finished home
NEW BUILD + REMODEL

Build the convenience into the walls.

When we're planning before finishes are complete, hose storage, valve location and coverage can become part of the architecture.

TWO SYSTEMS

Same big idea. Different architecture.

CentVac carries both Hide-A-Hose and Chameleon. We don't need to pretend they're the same, and we don't need to force one into a house where the other makes more sense.

Hide-A-Hose RapidFlex retractable central vacuum hose EXPLORE HIDE-A-HOSE →
HIDE-A-HOSE®

Dedicated retractable hose storage.

Hide-A-Hose centers the experience around dedicated retractable valves and its RapidFlex hose system.

VALVE 6000 PRO
HOSE RAPIDFLEX
LOCKING PUSH / PULL
APPROACH DEDICATED RETRACTABLE

A strong fit when dedicated retractable coverage is the goal and the home allows the storage paths to be designed properly.

Meet Hide-A-Hose
Chameleon retractable central vacuum hose in a finished home EXPLORE CHAMELEON →
CHAMELEON®

Retractable storage with a hybrid option.

Chameleon adds an integrated handle, its own locking and sealing architecture and a unique hybrid option for homes with existing standard inlets.

HANDLE BUILT-IN 360°
LOCKING INTERMEDIATE LOCK
SEAL DUAL-SEAL DESIGN
APPROACH RETRACTABLE + HYBRID

Particularly interesting when the home already has useful central-vacuum inlets or when retractable convenience is most valuable in one high-use area.

Meet Chameleon
NOT SURE? That's what the house test is for.
START THE HOUSE TEST →
THE BASIC EXPERIENCE

Pull. Vacuum. Retract.

The mechanics differ between systems, but the day-to-day idea is wonderfully simple.

Pulling a retractable hose
01 PULL.

Take what you need.

Pull out enough hose for the job instead of carrying a full conventional hose around the house.

Vacuuming with retractable hose
02 VACUUM.

Clean normally.

Add the appropriate floor tool, brush or powerhead and use the central vacuum system as usual.

Retracting central vacuum hose
03 RETRACT.

Let the house put it away.

Release the hose and let suction return it to the storage path behind the wall.

ACTUAL LIFE

Because nobody vacuums a laboratory.

Cars. Laundry lint. Pet food. The five-minute mess and the whole-house clean. That's where retractable starts to make sense.

Using a retractable central vacuum hose to clean a car
GARAGE

Yes. The car too.

Cleaning dryer lint with retractable central vacuum
LAUNDRY

Lint has nowhere to hide.

Cleaning spilled pet food with retractable hose
PETS

Thirty-second mess. Thirty-second cleanup.

Cleaning utility area with retractable central vacuum hose
UTILITY

The hose reaches the jobs that usually get ignored.

ModernDay central vacuum power units
DON'T FORGET THE VACUUM

The hose disappears. The power doesn't.

Retractable convenience still depends on a properly selected central power unit, good airflow and a system designed for the hose lengths and coverage you expect to use.

Motor and collection equipment live away from the living space— typically in a basement, garage or mechanical area.

EOV Clean
EVERY OTHER VACUUM

Your vacuum should suck. In the good way.

EOV Clean gives us another set of well-considered tools, powerheads and equipment to pair with the system behind the walls.

Explore EOV Products
VERY UNOFFICIAL HOUSE TEST

Could retractable work in your house?

Four clicks. No tape measure. No architectural degree. No commitment to buying anything.

QUESTION 01 / 04

What are we working with?

QUESTION 02 / 04

Roughly how much house?

QUESTION 03 / 04

What do you already have?

QUESTION 04 / 04

What sounds best?

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ACTUALLY ASK

Retractable without the mystery.

If your question starts with “Okay, but what about my house…” that's usually the interesting part.

01 What is a retractable hose central vacuum? ×
It's a central vacuum system where the cleaning hose stores inside dedicated vacuum tubing behind the wall. Pull out the length you need, clean, then retract the hose back into storage.
02 Can this go into an existing home? +
Yes. Retractable systems can be installed in new construction, during remodeling, or retrofitted into many finished homes. The practical answer depends on access and routing.
03 I already have central vacuum. Can it be upgraded? +
Often, yes. Existing piping, valves and power equipment may still be useful. CentVac can determine what should stay, what should change and whether a full retractable or hybrid approach makes more sense.
04 What's the difference between Hide-A-Hose and Chameleon? +
Both store a long central-vacuum hose inside the wall. Hide-A-Hose is built around dedicated retractable storage and its RapidFlex hose system. Chameleon uses a different valve, handle, locking and sealing design and can also support a hybrid layout with standard central-vacuum inlets.
05 Do I need retractable hoses everywhere? +
No. Some homes make sense as full retractable systems. Others benefit from retractable convenience in the busiest cleaning areas while useful conventional inlets remain elsewhere.
06 What kind of powerhead works with a retractable hose? +
Retractable hoses do not typically carry conventional 120-volt power through the hose. Air-driven tools and battery-powered wand systems are common solutions. CentVac can match the cleaning equipment to the hose system.
07 Which system is better? +
That depends on the house, the existing infrastructure, the areas you want to cover and how you want to use the system. CentVac carries both, so the goal is to choose the better fit, not force a winner.
GO DEEPER

Meet each system.

The parent page gets you oriented. The sibling pages show how each system actually works.

STOP STORING THE VACUUM HOSE

Let the house store it.

Existing home, new construction, full retractable, hybrid or just trying to get a long hose out of a closet— we'll start with what would make cleaning easier.

SUMMER SPECIALS

A man wearing a black cap, gloves, and a black shirt is looking at a tablet. He is standing next to a large gray vacuum cleaner labeled 'OXYGEN.'

TUNE-UP SERVICE

$149

Vacuum cleaner hose and attachments

FREE HOSE & TOOL KIT W/ UNIT UPGRADE

EOV Clean vacuum cleaner with a cylindrical dustbin and a hose connected to a floor nozzle.

INSTALLATION - 20% OFF