MD was the first central vacuum company on the internet and we will continue to dominate this media.  Our original website launch in 1996 contained over 100 pages of information and this newly launched revision has literally 1000’s of pages!  This includes nearly 9,000 product reviews and thousands of dealer & customer service reviews.  The newer look is intended to ease navigation and get you quicker to the specific information requested.  It has a greater emphasis on our wonderful national and international dealer network but it still allows real-time feedback for any of your central vacuum needs.  No, MD is not just another internet reseller. We don’t copy content from competing websites, but have organically grown this entire site from our own top-rate marketing, engineering, and installation expertise. You are currently experiencing the first Central Vacuum Website delivered on the World Wide Web. It is true. Builtinvacuum.com 1.0 was launched in 1996 as the first in the industry, and we’ve been innovating ever since. If you find any ways to enhance our website, we would love to hear from you. Thank you for the trust you have in M.D. Manufacturing, Inc.

“Large enough to be competitive…small enough to be personal.”

The new Hide-a-Hose system is becoming quite popular, and for good reason. It conveniently stores the hose inside of the vacuum tubing for easy access whenever the user wants to vacuum. We have written before on the issue and identified the pros and cons of the concept. Today we heard of a potential problem that can occur in the installation and a few simple warnings may avoid major headaches for you should you install these Hide-a-Hose systems.

First, if you run pipe up into an attic, you must insure that the attic remains below 147 degrees Fahrenheit. Any temperature above this tends to break down the viscosity of the pipe and it gets quite pliable This is true for any central vacuum system with pipes in the attic. The temptation; though, with Hide-a-hose is to run the pipes as a raceway tied up to the underside of the joists; suspended in the attic. Here the heat intensifies and thus problems can begin.

The pipe truly must be supported well for the hose to be able to easily slide in and out of the pipe. Looping it from every five feet of rafters will not make it rigid enough. The pipe, exposed to high temperatures will have a tendency to warp and sag and then fittings can come loose. You must also use quality pipe that has the ASTM 2158 approval stamped on it.

Another issue is that you should not place the Hide-a-Hose sweep 90’s too close to each other. We have heard reports that this makes it harder to suck the hose back into the walls. If you need to use fittings, you should make a “square-like” pipe design as opposed to an long oval.

Lastly, we are seeing Hide-a-Hose advocates such as HP Products recommend a high waterlift designed motor in the vacuum system used to operate the system. We certainly agree with them on this issue and would advocate our Model S4, S44, S5, M45, M85, M92, J, K, G23, and Model SV.

Typically you will find that the cyclonic units are the ones with the motors on the top.  They bring the dirt in the side of the unit, spin it around with a cyclonic action, and rely on gravity to drop the major portion of the dirt out of the airstream and then pull the air off of the middle of the cyclone that is created.  Some of them then locate a filter in the middle of this space.  MD’s paper bag system prefers the motors on the bottom for the following reasons:

1. Each vacuum motor typically employed in central vacuums contains a separate cooling fan that draws air into the motor to cool it.  They do not rely on vacuumed air to cool the unit.  In the event that there is ever a clog in the system, a central vacuum will not burn its motors up as long as it has this intake cooling air.
2. The location of this intake cooling fan is critical.  If it is located on the top of the unit it will draw air from around it.  For units with the motor on top, it draws this air from the hottest portion of the unit; where the hot air exhausts.  On the MD units with the motor on the bottom, this air is drawn from the very bottom of the unit; the coolest air location.
3. If the motor is also located up high in the garage and this motor is on the very top of the unit, it is operating in the hottest portion of the garage.  MD’s motors on the bottom of the unit, are located very close to the floor, thus also drawing from the coolest resource of air available.  Hot air rises thus a unit with the motor on top runs hotter than one with the motor on the bottom.
4. Typically cyclonic units are located about eye height.  This puts the motor much closer to the user’s ear as opposed to MD units with the motors down near the ground, further from the operator’s ear.
5. All of the cyclonic units (with the motor located on top) have some sort of filtration system.  Either you have to pull a cloth bag down and shake it, clean out a cartridge, or reach up to scrape off a screen.  With the MD unit you simply lift a lid, wad up a paper bag and dispose of it.  You are always back to a brand new filtering system once you change the bag.  With the cyclonic filter types you are never back to the original pure filtering system (unless you replace a cartridge.)
6. The key to MD’s filtering system is the cloth bag behind the paper bag.  This allows a much more porous paper to be used as the strength of the bag is maintained without compromising suction.  The supporting cloth bag is tapered, thus the air is not sucking through the trash but through all the pores simultaneously.  The air is rather turbulent when it enters the bag and actually “scrubs” debris off the sides of the paper bag.
7. Once the paper bag is full on an MD unit it begins to loose suction.  On many of the units with the motor on top, when the unit is full it will then allow the debris to suck directly into the motor.
8. On most units that have the motor on top, the cooling fan intake is located on the top cover of the unit.  Often we have seen that homeowners will place a box or other object on top of the unit inadvertently believing this to be a convenient storage location.  Unfortunately that box then completely blocks the cooling air intake and the motor will prematurely fail.  Having the motors on the bottom, MD units mount 6” off the ground and thus the cooling air intake is extremely difficult to accidentally block.

You might also read our article “Filtration Analysis” located at: http://builtinvacuum.com/filtanal.html

The US Constitution begins with a statement that we “are endowed by (our) Creator with certain unalienable Rights”   To this Creator is where all thanks should be directed. Because we are not simply cosmic accidents of chance but rather purposefully created to serve our Creator, we humbly should serve one another.  I am thankful for God’s love for me despite my failures. This industry, filled with other caring manufacturers, dealers and suppliers and end users has provided an atmosphere that has allowed ingenuity to thrive. May God’s fingerprint on you apply the freedoms of this great country in a manner that you can impact other’s lives!

I strolled into State Vacuum in Tampa last week to check on our local dealer while I was in the region attending an ASTM meeting.  This is not a procedure I normally fine adequate time for, but wish I could do more often.  State vacuum has been in the business for over 61 years and selling MD Central Vacuums since the late 1970’s!  David Epstein took over for his father Bernie (of whom is named the Bernie Epstein VDTA Scholarship) and David has continued to build on the incredible reputation of his family.

Seeing my visit was not a formal one, David continued to conduct business and personally greeted almost every client who came through the door, Most of whom he knew by name.  He was not put off by a customer’s request for simple paper bag replacements but carefully walked her to the back of the showroom and identified the parts by memory.  I watched him strategically sell two portable vacuums in a matter of about ten minutes, quickly moving one client who’s heart was set on the “Consumer Report” best buy.

Sure enough two guys came in looking for a central vacuum and David walked them through their options.  He quickly identified that they were already internet shopping and put them in models comparable to what they were considering.  Of course, he showed them reasons for considering a higher-quality option.  As I watched the prospective client walk through objections, I noticed a few clear hot-buttons.  One was accessories and the other was a need for a shorter hose.  When David explained the Quick-Click hose which normally uses a 20 foot hose with a 10 foot extension, they instantly found a solution not offered elsewhere.

In a matter of 15 minutes I saw firsthand David’s ability to accurately decipher needs, his proper application of knowledge, and his personal attention that must be the hallmark that has made State Vacuum an institution in the city of Tampa.

So for the rest of you MD dealers, keep your eyes open, we may be stopping in on your shop as well!  It’s great to have such confidence in all our MD dealers.

Day after day your employees show up at your office or jobsites and you expect them to perform at the same level that you do as the owner or manager.  While this may seem realistic, it can actually be achieved if you give them a rewarding place of employment.  So how do you do it in your company?  I would love to hear from you!   At MD Manufacturing we have instituted a number of policies that certainly help.  First, our company purpose statement places a solid emphasis on the value of each and every employee. 

We don’t just talk it, we live it.  That’s one of the main reasons why our offices are only open four days per week.  We want to insure that our employees receive adequate time for rest, relaxation, and family activities.  They DO come back to work refreshed on Mondays eager to work.  In fact a good percentage of them are here 15 minutes early waiting outside the gate for us to unlock it.  They’ve got great attitudes and sincerely desire to make the other employees successful. But more importantly, MD goes through an extensive screening process for each and every hire.  We hire slowly and keep them long.  We call on references and make sure they have personal character; not just adequate job skills.  We analyze their fit into our corporate culture.  We have a series of individuals interview them before making a decision and we always attempt to make sure that the company will be a good match for them as well.  We even encourage our employees to pursue their dreams even if it means they will eventually be employed elsewhere.  A number of them have used their position at MD as a stepping stone for a higher level job elsewhere.  Through it al, MD has gained a loyal friend and participated in the professional success of others.  What an excellent reward!

Another key motivator is providing them with the tools to succeed in their position.  Whether it is a headset for someone in customer service or the programs for our art department, we do not want to allow a simple impediment to slow them down in their success.  But more importantly you need to empower them to make necessary decisions within their department.  Customer service should be able to authorize replacement parts right on the spot!  The production department should be able to decide alternate manufacturing techniques to improve processes.  I believe many of our dealers get extremely frustrated with their employees (and vice versa) because they define installation methods too narrowly.  If the worker fully understands his job and performs well every day, let him or her make decisions that improve their own tasks.

I can also state that we are truly blessed with a fantastic staff here at MD and they make my job as manager far easier.  Having confidence that they all are working towards a common goal allows us all to improve the environment for each other.  Sure we have occasional parties where we all race go-carts, have picnics, or barbeques, but the tangible employee satisfaction comes from knowing that you have participated in a growing organism and you contribute to its success. 

I would love to hear your perspective.  (This includes fellow employees!)

Grant Olewiler Grant@builtinvacuum.com

First, our new AirForce Central Vacuum received the prestigious “Product of the Year” Award from Electronic House magazine. Never before has any central vacuum placed in this category so we feel this is a very high honor. Obviously they recognized the incredible advances MD has made in eliminating the low voltage wire and adding electronic features such as e-mail bag-full notification.

Custom Retail Magazine further presented MD with an “Excite Award” for a product that brings excitement to the Custom Home Electronics industry.

General Manager, Grant Olewiler was also a guest speaker on the nationally syndicated talk show “Into Tomorrow” with Dave Graveline. The show aired last Sunday the 14th at 2:00 – 5:00 EST. To find a member station visit : http://www.graveline.com/affiliate-radio-stations/ . Or to listen to past shows, visit: http://www.graveline.com/go/weekly-shows/

Obviously MD is making serious waves in the home electronics business and we want your company to be a part of this excitement. Feel free to use the accompanying logo as part of any advertising you do.

Word has just come in that the AirForce Central Vacuum is the first central vacuum to ever be given this industry award for creative, progressive use of technology! “It’s rare to even think of a central vacuum as being technological but MD has gone over-the-top of creativity” says General Manager, Grant Olewiler. The MD AirForce Central Vacuum uses UPB technology to operate it’s central vacuum without any low voltage control wires. MD has uniquely used this to shut the system off when the telephone or doorbell rings and will soon offer the expanded version that e-mails the homeowner when the bag is full or when any other of a multitude of service conditions are prompted.

The official award will be presented to MD at the CEDIA (Custom Electronics Dealer Installation Assn) annual award ceremony in Denver in September. Congratulations to all the staff and engineers at MD Manufacturing and to our vendor partners who have made this possible!

Thank you AT&T for our shutdown! Yesterday our entire network quit operating at about 9:30 in the morning and we quickly realized how dependant we are on technology! We apologize to those of you who may have been attempting to reach us or use our website.

Seeing our system averages about 65 users at all times, and 1500 users per day, we realize this may have been an inconvenience to quite a few people. Automatic alerts notify us any time our servers go down so we were on top of the problem instantaneously. Initial attempts to reset the system were unhelpful so we had our communications company on the premise within an hour. They spent four hours trying to solve the problem before declaring AT&T’s line was at fault.

AT&T worked on it overnight and it was still not solved in the morning so we were getting a bit impatient. It was during our Tuesday managers meeting that our Controller, Andy Cook, stated that AT&T was down the street yesterday working and we should have asked them about the issue. This piqued my interest as the likely cause of the issue.

Sure enough, apparently they saw two T1 lines going into our building and figured that one of them wasn’t being used so they had disconnected it!

So hopefully now we are back and reconnected with continuous communication and we’e a bit wiser now to take a peak out the front door if any issues occur in the future. If the AT&T truck is in view, we have a likely suspicion when the problem might exist!

We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Last week, MD Manufacturing successfully completed its first-ever webinar training session: How to make an Awesome Sales Pitch! The excitement about this new training vehicle has been building among MD staff for quite some time. After months of research and planning about how to best conduct these online seminars in order to best educate our dealers, MD finally rolled out its very first webinar. We were able to connect with dozens of our dealers who were very pleased with this excellent new training vehicle. The session was an attractive accomplishment and we are very excited about the opportunity we will have in the future of hosting these webinars to train MD dealers on a regular basis, beginning in the early part of 2007.

Today’s session was loaded with important information in the sales arena, some excellent dealer interaction mixed with Grant’s jokes and just a lot of plain fun. It was an all-around enjoyable time for the MD leadership team, MD staff, and MD’s dealers. Grant’s enthusiasm and experience led the way during the presentation. He was accompanied the expert detail and precision of Mike Kretsinger (Vice President of Employment Development) along with the clarity and comprehensive data that Andrew Bransby (Web Designer and Director of E-Commerce) served to deliver. This amazing team of guys, along with our attendee dealers, made the entire event a remarkable time!

Since this was MD’s first-ever webinar, there was not enough time to go through all of the information for the complete “How to Make an Awesome Sales Pitch” presentation. The goal of last week’s webinar was mainly to experience the capabilities of the webinar software, connect with our dealers, and determine if this kind of communication is helpful for educating our dealers. After going through the webinar and receiving dealer feedback on the format, we are convinced that this is one of the best vehicles available for communicating with our dealers on a regular basis. We are currently looking for ways to improve this venue, and would love to receive as much dealer feedback as possible to ensure that this new format for training continues to be a great success. At the end of the session, we included a brief survey for our dealers to quantify the webinar’s usefulness. Every single participant expressed that they will likely be returning the next time we offer a similar session! And our dealers also indicated that the information was relevant and would be put to immediate use. .

If you are one of our dealers who attended our webinar, thank you so much for attending and making it a great success. We will be sure to let you know how we plan to organize and conduct this MD dealer webinar track at the beginning of 2007, which will allow us to compile a progressively growing library of webinar media content that will serve our dealers for years to come as we strive to give them the best tools possible to make them most successful in their businesses.