You love your dog, but boy does he leave a mess. Cleaning up after him is a hassle—he tracks in dirt from outside, and when he shakes out his coat or runs through the house, his fur and dander get everywhere: on the carpet, on the furniture, visible in the air when the sun comes through the window just right. Maybe he spills his dry food everywhere.

Your portable vacuum cleaner does a pretty good job of keeping up, but it takes up space in the closet (and I don’t know about you, but I have to move a few things out of the way every time I need to even get to the vacuum). Sounds like your household could use a central vacuum system! Pet owners especially benefit from this system, considering their favorite furry friends. Here are three reasons why a built-in vacuum cleaner is so good for homes with dogs.

But before we get started, let’s go over what a central vacuum system is. This system is a whole-house, built-in vacuum. Pipes run through your home’s interior walls and are connected to the system’s central unit. This is usually stored in a place where it’s out of the way, such as a garage or a basement. Each room has a suction port for you to attach a hose to (or just a powerhead attachment—more on that later). You just plug in the hose, and you’re ready to vacuum the area.

You’re able to dictate where the portals are installed, which means they can be installed at convenient heights for you, so you don’t have to bend or reach to get to it. When you’re finished vacuuming, you detach the hose, close the port, and move on.

Reason #1: Think of how much mess your dog makes

Even if you’re fastidious about not letting him track dirt into the house, your dog is at a disadvantage in that he is constantly shedding all year round, not just when he’s getting rid of his winter coat. Your family could feel the effects of that. Dogs release old hair and dead skin cells known as dander into the air, which is what triggers allergies and aggravates existing respiratory conditions.

There’s also more visible pet hair found in dust bunnies under the couch and in stubborn hairs that stick in the carpet. Regular cleaning is one of the best ways to keep the dust and dander under control, and having the vacuum always handy is super convenient. Considering about 30 percent of the population is allergic to dogs, it goes without saying that keeping the dog hair and dander at a minimum is important. Even if you’re not allergic to your dog, one in three of your friends and family members are.

Reason #2: Good air quality is important

If the air quality in your home is poor, you and your family could face higher probabilities of developing allergies, feeling the effects of worse allergies, or even developing asthma. However, because of their powerful performance qualities, central vacuum systems can improve your indoor air quality and diminish those risks.

Vacuflo units remove 100 percent of vacuumed dust and allergens and pet hair from your home. Those in your family who experience respiratory problems will be able to breathe a little easier—literally and figuratively—when you install a central vacuum system in your home. Studies have also shown that central vacuum systems can help alleviate a variety of ailments, including improving your sleep patterns, since your indoor air quality will have been improved.

Reason #3: The convenience factor

You might be cleaning your house more often than your friends and neighbors who don’t have a dog. It’s recommended that folks with dogs living at home vacuum, sweep, and launder their bedding on a weekly basis. Considering that you’re already a busy person, doing that extra work can be hard to fit into your schedule. I bet sometimes you come home from work or a busy day and don’t want to move at all!

However, with a built-in vacuum, the system is already set up for you. All you have to do is connect the hose and get started. Once you’re done, you’ve already vacuumed everything so there’s no need to break out the broom. The vacuum and each attachment work on every kind of flooring, and you can get into all of those little crevices where you just know the dust and hair will get missed by portable vacuums. You’ll also see a decreased need for dusting, and you may not need to change your air return filters as often.

Built-in vacuums are easier to use than a portable vacuum since you don’t have to worry about tripping over a cord, and you don’t have to find a place to store it. You can also use the Hide-A-Hose accessory, where up to 50 feet of hose is stored inside your wall. When you’re done using it, the suction from the vacuum system will retract the hose, and you can close the portal. In that case, you’ll pull out only as much hose as you need, attach the TurboCat powerhead accessory, and get vacuuming. When using the Hide-A-Hose, the number of portals can also be reduced—you may not need one in each room.

Also note that the powerful motor picks up everything the first time for a more thorough cleaning—no more going over spots again and again to pick up all the visible hair and dust. But on the flip side of that, you’re probably wondering whether the system is louder than a portable vacuum since it has greater suction. Your dog is already made nervous by the noise of vacuums as it is. It turns out, a built-in vacuum is more powerful but actually quieter than a portable vacuum, as the noise happens closer to the unit that’s stored in the garage or the basement.

At Gary’s Vacuflo, we want to make life a little easier for you and your fluffy friend. Contact us today to request a quote and ask any questions you might have about built-in vacuums, central vacuum systems, or the Hide-A-Hose!