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How far can the vacuum hose reach if the truck cannot park next to the unit? ✓ Solved

Toni S.asked 79 viewsDelivery, Placement & ServicingDeliveryService visitVacuum truckPlacementHome remodelStandard unit

Accepted answer

Sixty to eighty feet is usually within reach for a normal service visit as long as the hose can walk a clear path to the unit. Read the full answer

We put a standard unit on the side yard for a kitchen remodel because the driveway is too tight for the delivery truck. The only place the vacuum truck can stop is on the street, maybe 60 to 80 feet away with a privacy fence and a gate in between.

The salesperson said the hose usually reaches, but they would not give a hard number. I do not want to find out on service visit day that they skip us and still bill the monthly rate.

How long are those hoses in real life? Does the fence and gate matter if they can open it and walk the hose through? Anything I should measure or clear before they show up?

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✓ Accepted by Toni S.

Jake W.Denver, CO

Sixty to eighty feet is usually within reach for a normal service visit as long as the hose can walk a clear path to the unit.

I had almost the same layout on a kitchen remodel: standard unit in the side yard, vacuum truck stuck on the street, gate and fence in between. The tech connected hose sections and walked them through. What matters is the walking route (street to gate to toilet), not the straight-line distance through the fence.

Measure that path in feet before they show up. Unlock the gate. Pull toys, planters, and low branches that snag hose. Sharp corners slow them down but still work if the hose stays flat on the ground.

Call ahead if the path climbs stairs, crosses a steep bank, or needs the hose lifted over a locked fence. Those are the pulls that get skipped. A clear, unlocked walk-through at 60 to 80 feet is routine for most trucks that carry spare hose sections.

  • Lisa G. Same setup on our remodel. Measuring the walking path and unlocking the gate ahead of time made the service visit go smooth. Stairs would have been the dealbreaker for us.
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Ray M.Dallas, TX

A vacuum truck hose reaches about 100 feet total with extensions, but the driver needs a clear, flat path. Jake is right about measuring the walking route, but he missed the weight: each 10-foot hose section is heavy and stiff, so sharp turns or obstacles like a narrow gate opening can kink it and block suction. Unlock the gate fully and clear a 3-foot-wide path all the way to the unit. If the route has steps or a slope over 15 degrees, call your rental company now, they might need a different truck or charge extra for manual pumping. They will not skip service if access is possible, but a blocked hose means a missed visit and a bill.

  • Hector V. Ray is right about the 100 feet and the path width. I add this: a kinked hose doesn't just block suction. It can cause a blowback of waste when the driver disconnects. Keep the path straight.

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