ᐅ Noise from Outdoor Units of Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery – Are There Regulations Regarding Noise Levels at Specific Times?
Created on: 15 Sep 2016 14:54
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Illo77- Hello everyone, Is there any regulation regarding the times when a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery is allowed to operate and when not, or on which settings it may run?
We are currently having quite a bit of trouble with one of our neighbors, who becomes very upset as soon as the system runs on level 3 or level 4. According to the manufacturer, level 1 should only be used when the house is unoccupied (for example, during vacations), levels 2 to 3 are for normal operation (we usually use level 2), and level 4 is for situations like guests, drying laundry, cooking, showering, bathing, and so on.
In the summer, we run the system on level 3 in the late afternoon or early evening (depending on the day) to bring the relatively cooler outside air from the east side (where the intake is located) into the upstairs rooms (children’s rooms). Otherwise, it gets very hot in there, and since the children go to bed early, the windows can’t be opened — partly because of the risk of the child climbing out the window, but also because it becomes too bright in the room, not to mention the evening sun shining on the laminate floor, which then radiates heat back into the room overnight. This regularly leads to angry complaints from the neighbor. I work at a care facility for people with disabilities and have already been asked by my neighbor whether I work there or am a client myself, and that my poor child unfortunately can’t choose his parents, etc.
Anyway, the installer was already here and said everything is okay (it could have been a problem with the system).
Now the question, which no one has been able to answer for me so far: Is there a general regulation specifically for systems like this (similar to rules for operating a lawn mower, for example, only until 8 p.m.) that limits noise or operational levels at certain times? Or does only the general noise protection ordinance apply, or whatever its official name is? Maybe someone knows more about this. I only know someone working at the environmental authority who said this is an increasing issue right now (also regarding air source heat pumps).
The house was built in 2013, the system is a Vallox 090sc, the device is installed in the attic on the inside of the east gable wall, with the air intake and exhaust vents located on the exterior of the gable wall, combined in one unit (a wide slot for one and a large downward-facing opening for the other; I’m not sure which is intake and which is exhaust).
And yes, I know it’s not an air conditioner, but the benefit in summer is definitely the cooler outside air, and according to the manufacturer, level 3 is still “normal” operation; we have only used level 4 during winter when we had guests. However, I’m not sure how big the difference between level 3 and 4 actually is.
Oh, and the location is Schleswig-Holstein.
Best regards
Payday schrieb:
are strictly applicable at the property boundary. No. The location of the noise impact points is clearly defined in the Technical Instructions on Noise Protection (TA Lärm). I cannot understand where this unfounded, broadly applied, and persistently held misconception about property boundaries comes from.
MayrCh schrieb:
No. The locations for noise impact measurement are clearly defined in the Technical Instructions on Noise Protection (TA Lärm). I cannot understand where this unfounded, persistent misconception about property boundaries comes from.Well, that is not entirely correct. Under section 2.3 it states:
If, within the influence area of the installation, it is expected that due to pre-existing noise exposure, the immission guideline values according to number 6 are exceeded at another location by the additional impact, then the location where the total noise exceeds the relevant immission guideline value according to number 6 by the greatest amount must also be designated as an additional relevant measurement location. This means: if a neighbor complains that the neighbor’s installation is too loud on their terrace, the measurement is taken at that specific location.
6.
d)
In general residential areas and small settlement areas
daytime / nighttime 55 dB(A) / 40 dB(A)
e)
In purely residential areas
daytime / nighttime 50 dB(A) / 35 dB(A) Curly schrieb:
We measured 67 dB (at night) right next to our garden fence on level 2. In terms of noise, that was, in my opinion, comparable to the outdoor unit of an air conditioner and definitely too loud.I’m not sure what kind of air conditioners you have seen so far, but obviously none of them were decent models. No offense, just stating a fact.
My (industrial) workshop air conditioning outdoor unit reaches a maximum of 47 dB(A).
The air conditioner I installed for my parents (a high-quality consumer unit) is only 42 dB(A).
For comparison: 45 dB(A) is typical INSIDE a quiet(!) apartment.
When you stand outside under my air conditioner, which is mounted at about 2.5 m (8 feet) height in a very quiet dead-end street, with the nearest busy road several hundred meters away, you need to look at the fan to tell if it’s running, because the rustling of leaves in the wind is louder.
Of course, if you buy some cheap non-branded unit, you have to accept corresponding noise levels. However, even those nowadays comply with 56 dB(A) at 1 m (3 feet) distance, which translates to about 42 dB(A) at 5 m (16 feet).
So in my personal opinion: if you can hear a heat pump or air conditioner running, either something is broken or it’s a cheap piece of junk. These days, they are almost silent.
Whether the installer who put the unit in (and who has to fix things free of charge if something’s wrong) is the right person for an independent evaluation is debatable. This goes for controlled ventilation systems, air conditioning, or heat pumps alike.
Payday schrieb:
well, that is not quite correct. Under point 2.3 it states: You are quoting very selectively. The section that defines what a relevant immissions location is and refers to how its position is determined has been (intentionally?) omitted by you.
Technically and according to the TA Lärm guidelines, the position of an immissions location is defined in the subsection you partially quoted as follows:
for developed areas, 0.5 m (1.5 feet) outside and in front of the center of the open window of the room that requires protection and is most affected by the noise according to DIN 4109, November 1989 edition Payday schrieb:
meaning: if the neighbor complains that the neighbor’s equipment is too loud on their terrace, the measurement is taken at that location Correct, that does make sense. BUT: as soon as someone tries to apply the noise exposure limit values from TA Lärm (which are linked to the above-mentioned immissions locations) based on measurement results from an arbitrarily located measuring point, they will fail. From the relatively simple measurement value at a measurement point, a rating level must always be determined, which is then interpolated to an immissions location according to TA Lärm. Only the rating level at a defined immissions location can be compared with the noise exposure limit values in TA Lärm! Measurement values or rating levels taken at arbitrary places such as terraces or property boundaries are completely irrelevant according to TA Lärm.
I never said anything different. And of course, I quoted selectively because that’s where the exceptions are stated. I never referred to an arbitrary point. However, if the noise bothers the neighbor at the property boundary because that’s where their sleeping area is, then the boundary is the reference point. Basically, any location can be the reference point if there is a (reasonable?) justification for it.
During my studies, I took two semesters of acoustics myself. I am familiar with the methods and calculations used to determine sound pressure levels. But no one here is interested in that, and it is being presented in a very simplified manner.
35 dBA is really very low. Even small disturbances can easily mask it...
During my studies, I took two semesters of acoustics myself. I am familiar with the methods and calculations used to determine sound pressure levels. But no one here is interested in that, and it is being presented in a very simplified manner.
35 dBA is really very low. Even small disturbances can easily mask it...
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