ᐅ Gas Price Increase Effective January 1, 2022

Pinkiponk schrieb:

Just now, after shopping, I walked past a very new heat pump (installed about 8 weeks ago—I watched the technician install it) and another one about a year old. Despite traffic noise, I could hear the very new heat pump clearly from about 12 steps away, roughly 6.5m (21 feet); the older one, without traffic noise, was audible from about 10 steps away. I don’t fly, rarely eat meat, and seldom drive, but I allow myself to be disturbed by this pervasive humming and buzzing sound. People’s senses may be developed differently—some might be more visually sensitive, like being affected by a very unattractive tattoo, while for me it’s sounds; for someone else, it could be taste.

That’s probably the case. I just did a quick test. At 6m (20 feet) from our pump, I only hear it if I really focus on the sound. When doing gardening or similar activities, I wouldn’t notice it at all. If there were traffic noise, I wouldn’t hear it either. Inside the house, I can’t hear it at all, even in the adjacent room. A neighbor definitely wouldn’t hear it inside their home. Maybe the new pump isn’t truly new, but rather one that isn’t from the latest generation.

Especially when the heat pump has to work hard and deliver a lot of output (that is, in winter), people usually aren’t sitting on the terrace or keeping the window open all day.

If you hear a new heat pump in a newly built house with triple glazing, there is basically something wrong.

You’re more likely to hear the circulation pump in the utility room. But every heating system has one of those, whether it’s electric or fossil-fuel based...

motorradsilke schrieb:

Maybe the new pump isn't really new, but instead one was installed that doesn't belong to the latest generation.

This has nothing to do with "new" or generations. It simply depends on the materials and components used. This means even the "latest" models can produce humming or buzzing sounds, or alternatively be quiet. This information is always in the technical specifications, and you get what you pay for or what the builder installs. Wear and tear then accumulates over the years.

Check whether it is level in the water. Often, mistakes are already made during the foundation work, and then not enough adjustment is done when installing the pump. This is obviously bad for the bearing and other components. Generally, these units should only be transported in an upright position.

At my neighbor's place, it is quite tilted, but so far it cannot be heard. Let's see how long that lasts...

Mycraft schrieb:

.... even the "newest" models can hum and buzz or be quiet again. ...

As already mentioned in the thread about fans:

Part of the noise level comes from structure-borne sound, meaning higher-frequency vibrations that are transmitted through the mounting frame into the wall or floor.

A simple and often effective solution is to decouple the unit acoustically, for example by mounting it on rubber dampers.

Mycraft schrieb:

This has nothing to do with "new" or generations, but simply with the materials and aggregates used. This means even the "newest" models can produce humming or buzzing sounds, or they can be quiet. It’s always listed in the technical specifications, and you essentially get what you pay for or what the installer chooses to fit. Wear and tear then adds up over the years.

Well, both our builder and the plumber said that the previous model of our pump was louder. But otherwise, you can just check the data sheets and pick one that is quiet.