ᐅ Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery – You Can Hear Every Word from Another Room – Is This Normal?

Created on: 30 Jul 2018 22:43
D
Dodo86
Hello everyone,
We had the final inspection of our house two weeks ago. Now we have noticed that through the central ventilation system in the guest bathroom and utility room, every word spoken in the dining/kitchen/living area can be heard very clearly, as if you were sitting right next to each other. With the bathroom door open, the sound naturally carries up to the children’s bedrooms upstairs. On the upper floor, the sound transmission through the controlled mechanical ventilation system is significantly less.
Can I still report this as a defect after the final inspection?
Thank you very much and best regards!
Y
ypg
31 Jul 2018 22:37
We also hear a noise, sometimes louder, sometimes quieter.
But we don’t hear any voices through the ducts. Also, the drywall upstairs.
What kind of flooring do you have? Who installed it?
C
Curly
31 Jul 2018 22:48
I only hear a slight rustling noise when I am about 50cm (20 inches) close to the supply air opening. When I just stand below it, I don’t hear anything.

Best regards
Sabine
Dodo8631 Jul 2018 22:56
You can also hear voices upstairs, but not everything is clear. On the ground floor, you can hear everything that is said in the "open-plan living area" loudly and clearly from the guest bathroom. Fortunately, my father pointed out that he continued to listen to the entire conversation.

Floor coverings:
Entire ground floor tiled, all with the same tiles. Entire upper floor covered with vinyl flooring. Both were installed by the general contractor’s tiler and flooring installer. This was not done as DIY.
Y
ypg
31 Jul 2018 23:08
Could it be that the tiles on the floor were not installed with an uncoupling membrane? Any connection to the walls somehow?
So that vibrations or movements are transmitted?
Dodo8631 Jul 2018 23:18
No, I saw this tape before the screed was installed.
The noise really travels through the pipes. It also sounds like a tin can telephone. It’s especially bad on the ground floor. You can clearly hear that it’s coming from the exhaust system. My father thought this was just how it is in new houses… and just wanted to warn us…
11ant31 Jul 2018 23:40
Dodo86 schrieb:
Sounds like a tin can phone.

I had the same as a child: an empty conduit ended behind a living room cabinet, and in the attic every word could be heard clearly. What could possibly absorb or "crumple" sound inside such a conduit?
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