ᐅ Neighbor’s ventilation system set too high and therefore too noisy?
Created on: 19 Jul 2021 16:43
T
Toja007
Hello dear forum members,
I am reaching out to you with a problem:
Our neighbors have a controlled central ventilation system (probably a Stiebel Eltron 280), which we find "too loud" and, in my opinion, incorrectly adjusted.
It produces about 60 dB(A) sound pressure level at the exhaust outlet, which faces our terrace. On our terrace, about 8m (26 feet) away, it sounds like a constant airplane flying overhead. The air velocity in the 160mm (6.3 inch) duct is 2.6–2.8 m/s (meters per second), which I calculate to be about 200 m³/h (cubic meters per hour) of air volume (see side question below regarding supply air vs. exhaust air).
This occurs between 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., although hardly anyone is home on weekdays during this time (also on weekends, even with open windows). In the evenings, they reduce the system. This is all happening now in summer (May to September); in autumn/winter, they generally turn the system down!?
Our neighbors refer us to the plumbing company that installed and maintains the system; according to them, the system is correctly set.
House data: approx. 450 m³ (cubic meters),
5 occupants
==> Therefore, I come to a required air exchange rate of about 130–150 m³ per hour (factor 0.3 or 25–30 m³ per person for “normal air”).
Side question: On the weekend, they were airing out for two whole days during the daytime at the highest supply air setting, with an air velocity of 3.6 m/s (meters per second) = 260 m³/h, but on the exhaust side, it was 4.5 m/s = 325 m³/h, with a sound pressure level of 70 dB(A). That is 25% higher. It seems to me that the exhaust air from the rooms is set too high? I once read about a maximum deviation of +5–10%.
What do the experts in this forum think? I have already tried talking to the neighbor and might have an independent plumbing company inspect it. So far, no success...
Kind regards, Toja
I am reaching out to you with a problem:
Our neighbors have a controlled central ventilation system (probably a Stiebel Eltron 280), which we find "too loud" and, in my opinion, incorrectly adjusted.
It produces about 60 dB(A) sound pressure level at the exhaust outlet, which faces our terrace. On our terrace, about 8m (26 feet) away, it sounds like a constant airplane flying overhead. The air velocity in the 160mm (6.3 inch) duct is 2.6–2.8 m/s (meters per second), which I calculate to be about 200 m³/h (cubic meters per hour) of air volume (see side question below regarding supply air vs. exhaust air).
This occurs between 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., although hardly anyone is home on weekdays during this time (also on weekends, even with open windows). In the evenings, they reduce the system. This is all happening now in summer (May to September); in autumn/winter, they generally turn the system down!?
Our neighbors refer us to the plumbing company that installed and maintains the system; according to them, the system is correctly set.
House data: approx. 450 m³ (cubic meters),
5 occupants
==> Therefore, I come to a required air exchange rate of about 130–150 m³ per hour (factor 0.3 or 25–30 m³ per person for “normal air”).
Side question: On the weekend, they were airing out for two whole days during the daytime at the highest supply air setting, with an air velocity of 3.6 m/s (meters per second) = 260 m³/h, but on the exhaust side, it was 4.5 m/s = 325 m³/h, with a sound pressure level of 70 dB(A). That is 25% higher. It seems to me that the exhaust air from the rooms is set too high? I once read about a maximum deviation of +5–10%.
What do the experts in this forum think? I have already tried talking to the neighbor and might have an independent plumbing company inspect it. So far, no success...
Kind regards, Toja
Toja007 schrieb:
I kindly ask for constructive contributions on the topic. Thank you!Yes. Toja007 schrieb:
As mentioned, amateurish with a smartphone.First of all, a smartphone app can serve as a rough reference. However, it’s just a gimmick by itself. You can use such an app in your own home as a comparison indicator between different devices—nothing more and nothing less. Outdoors, many background noises come into play. Everyone knows how video recordings made in windy conditions sound. Even a slight breeze hitting the microphone can make your own voice barely understandable. Apps using the phone’s microphone pick up the same.
Toja007 schrieb:
Noise is not the same as noise. Some sounds we perceive as more annoying than others.Toja007 schrieb:
Less noise reaches us on our terrace, about 35–40 dB(A). But that deep rustling really gets on my nerves 🙁Toja007 schrieb:
And I think the rustling of leaves creates a different feeling than the hum of a ventilation system.You said it yourself. You can program your lawn mower individually. A heat pump or a controlled mechanical ventilation system is set up specifically for the house, not for the neighbor’s peace and quiet.
One user here is bothered by 45 dB in the neighbor’s garden. In another forum, it’s the pump for the pool.
If I paid attention to all surrounding noises, I’d choke the neighbor’s kids and sabotage the railway tracks one kilometer (0.6 miles) away. Then I’d still have the highway—which makes less noise than the wind in my hair does—that has grown gray from the stress of noise.
The problem is the external control of noises coming from someone tangible.
Ultimately, the better approach is to control yourself regarding what you should or should not pay attention to.
My workplace is next to a busy highway. I don’t keep windows open for long. When I’m outside, that heat pump unit on the facade annoys me—what irony: the highway is much louder than that thing 😉
The exhaust air can be heard outside in front of our house, but the supply air cannot be heard at all. For this reason, we directed the supply air towards the neighbor in order not to disturb them. Maybe your neighbors can relatively easily switch the ducts between supply and exhaust air?
Best regards
Sabine
Best regards
Sabine
A
Alessandro23 Jul 2021 11:49The decibels don’t really matter. The original poster is bothered by the noise, so it makes sense to talk to the neighbor to find a solution.
Similar topics