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Sound proof air vents in new home

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  • 29-09-2020 12:50pm
    #1
    FitzElla
    Registered Users Posts: 126 ✭✭


    I live in a new A-rated home. The ventilation is through a central extract for kitchens / bathrooms and fresh air though old school wall vents which you can slide open and closed. Asides from the craziness of having freezing cold air blow through what is a big hole in the wall in the middle of winter, the vents let in a lot of noise from passing traffic. This is a real annoyance because otherwise the insulation in the house is brilliant.

    I would love to have a MHRV retrofitted but from what I understand it is not feasible without major work. And tearing up a new house to put in ducts is not something I can afford or want to do at the moment, especially after spending so long getting it decorated and new floors down etc.

    Is there anything I can put into the existing vents or over the outside covers to dampen the traffic noise without blocking the fresh air? I know how important the ventilation is so I don’t want to end up with mould or condensation. I’m not looking for total silence and know that is not realistic, just want to cut it down a bit.


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    #2
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,009 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    You can get "black hole ventilators" but the effective free area is much lower than a simple pipe fitting the same size hole, perhaps half.

    This means you may struggle to achieve the required amount of ventilation.

    For example,

    https://www.goodwins.ie/products/anti-draught-black-hole-ventilator-bm725-white-outer-cowl-3461399.html?name=Black+Hole+Ventilator&type=simple

    ..fits a 127mm hole but only has free area equivalent to a 62mm pipe (30cm2).

    Also, your holes may be smaller than 5", and increasing the hole size is a bit tricky.


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    #3
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,195 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    whats the external wall construction

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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    #4
    FitzElla
    Registered Users Posts: 126 ✭✭FitzElla


    Calahonda52 wrote: »
    whats the external wall construction

    It is a traditional build, not a timber frame. I'm guessing block then?


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    #5
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,195 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    Thanks, so you could consider drilling new holes on the non road side.
    The other angle is to fit some sort of a baffle on the wall outside over the vent to allow plenty air flow but stop the direct noise. flow.
    I am only making this up as I write this:
    \
    say a 12" square alu plate fitted 4 " from the wall on four pegs with some sort of alu or plastic louvres on the sides.
    :)

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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    #6
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,009 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Calahonda52 wrote: »
    I am only making this up as I write this
    Acoustic louvres are a thing, apparently.

    e.g. random Google result, not a recommendation

    https://www.h-v-c.com/acoustic-weather-louvres


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    #7
    McOptimist
    Registered Users Posts: 39 ✭McOptimist


    Lumen wrote: »
    Acoustic louvres are a thing, apparently.

    e.g. random Google result, not a recommendation

    https://www.h-v-c.com/acoustic-weather-louvres

    Won't these vents reduce the level of ventilation? Safe to use in a room with a fire?

    OP you can install MHRV without ducts. You can get single unit items that go exactly where your hole in the wall vents are today. Google "ductless mhrv".


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    #8
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,195 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    McOptimist wrote: »
    Won't these vents reduce the level of ventilation? Safe to use in a room with a fire?

    OP you can install MHRV without ducts. You can get single unit items that go exactly where your hole in the wall vents are today. Google "ductless mhrv".

    The vents all have a specified airflow, they are not sealed.
    Ductless mhrv is very expensive and very very sub-optimal

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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    #9
    McOptimist
    Registered Users Posts: 39 ✭McOptimist


    That's good that they have airflow specied. Will they reduce current level of ventilation?

    Ductless mhrv is sub optimal, in comparison to what?

    I'd imagine it's a big improvement to gaping holes in the wall. Plus no one is going to go to expense and hassle of ripping up a new build house to install ducted mhrv. So like most things, can't view the problem in isolation by just comparing ducted Vs ductless.


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    #10
    Yellow_Fern
    Registered Users Posts: 2,571 ✭✭✭Yellow_Fern


    McOptimist wrote: »
    That's good that they have airflow specied. Will they reduce current level of ventilation?

    Ductless mhrv is sub optimal, in comparison to what?

    I'd imagine it's a big improvement to gaping holes in the wall. Plus no one is going to go to expense and hassle of ripping up a new build house to install ducted mhrv. So like most things, can't view the problem in isolation by just comparing ducted Vs ductless.

    True. There are several factors to consider. For example is a ductless system ok noisewise?


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