Identify source of noise pollution

west star · 04-07-2017 11:53pm #1

I am having a problem with noise coming into house by day and by night. I don't know where its coming from. There seems to be lack of recognition of the health effects from this. It would be my dearest wish to subject those government officials responsible to ONE week of no sleep, so they would have a taste of my life in this house.

Apparently if l was living in Limerick, someone from the council would come to my house to assist me. I would have no problem taking the culprit to court except l do not know where this noise is coming from.

Before anyone asks, l cannot knock on my neighbours door asking if its them. I'm attached to them and am absolutely plagued by noise travelling between party wall. I've asked several engineers to call but all have refused....i

If houses were properly built, and actually FIT FOR PURPOSE then l should not have outside noise coming in especially at night. I am now sick as a result of all this.

Boards.ie: Mark · 18-07-2017 3:04pm

Moving at request of OP as it's not specific to Regional forum

Paulw · 18-07-2017 3:09pm

Can you describe the noise? Is it machine noise? Is it music? Is it people talking?

Not sure we can give you a direct and simple answer, but people here may be able to guide you.

Maybe not what you want to hear, but have you tried using earplugs?

....... · 18-07-2017 3:12pm

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west star · 18-07-2017 3:17pm

Paulw wrote: »

Can you describe the noise? Is it machine noise? Is it music? Is it people talking?

Not sure we can give you a direct and simple answer, but people here may be able to guide you.

Maybe not what you want to hear, but have you tried using earplugs?

Its machine type noise. Always use ear plugs, but they fall out sometimes

Michael D Not Higgins · 18-07-2017 3:18pm

west star wrote: »

Its machine type noise. Always use ear plugs, but they fall out sometimes

Is it constant or intermittent? Are you in an apartment? Could it be the water pump?

If the origin is the neighbouring property, you're going to have to engage with them to do something about it.

west star · 18-07-2017 3:21pm

....... wrote: »

Why cant you ask the neighbours if its them?

What kind of noise is it?

We don't speak, but it was so bad recently that l wrote them a note. They replied saying they put on their dishwasher at night. However a dishwasher does not run all night.

It's machine type noise

....... · 18-07-2017 3:23pm

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sKeith · 18-07-2017 3:39pm

machine type noise?

thump
clank
whirr
drone
humm
buzz
swish
chime
chirp
rattle

west star · 18-07-2017 3:51pm

....... wrote: »

Is it only at night or is it in the day too?

Why not ask them to come in when its happening and see if they can identify it?

We do not speak, so they are not going to come and listen to it. For all l know they have something turned on to annoy me. Until l know where its coming from it can't be sorted.

Its not as bad during the day but its always there at 11 pm when they go to bed. By 3 am its even louder.

I live in a semidetached house. The house I'm attached to is rented. I don't have the owners address only phone number. He is very difficult to deal with, he knows there's problems with these houses which were built 16 years ago. He
has called the Guards with the previous family and they landed on my door threatening me.....l asked them for his address but they refused to give it to me.

I would need to have this noise measured throughout the night, but who is going to do that??

....... · 18-07-2017 3:55pm

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super_furry · 18-07-2017 3:56pm

There are plenty of phone apps you could get to measure the noise yourself.

west star · 18-07-2017 3:56pm

sKeith wrote: »

machine type noise?

thump
clank
whirr
drone
humm
buzz
swish
chime
chirp
rattle

Drone and humm l would say

davo2001 · 18-07-2017 3:57pm

Where abouts in the country are you exactly?

Is it a council or private dwelling?

west star · 18-07-2017 3:59pm

davo2001 wrote: »

Where abouts in the country are you exactly?

Is it a council or private dwelling?

Clare, private house

....... · 18-07-2017 3:59pm

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Gravelly · 18-07-2017 4:00pm

west star wrote: »

Drone and humm l would say

Check that it's not your fridge - a fridge with a leaking door seal will run nearly constantly, and it can be hard to pinpoint where the noise comes from. Could be that the neighbours have a faulty fridge they aren't aware of too.

sKeith · 18-07-2017 4:00pm

west star wrote: »

Drone and humm l would say

Possibly a ceiling fan, although not popular in Ireland. noisy fish tank pump. geothermal pump? weird to have in a semi D.

davo2001 · 18-07-2017 4:01pm

west star wrote: »

Clare, private house

Any heavy industry nearby? ie: the Irish Cement factory often keeps me awake due to its low level humming and it's located around 1.5 miles away.

DaniilKharms · 18-07-2017 4:04pm

Good luck.

Had something similar.

Gardai sent me to the council, and the council just told me tough luck.

Lasted for over a year, and then just stopped. Lost untold nights sleep to it... still have no idea what it was.

west star · 18-07-2017 4:04pm

....... wrote: »

Theres an Android App called Sound Meter and an Apple one called Decibel 10.

I havent used either but they would surely be a good starting point?

I have the android sound Meter app already, but its unable to pick it up

DaniilKharms · 18-07-2017 4:08pm

west star wrote: »

I have the android sound Meter app already, but its unable to pick it up

I work with sound for a living and have proper mics and proper headphones... sound below a certain frequency is almost impossible to track down.

The best you can do is write a nice letter asking if someone around has been running machinery, etc., and then stick it through the post slot of every local place you can find.

That's what the council told me and as you'd expect it did absolutely nothing to solve my problem.

I have empathy and pity for you. Very best of luck.

sKeith · 18-07-2017 4:09pm

davo2001 wrote: »

Any heavy industry nearby? ie: the Irish Cement factory often keeps me awake due to its low level humming and it's located around 1.5 miles away.

Its also been on prime time about people complaining about the noise coming from wind farms. Is there any wind farms nearby.

west star · 18-07-2017 4:09pm

davo2001 wrote: »

Any heavy industry nearby? ie: the Irish Cement factory often keeps me awake due to its low level humming and it's located around 1.5 miles away.

A hotel is near enough.

Do you think its OK to be kept awake by a factory Thats so far away from you???

Mrs OBumble · 18-07-2017 4:11pm

People who live in cities and other noisy environments learn to sleep thru the noise.
You can too. Especially if its so low level that the app cannot pick it up.

Consult your GP and ask them to refer you to someone who can help.

Gravelly · 18-07-2017 4:16pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

People who live in cities and other noisy environments learn to sleep thru the noise.
You can too. Especially if its so low level that the app cannot pick it up.

Consult your GP and ask them to refer you to someone who can help.

You can learn to sleep through noise, but what I'm getting from the OP is that this is possibly a low level vibration - which can be very difficult or impossible to ignore or get used to. If this is the case, it is almost certainly caused by a faulty appliance or piece of machinery.

DaniilKharms · 18-07-2017 4:18pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

People who live in cities and other noisy environments learn to sleep thru the noise.
You can too. Especially if its so low level that the app cannot pick it up.

Consult your GP and ask them to refer you to someone who can help.

It TRULY depends on the person and the noise.

I used to live beside a bus stop and learned to sleep through that, but the noise that kept me up was at about 50hz or so and vibrated my head. I was literally drinking to help myself fall asleep after a few months.

Every situation is different.

west star · 18-07-2017 4:22pm

sKeith wrote: »

Its also been on prime time about people complaining about the noise coming from wind farms. Is there any wind farms nearby.

No, l live in a town. But glad you mentioned wind farms because I'd like to warn any one living in a nice, quiet, peaceful rural area that if they are anywhere near you, you can say goodbye to your health. Here in Ireland, we are ignorant of the effects of noise pollution. They should be stopped. The correct thing would be to build them on the sea.

[Deleted User] · 18-07-2017 4:32pm

Try turning off every electronic device in the building. Then turn them back one by one. It may help. Even central heating pumps.

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o1s1n · 18-07-2017 4:46pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Try turning off every electronic device in the building. Then turn them back one by one. It may help. Even central heating pumps.

That's what I'd start with alright. Switch off the mains electricity in your own house and see if you still hear it. Best to eliminate your own noise production before assuming it's coming from somewhere else.

Identify source of noise pollution

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