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Ask the remodeler: Heat pump has become a noisy neighbor
Plus, maintaining a wood-burning stove when someone has pulmonary issues.
Q. Our next door neighbors recently installed a Mitsubishi heat pump system. We love the idea of heat pumps and have strongly considered installing one ourselves. However, our sleep at night and peace during the day have been destroyed ever since they started using their heat pump. Our house is getting hit with heavy, low frequency sound/vibrations. It sounds like a train or giant truck idling beside one’s ear and sometimes the sound waves seem to harmonize to such a point that a long, almost groaning, vibratory pulse is heard and felt. The owners themselves do not seem to be effected, but the three fan/compressor units all face our house directly and everything is built on rock here. We suspect that the sound and vibrations are being transferred through the rock and resonating with our own home construction materials. Certain weather and atmospheric conditions seem to amplify and significantly worsen the sound. Have you heard of or experienced this issue and, if so, do you have any suggestions?
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— MICHELLE
A. This is a tough one. There are a lot of opinions out there given that conditions vary from installation to installation. We have not encountered this problem yet. A few suggestions:
Since many low-frequency noises are associated with vibrations, the easiest first pass would be to ask your neighbors to place vibration-dampening pads under the unit. That could help somewhat.
Our HVAC company said that it is possible to have the fan blades changed to a more aerodynamic model/material. This is the most likely culprit, but is likely to be a costly fix.
Another option is to have a roof built over the units. We have done that before in certain instances, given that these heat pumps need to be kept clear of snow in the winter to operate properly. Your neighbors could insulate the roof frame with sound-deadening insulation like rock wool. If so, this could mitigate some of the low-frequency noise.
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Q. We have a wood stove inserted into our fireplace. We were told to have our chimney cleaned every four cords of wood. That is very different from your advice (How often should you have your chimney swept?, Jan. 19). Also my husband was diagnosed with a pulmonary disorder, so we are being more conscious of particulates in the air that would irritate his lungs. What are your thoughts on both of these?
— SARAH
A. I would not advise waiting until you burn four full cords of wood to clean your chimney. Especially if there is some soft woods like pine or spruce mixed in with your hardwoods. Soft woods leave far more creosote buildup than hardwoods like oak and maple. One of the reasons we suggest yearly cleaning for people who burn wood regularly is because it gets a professional’s eye on your whole chimney. They clean it, inspect for animal infiltration, check the masonry, etc. It’s like having a quality mechanic regularly looking under the hood of your car.
Given that a family member has pulmonary concerns, I think you should be extra vigilant. The smoke from wood-burning fires is particularly hazardous if not contained. It may seem natural and nontoxic, but the particulates emitted can get deep into the lungs.
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Something to consider is an exhaust fan at the top of the chimney that mechanically draws the smoke up through the flue. We have used them when we were worried about how well a chimney would draft. Another less expensive option would be to have an air cleaner in the room taking care of any smoke that may escape from the smoke chamber.
Mark Philben is the project development manager at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to [email protected]. Questions are subject to editing.
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