Neighbours

So..been in this house for 7+ years. First problem was when we moved in and opened bedroom windows on a hot day and wondered what the humming noise was. Neighbours AC unit is right next to property line, say 3ft away. Noise was unbearable and had to close windows. Humming noise was still apparent through the walls. So, I went round, beers in hand and kindly asked him if he could perhaps not use the AC at night as there's no way we could keep windows open for a breeze and even with them shut the humming noise is bad. Several more chats and then notes later I'd had enough. Called bylaw office and they issued a notice to him and fined him several times for noise after 11pm. So...a few years pass...I spend some time between Ottawa and Kingston. Most of the summer I was in Ottawa for 3 years but now I'm back in Kingston full time with wife and in that time the neighbour has installed a new AC unit but in the same place, right between the houses. He's one of the only people in the entire neighbourhood who has installed their AC there and it's in a bylaw infraction area. We all have large yards and everyone else's is in their back yard. The new unit is quieter when you stand next to it but there's the same low frequency hum and the same compressor noise on start up. His excuse for keeping it there is "his bedroom is on the other side of the house and it doesn't bother him with noise having it where it is".

So, as we hadn't chatted in a while due to the problems I thought I'd start friendly again and mention that I'm back full time now and that this problem really needs sorting. I told him the new AC I just had installed has a long run of lines to my furnace room in the house but there's no problem with where mine is situated and my AC installer said there's no reason why his couldn't be moved back. Got lots of hums and ahas...and he says he's putting a fence in. I told him that would be useless unless it's 20 feet high and covers my bedroom windows as they look right out over the unit. So..it got left at that and I thought he was thinking about moving the AC.

Fast forward to last night....****ing thing is humming again at 11.30pm. Lost my rag and called bylaw people. Explained we have newly renovated rooms on this side of the house and it's time to get things sorted as I can't last another summer like this. I'm not asking for it to be off after 11 now, I want the entire ****ing thing moved as I can't use the rooms on one side of my house unless I have enough noise going on in them to cover the hum.

Sorry for the long post....felt like ranting as I reached the end of my tether.

Anyone else got ****** neighbours? Please tell me you have...it'll make me feel a lot better.

My neighbor has his ac similarly situated. But were on good terms. I just haven't bothered to ask him about it. His has some kinda vibration that could probably be isolated out I'm probably gonna offer to just look at it for him myself.

Loud a/c: bad

Put microphone on your side to capture a/c noise and amplify to speakers located at your choosing to redirect sound.

I feel your pain. I have a complete ****head a couple doors down. It's unfortunate how one person can be so disruptive and make you want to move.

Thank god I live in a perfect neighbourhood. Phew.

Bylaw should force him to move the A/C if he is out of compliance (or force him to apply for a minor variance which you could contest). Why aren't they issuing compliance orders when fines obviously aren't working? If bylaw doesn't want to help you, call your councillor and see if they will call bylaw. This is a simple problem to fix, hopefully you can get through the bureaucracy and solve it for good.

Zoning Bylaw 8499
5.25 Central Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Units
(a) For the purpose of this Section, Central Air Conditioning Unit shall mean any device used for the purpose of cooling, dehumidification, circulating and cleaning of air and which utilizes duct work in its operation rather than directly discharging into the conditioned space.
(b) For the purpose of this Section, Heat Pump shall mean any device used to gather heat from areas of relative cold and pump it to areas of relative heat.
(c) For the purposes of this Section, Similar Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems shall include all other devices used in the heating, cooling or exchanging of air in buildings or structures and may include but not necessarily be limited to, heat exchangers, electric generators, pumps associated with solar collectors.
(d) (Deleted in its entirety by By-Law No. 2006-44)
(e) No Central Air Conditioning Unit, Heat Pump or similar HVAC System shall be constructed or placed closer than 6.0 m to the front lot line of the property.
(f) No Central Air Conditioning Unit, Heat Pump or similar Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) System shall be constructed or placed closer than 1.2 m to any side or rear lot line.
(By-Law No. 87-61 – 1987; 2006-44; 2006;28)

Not that I would recommend it, but there should be a disconnect on the wall beside the A/C. If some punk kid kept stealing the connecting plug out of it (it looks like a fuse block with a handle on it), his A/C would shut off until he went to the store and bought another one.

He put in a quieter AC unit, and your still pissn and moanin.

Id laugh at you too if you told me to relocate it. Buy earplugs, its cheaper.

My neighbour's an HVAC guy - fixes my AC / furnace for free. Winning

infernobuster said:

He put in a quieter AC unit, and your still pissn and moanin.

Id laugh at you too if you told me to relocate it. Buy earplugs, its cheaper.

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I'd laugh at you if you accepted wearing earplugs in your own house as a solution to this. I've also gone the earplug route too. Had enough now. Why the **** should I have to put up with someone else's noise because they were ignorant enough to not consider anyone else? Quieter unit maybe, the noise is still amplified by rebounding between the walls of our houses because of where he put the thing. It's also the low frequency vibrations that are causing the problems.

As for the bylaw thing, I dunno what happened the first time, all I know is that after they visited he got a few fines and stopped for a bit with it not on after 11. Then he put in a new unit in the exact same place and thought he could just put it on when he wanted. There's a few aspects to the bylaws here and one of them is if you cannot enjoy your own home in peace and quiet then you can file a complaint. That's what I'm doing.

inreb said:

Loud a/c: bad

Put microphone on your side to capture a/c noise and amplify to speakers located at your choosing to redirect sound.

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Found myself looking at a home made EMP gun the other day...$9000 ...tempted.

jc100 said:

Found myself looking at a home made EMP gun the other day...$9000 ...tempted.

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You can fight fire with fire but that looks better yessiree.

I think i would move.

Try to get better isolation on the ac unit. Is it mounted on the ground or on the wall?

You can also start sound proofing that wall to minimize the sound.

I too would laugh after getting a quieter unit. He tried, you haven't yet.

/stayedataholidayinnlastnight

I bet he's doing it on purpose just to be an *******, like one of those people who specifically enjoys being an ******* for twisted satisfaction. I'd tamper with that ****.

Poison the water supply. Problem solved.

MSRP said:

Try to get better isolation on the ac unit. Is it mounted on the ground or on the wall?

You can also start sound proofing that wall to minimize the sound.

I too would laugh after getting a quieter unit. He tried, you haven't yet.

/stayedataholidayinnlastnight

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I've tried for 5 years or more to deal with this and used the bylaw guys as a last resort. Everyone else around us puts their AC unit in the back yard including me. Our home layout and yard size is the same. What kind of compromise is going to give me a decent nights sleep and let me sit in my rec room to read without some ****ing humming piece of equipment that doesn't belong to me making me tear my hair out? To be clear...the noise is like someone parked in a truck idling the engine right outside. Not especially loud, but just the right frequency to get right into your brain.

When I had my new AC unit put in I could have been a ****** and put it right by his new sunroom window. I didn't because it's not a decent thing to do. It's my equipment so I put it where it would only bother me if I'm outside and no one else. The ****** next door put his where it would only bother other people and not himself.

Anyway...less about my problems. Let's hear about your neighbours. I find it cathartic!!!!

jc100 said:

Anyway...less about my problems. Let's hear about your neighbours. I find it cathartic!!!!

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Both my neighbours are renters. One side has 4 cars for a 2 car driveway, so they put patio stones on their lawn and park there as well as a car on the road in front of my house. I should probably call the city about that... maybe one of these days.

The other side always runs his AC, even on cool nights, but it is far enough away it isn't a big deal. He also rarely cuts his lawn or does anything outside at all. I wonder how long it will take him to realize that if he were to cut it more often he wouldn't struggle as much and wouldn't have his lawnmower stall every 2 minutes? He has a tree 1/2 fallen over in his back yard and a shed that needs a new roof, but they don't care as they are just renting.

Oh well... I just drink more and not worry about it.

Keep calling the bylaw enforcement until he gets the hint

Burn his house down. Problem solved.