Annoying hum from neighbouring school

[LorenzoCalzone]

Name change as I've whinged about this in real life!

I live opposite a school. The block directly opposite me is windowless toilets so they require mechanical ventilation. The ventilation makes a humming noise like a constant tumble dryer.

It first happened a couple of years ago. I complained to the school, but it was school hols so I complained to the council. When the term started the ventilation was turned off.

A few months later it started up again so I went over to speak to the school. The facilities person apologised and went to turn it off. Peace!

Recently it started up again but just from 6pm to 8pm. Fine, a 2 hour window wasn't too bad.

However it's started up again from 6am to 6pm. It's the first thing I hear in the morning. I have to have a fan on at home to mask it. I got in touch with the school and they said they need it on or the toilets smell. They said their contractor says the noise is normal but they plan to replace the fan and clean it, and this might help reduce the noise.

My problem is I'm very sensitive to noise. I can't have ticking clocks, unexplained hums etc give me the rage. It's misophonia. So it could well be that the venitlation isn't a formal nuisance it's just me being sensitive. Visitors don't notice it until I point it out to them.

What should I do? Its making me stressed. I can't afford to move house and walking around with noise cancelling earplugs 12 hours a day is a crap way to live.

My problem is I'm very sensitive to noise

unfortunately op, you’re just going to have to wear ear plugs!

They said their contractor says the noise is normal but they plan to replace the fan and clean it, and this might help reduce the noise.

So be patient 🤷‍♀️
ear plugs in the meantime

6am-6pm

Oh come off it. Are you saying you hear this hum over…. The school kids, traffic, general day time noise?

What about loop ear plugs? Don't they cancel out some noise but not all? I sympathise op, I hate irritating noises and can her plugs buzzing from the next room!

Not had much joy with loop, shame as people rave about them. I've got some Bose earbuds, but it means I don't hear DS talking to me 🙈

Unfortunately so. Must be the frequency of the hum

But aren’t you making noise? TV? Radio? Washing machine? Out of the house? Work?

Yes

Sensitive hearing is the worst superpower! Hotel rooms with buzzing fridges, offices with humming lights etc. Bloody electricity!!

Do you live alone?
do you go out to work?

I also have misophonia and fully sympathise. It is amazing how trigger noises seem amplified and stand out over other sounds. Unfortunately, I think you need to move.

I think we are repeating ourselves

It's crap isn't it. People think you can just block it out but it scrapes your nerves!

This, neighbours who share the complaint?
and if is on during school day, do parents, kids, staff not also complain?

Ok so you do work outside your home

Presumably you can’t hear the hum then

and the school have said they are going to have it deep cleaned and that might solve the problem. Give them a chance then!

You live in the worst place, opposite a school, if you are noise sensitive!
The school sound like they are trying to accommodate you but contractors are slow.

School toilets are rank.

I recently replaced my 20 year-old domestic bathroom extractors with modern quiet ones 30dB and they are so quiet in comparison - can you make a "donation" to the school to cover the difference in cost between a new silent one amd new normal one?

I think cos I'm directly opposite it affects me more than neighbours. They have trees between them and the school I don't. Although as mentioned visitors don't notice it until I point it out, which makes me think I'm overly sensitive.

I've not asked the school pupils or staff how they feel about it. That doesn't seem practical. I guess as an example if I'm at a leisure centre the noise doesn't bother me as its accepted the building isn't a library, but if I'm at home then I don't want that type of noise when I'm sitting on sofa reading a book. Google misophonia if you're interested, it's a mad condition.

I do go out so its true I'm not suffering 12 hours straight. It's more the fact that if I want any quiet time between those hours there'll be a humming drone as background.

I have tinnitus, which is like a permanent buzzing in my ear. As part of learning to cope with it you are told that if you pay attention to the tinnitus noise, your brain will decide you think its important and make it louder. So if you catch yourself listening to it you are to pause and identify another sound you can also hear e.g. birds/traffic/washing machine/family and listen to that instead. If its night-time and silent then listen to some calming white noise type music. I wonder if that technique may help you in the meantime till they fix it.

That would drive me nuts. I’d have to move. The school isn’t going anywhere. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This. I have always had misophonia, and now also have tinnitus 🙄 and the best way to reduce the impact of both has been by working actively to ignore them. It's hard, and the rage/panic that certain noises induce with misophonia can be awful, but you have to work at it in the same way that you do with something like anxiety. I've tried hypnotherapy in the past but had more success by using @trimma's method of purposefully making yourself think of something else. A bit like CBT I think.

Thanks @trimma am def going to try this!
had tinnitus once and was awful!

Plant some trees then? Surely you can’t be the only house opposite with no trees?

Did you move opposite a school knowing you have misophonia, or is this a new issue?

It’s just life I’m afraid, people live with annoying things around them or they move.

You can’t expect a school-full of kids to have unventilated loos 🤢 just because their fan annoys you.

Thanks @trimma I'm going to try this. I definitely focus on the noise so it's making my brain seek it out.