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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it's anti-social to run the washing machine at 4am...

110 replies

LakieLady · 25/01/2023 07:26

... when you live in a semi-detached house and the water tanks are on the party wall?

I appreciate that my NDNs are doing this to save a bit of money on their electric bills (they're retired, so don't need to get it done before going to work), but I'm frankly sick of being woken at 4am (sometimes 2am) by the sound of gushing water a couple of feet from my head, that goes on for 2 whole HOURS. By the time it's finally stopped, it's 6am and followed by cars starting up as the people who have long commutes are leaving for work. My sleep is done for.

And I have no idea why a household of just 2 people need to do their washing 4 times a week, either.

I can't move my bed as there's only one wall that has an uninterrupted run long enough to accommodate a double bed and a bedside table. I'd move into the back room, but it's even louder in there.

I'm going half mad from lack of sleep. I'm going to have to start going to bed at 8pm, aren't I?

OP posts:
Beercrispsandnuts · 25/01/2023 07:55

Sorry no it can’t be a bath if it goes on for two hours.

no washing machine should be drawing from a hot water tank . It’s weird.

Beercrispsandnuts · 25/01/2023 07:55

ButterCrackers · 25/01/2023 07:54

It’ll also be the sound of the machine just working. The filling sound, washing sound and spinning. My machine can be heard in action. I don’t have it next to a party wall but if I did I wouldn’t use it a night.

Show quote history

She says it’s not, I think uou should kinda take that as fact 😂

Original poster
LakieLady · 25/01/2023 07:57

WeAreTheHeroes · 25/01/2023 07:48

Have you tried earplugs before you speak with them? Also don't assume it's the washing machine, just say what you actually hear.

Yes, first thing I did was buy some ear plugs. I've tried two different types, foam one and soft rubbery ones, they both just fell out during the night.

Good point about mentioning what I hear, rather than what I think I hear. Although I'll be surprised if I'm wrong, the water stopped running just after 6 and Mrs NDN was hanging washing out at 6.45 - in the dark!

OP posts:
User1483568 · 25/01/2023 07:59

If you live in a semi detached what do you expect, that's why people pay more for detached.

yousmellnice · 25/01/2023 08:00

User1483568 · 25/01/2023 07:59

If you live in a semi detached what do you expect, that's why people pay more for detached.

do you think everyone who lives next door or above/below someone can hear their neighbours washing machines?

yousmellnice · 25/01/2023 08:01

LakieLady · 25/01/2023 07:57

Yes, first thing I did was buy some ear plugs. I've tried two different types, foam one and soft rubbery ones, they both just fell out during the night.

Good point about mentioning what I hear, rather than what I think I hear. Although I'll be surprised if I'm wrong, the water stopped running just after 6 and Mrs NDN was hanging washing out at 6.45 - in the dark!

Show quote history

Shes brave! It's freezing out.

Pinkmagic1 · 25/01/2023 08:09

I always wash at night to take advantage of the economy 7, but due to the layout of our house, it disturbs no one.
Our economy 7 runs from 1am until 8am. If your neighbours is similar, maybe you can suggest that they set the machine to come on around 6am instead. If you wake up when you hear folks going to work at this time anyway then this would mean no one is compromised.

Aposterhasnoname · 25/01/2023 08:13

Sheets changed once a week, towels twice, plus a weeks worth of clothes for two people is four loads easily. <misses point of thread entirely>

Original poster
LakieLady · 25/01/2023 08:14

How on earth are you hearing it through the wall?!

We have cavity party walls and they give rise to odd acoustics. If it's really quiet, you can hear the neighbours plugging an unplugging appliances, but I'm not noise sensitive, so that doesn't bother me. Nor does the noise of them dealing with their open fire, talking loudly, Mr NDN shouting at the racing on tv, the dogs barking etc. The water noise only bothers me because it wakes me up and then keeps me awake for 2 hours. And I wonder why they run it for 2 hours? The longest cycle on my machine is 60 minutes, and I almost never use it.

But I also wonder if the airing cupboard in the back bedroom, and possibly the chimney breast in that corner of my bedroom, work like speaker cabinets and make it reverberate more. The floor plan of the pair of houses is basically like a cross of St George, with the party wall down the middle, chimney breast both sides of the central line in the lower half, airing cupboards in the upper half.

OP posts:
hattie43 · 25/01/2023 08:14

I wondered this aswell , I've heard of people getting the hoover out through the night . All fine if you have no neighbours but totally not on when neighbours are close by .

Original poster
LakieLady · 25/01/2023 08:17

Beercrispsandnuts · 25/01/2023 07:51

I’m also confused, I e never heard of a washing machine that takes from the tank and not the mains, that’s a very unusual set up.

I thought all machines were cold fill from the mains, too, but I really can't think what else it could be. They don't have a dishwasher, I think, from my garden I can see them washing up at the kitchen sink.

Two hours is too long for it to be someone having a bath or shower in the early hours!

OP posts:
PanettoneMoly · 25/01/2023 08:21

User1483568 · 25/01/2023 07:59

If you live in a semi detached what do you expect, that's why people pay more for detached.

How about we turn it round and say if you want to create noise at night, or any other time, that disturbs others, for your own benefit, then YOU pay more for the privilege of doing so.

The majority of people living in attached houses don’t cause their neighbours any undue annoyance so if you’re one of those that choose to do so, then maybe you should pay accordingly. No?

Original poster
LakieLady · 25/01/2023 08:22

User1483568 · 25/01/2023 07:59

If you live in a semi detached what do you expect, that's why people pay more for detached.

Maybe, but you couldn't get a detached house here for under £750k. These semis go for £500k.

I've lived in semis, terraced houses and flats (one of which was so badly soundproofed you could hear cutlery clattering when the people upstairs were eating their dinner if it was otherwise quiet), and never before have I come across a neighbour running water for 2 hours during the night.

OP posts:
Original poster
LakieLady · 25/01/2023 08:23

ButterCrackers · 25/01/2023 07:54

It’ll also be the sound of the machine just working. The filling sound, washing sound and spinning. My machine can be heard in action. I don’t have it next to a party wall but if I did I wouldn’t use it a night.

Show quote history

Definitelym not, it's just the sound of gushing water that I can hear, no machine noises at all.

OP posts:
TheShiningPup · 25/01/2023 08:24

You can get washing machines that are hot and cold fill. Less common now but still about.

Still seems odd though, as generally washing machines are only filling with water for a short part of the cycle, not continuously.

Lordofthebutterfloofs · 25/01/2023 08:27

A washing machine would not feed water constantly.

They most likely have their hot water set to come on early and it's the tank filling and heating you can hear.

They are also potentially early risers and could well be bathing/showering in that time. Evidence being that Mrs Neighbour is up with the lark hanging out washing.

There was a thread on here very recently where folk do have 2 hour soaks in the bath and use their foot to keep topping up the hot water. So it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

If I'm honest I do feel that you really shouldn't be talking to the neighbours about this. It's running/heating water not early morning drum and bass. You cannot tell them not to wash or run their washing machine. That's normal noise, even if it's exacerbated by the old setup.

Original poster
LakieLady · 25/01/2023 08:28

TheShiningPup · 25/01/2023 08:24

You can get washing machines that are hot and cold fill. Less common now but still about.

Still seems odd though, as generally washing machines are only filling with water for a short part of the cycle, not continuously.

Yes, sorry for the exaggeration, there are pauses in the water noise, but from start to finish, it's 2 hours. Every time.

They must be really filthy if all their laundry takes 2 hours to get clean!

OP posts:
Cocochat · 25/01/2023 08:29

If they’ve not modernised perhaps they have a very old washing machine too.
Our first one used to take water from both the hot and cold pipes.
They obviously heat their water at night on economy 7 from midnight or 1am and then the washing machine is timed to come on when the water is hot.

DirectionToPerfection · 25/01/2023 08:33

LakieLady · 25/01/2023 08:28

Yes, sorry for the exaggeration, there are pauses in the water noise, but from start to finish, it's 2 hours. Every time.

They must be really filthy if all their laundry takes 2 hours to get clean!

Show quote history

What?

Most washing machine cycles take over two hours, it's not a reflection on someone's cleanliness. 🙄

Sirzy · 25/01/2023 08:33

If it’s new thing maybe something has changed meaning they have to do washing at awkward times.

ds is tube fed overnight and if that comes off we have to get the sheets in the wash asap because otherwise it’s a nightmare to clean.

my dad has a catheter and again sometimes that leaks overnight leading to middle of the night washes.

Iwantmyoldnameback · 25/01/2023 08:35

The economy washes take forever which is another reason to use the timer.

KangarooKenny · 25/01/2023 08:36

Sounds like it is an old machine that has hot and cold fill.

Original poster
LakieLady · 25/01/2023 08:36

If I'm honest I do feel that you really shouldn't be talking to the neighbours about this. It's running/heating water not early morning drum and bass. You cannot tell them not to wash or run their washing machine. That's normal noise, even if it's exacerbated by the old setup.

Normal in the middle of the night? It always starts at 2 or 4 am.

It's not them having a bath or shower at 5 or 6 am because they have jobs that start early. That's normal everyday noise. And I wouldn't dream of running my washing machine during the night, even though I can barely hear it upstairs.

When I had my new boiler installed, after a few weeks my (non-adjoined) neighbour said that it woke her up when it came on at 6am. I got the plumber back to see if anything could be done about the noise. He checked the mains pressure, found it was unusually high, reduced the flow from the mains, and now it doesn't disturb her at all.

I'll mention the noise to Mrs NDN when I get a chance, and just hope that something changes.

OP posts:
neurospicygal · 25/01/2023 08:40

sorry OP but that's going to be a very awkward conversation at best. have you thought about the fact that they may need to do a wash very early due to possible night wetting/soiling? honestly after personally having terrible neighbours, I'd just suck it up and accept it with a better type of earplug. You can find variety packs to try online.

BustaGrind · 25/01/2023 08:45

"the water stopped running just after 6 and Mrs NDN was hanging washing out at 6.45 - in the dark!"

And that was your chance. Next time you need to be ready to catch her hanging it out.

"Hi Mrs NDN, I'm sure you're not aware but every time you put your washing machine on at 2-4am I am kept awake for the whole 2 hours by running water. Is there any chance you could wait until 7am please as this is really disturbing my sleep. Thank you"