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Original poster

Neighbours oxygen tank

184 replies

Tevion1213 · 27/04/2024 17:37

I'm not one to complain and I am usually tolerant but the distinct popping noise from upstairs neighbours oxygen tank is irritating me so much. They are on 17 hours of oxygen so it's going all through the night. I know it's a medical need and don't know how to deal with this.
Its 3 pops followed by a final louder one and it's constant. Anybody please

OP posts:
Needanewname42 · 27/04/2024 21:51

Op your getting a hard time on here. Realistically how many people would want ti sleep with ear plugs in. That can't be that comfortable either.

Just think if the noise is bugging you it must also be bugging him and his wife. Unless your hearing it because its vibrating through the floor.

Sound has two ways of transmitting, airborne like the noise from tv and impact something vibrating on the floor or against a wall, sitting it on a bit of insulation board would solve the issue

I think I'd bring it up gently, "Hi how are you and Bob doing? ....... I know he needs his machine, its really loud, it must be disturbing your sleep too......, I wonder if it would be worth trying to sit it on something to muffle the noise or maybe get the supplier to check if its needing serviced"

You don't need to go to them all guns blazing a normal sympathic chat is more likely to get results.

Balloonhearts · 27/04/2024 22:10

Try having a loud clock in your room. It'll bug you for a couple of nights then you start tuning it out and hopefully the pops as well as its a similar sound.

I would mention it though as it really shouldn't be making that sound and personally if my life were being supported by a machine I'd not want someone to ignore a possible fault with it for the sake of politeness.

BabySnarkDoDoo · 27/04/2024 22:14

I would ask which room the tank is in at night as you've not noticed a noise before now, but recently the popping is more noticeable. Maybe they've switched bedrooms? There could be a way one or both of you could rearrange furniture to block the noise so it's less disturbing. It would also hopefully prompt them to check the tank is working as it should be. My adjoining neighbour is on an oxygen tank sometimes, but I'm fortunate enough to not hear it. I have no doubt she would be fine with me bringing it to her attention if it was interrupting my sleep on a regular basis though. In the same way she has spoken to other neighbours before when they've been noisy at unsociable times and disturbed her sleep.

NamingConundrum · 27/04/2024 22:19

White noise machine and/or earplugs. Obviously they can't do anything about it but as someone similarly awful about noises when they sleep I get it's also like torture for you!

Thepartnersdesk · 27/04/2024 22:36

If you don't like things in your ears (I don't), you could try the headband things with little built in speakers.

They go over your ears but not in the tight way of headphones.

I like to listen to an audio book on a timer falling asleep but my husband hates it. I couldn't get on with anything else but this is nice and lose fitting (and blue tooth) and doesn't hurt my ears like headphones.

Might be easier to nod off with other noise to focus on.

TheBestEverMouse · 27/04/2024 22:37

We had this with my neighbour. Plus alarms going off because he had sleep apnea. Happened for years and we just got used to it because other than that we literally never heard him and he was the perfect neighbour.

Sadly he died recently so no more oxygen noises but no more perfect neighbour 😞

tennesseewhiskey1 · 27/04/2024 22:40

Go knock on the door and tell them…. If not, earplugs.

Apollo365 · 27/04/2024 22:45

We ran a dehumidifier then we couldn’t hear the neighbours o2.
or leave the bathroom fan on?

LK2610 · 27/04/2024 22:50

Another vote for Loop earplugs. You can buy ones you wear in the daytime as well as total noise blocking nighttime ones

GoatScapes · 27/04/2024 22:51

This is really sad:(
Oddly enough I just read another post on a different board about something similar; a property with thin walls and a neighbour with COPD. In this case it was wheezing and coughing, but white noise, fan noise can help, unless the problem is very sudden impact like a door slamming.

I used youtube videos (12 hour ones) at night when we had a similar issue and subtle white noise or a jet sound can mask a lot of mid range noises. Better than apps as you have more control over the volume and far more choice too.

Good lord don't say anything to them. It isn't their fault the walls are thin. I know you didn't mention this but someone might! Perspective can help a bit too - I lived somewhere with heavy pallets being dropped for 9 hours per day, starting at 6pm on weekends. Nothing masked that and unlike what people often tell you, it wasn't something you 'got used to'.

Best of luck. I can't recommend earplugs as they don't work for me, and I am too wary of wax/infection issues.
for total protection I used to run the fan video and popped one earphone in from a different device to double up! It worked ok.

Misena · 27/04/2024 22:52

I think the best solution in this case is a white noise machine. I’d be surprised if it won’t block out this sort of noise completely and you won’t notice it after a while.

I listen to a white noise app through earbuds because we have neighbours who let fire doors slam through the night and a machine won’t block that, but it will block almost anything else. More comfortable and better for your hearing than the headphone option.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 27/04/2024 22:53

Your neighbours need proper carpeting with underlay.

could you approach in person, explain how awkward and bad you feel, that the sound is keeping you up and would it be poss for them to install carpet with a thick underlay? Failing that, I'd wear earplugs to sleep, play white noise, music or a podcast to sleep.

GoatScapes · 27/04/2024 22:54

Youtube is worth trying as you get long videos of simple white noise and other choices without having to spend silly money on a'machine'.
I do have premium though so no idea if ads would wake you up!

triballeader · 27/04/2024 22:54

[Ultra high oxygen user]
All UK medical home oxygen users have access to their oxygen suppliers. It could be a faulty cylinder or something as simple as a piece of furniture pinching the tubing that connects to the nasal cannula. If you are on speaking terms with the neighbour pop round and ask if they can call their supplier to do a safety check on their equipment as you can hear it make strange noises. If not maybe call the supplier and report concerns that the equipment MAY have an issue and could they check. Home oxygen users get frequent and regular safety checks.
TBH it may be linked to hypersensitivity to some noises that you cannot control in which case it’s worth trying noise cancelling devices as others have suggested. Maybe think of things you can do that help distract you from hyperfocussing on the noise.

You would hate my set up in use as even I think it’s sounds like darth vader gasping after he has run a marathon. Thankfully my neighbour is a nurse and copes.

dawngreen · 27/04/2024 22:55

What about using a fan in your bedroom to drown out the background noise? And the person going on about the person been a smoker. Go to any stay in a hospital, and they preach don't smoke, then you go to the garden area for fresh air to find doctors, and nurses smoking. And I have never smoked!

NamelessNancy · 27/04/2024 22:57

StormingNorman · 27/04/2024 18:32

I’m not a cow and feel for the person who needs oxygen. OMFG though! That noise has got to be some kind of torture.

It is a housing problem. Flats should be better soundproofed. Nobody wants to hear their neighbours.

This. Neither OP nor her neighbour are the problem. The properties they live in are not fit for purpose due to poor soundproofing.

beenwhereyouare · 27/04/2024 23:03

They are the UPSTAIRS neighbors!!

Advice about paper-thin walls, next-door flats, acoustic soundproofing the walls, bookshelves or soft furnishings to block noises aren't relevant as the sound is coming from overhead.

Please, just read the entire thread-opening post for yourselves before you start commenting. It was literally stated in the first sentence.

Let me just apologize now, and climb down off my soapbox, and scuttle away. 😳 As you were.

JJJxox · 27/04/2024 23:05

I think you have done the right thing by not complaining and understanding that it’s not intentional what so ever that they are disturbing you.

if you genuinely feel that there is an issue with the oxygen machine, you should contact local authority and report as a safe guarding as the neighbour may not actually be getting the health support that he needs.

dutysuite · 27/04/2024 23:07

Although I would feel terrible about it, it would be an issue for me regarding sleep. I am a very light sleeper, and sensitive to noise. My husband uses a Cpap machine for sleep apnea, when it was faulty it became quite noisy and would disturb my sleep. My husband can sleep through anything, but I had to ask him to get the machine looked at because it was keeping me awake and obviously it was unsafe if faulty.

user1471556818 · 27/04/2024 23:09

LongLostSock · 27/04/2024 17:39

Take a deep breath.

Coz they ain't and be grateful.

Absolutely bet its horrible for them to live with it .

RandomButtons · 27/04/2024 23:10

I can understand how this would be irritating, but you are going to have to find the solution. Could you look at soundproofing your house?

Kapaj · 27/04/2024 23:10

DH has covid fibrosis, never smoked, and is on oxygen.

I would hate it if a neighbour has a problem and didn't tell me. I would do every thing possible to solve the issue if I knew about it.

Noise can drive you crazy, huge sympathy to you OP,

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 27/04/2024 23:11

Loop earplugs. The extra quiet ones. I swear by mine I'm noise sensitive

BabySnarkDoDoo · 27/04/2024 23:12

I'm not sure why so many are against mentioning it politely to your neighbour. Worst case scenario, you mention it, neighbour checks equipment, it's working fine and there's nothing to be done about the noise, then you know they're not at risk and can explore other options to block the noise. You don't sound like someone who would be a persistent bitch about the issue, otherwise you would have gone in all guns blazing by now.

When we moved into our house, the boiler had been installed incorrectly (by a gas safe engineer) and was at risk of exploding our house. I was only alerted to it by my neighbour mentioning she could see flames coming out of the flue when she was in her garden. I'm glad she thought to mention it in a calm and polite way, as I had noticed the boiler was a bit loud, but put it down to the house being poorly insulated. Obviously getting our boiler serviced was on our to do list, but it got pushed to the top when she told us that.

DonnaBanana · 27/04/2024 23:30

I would look into moving. This sort of thing is why I will only live in a detached now