Air Conditioning

[RedWhiteOrBlue]

Do any of you have neighbours that have air conditioning? I wonder how noisy it will be? My neighbours are having this installed and it is only going to be 18" from my house wall.

Will I be going mad in the Summer with the noise?
Will the fact it is only 18" from my house wall damage my house at all?

They have 2 units being installed.

Just so as not to drip feed. We have no permitted development here. The neighbours do know that as they got stung trying to build an extension a few years ago and had to modify it after applying for retrospective planning permission.

They have not discussed the air conditioning with any of the neighbours.

Ours do but we don’t hear it at all. Mind you, it isn’t that close and is shielded by a high stone wall. I have lived in houses abroad with air conditioning (and closer neighbours with air conditioning) and, although you can hear it, it isn’t too intrusive.

I can’t see how it could damage your property.

@etulosba "I can’t see how it could damage your property." I don't know this either but I have Googled tonight and it says that units have to be 1 metre at least from neighbouring properties. Maybe this is noise and not damage?

I think it is noise. However, I wouldn’t think just one metre would make it much quieter!

@RedWhiteOrBlue

Do any of you have neighbours that have air conditioning? I wonder how noisy it will be? My neighbours are having this installed and it is only going to be 18" from my house wall.

Will I be going mad in the Summer with the noise?
Will the fact it is only 18" from my house wall damage my house at all?

They have 2 units being installed.

Could you send a pic of the kind of AC unit? I"m in Australia, so I'm all over the noise issues. By the sound of it, it's a reverse cycle unit.

All units make noise, evaporative systems are the worst, but the ones least likely be in the UK. Noise is such an issue that where I live, AC units can't be run 10.00.p.m to 7.00.a.m. The people this mostly affects are those who choose to cool their homes passively, by opening windows.

[quote RedWhiteOrBlue]@etulosba "I can’t see how it could damage your property." I don't know this either but I have Googled tonight and it says that units have to be 1 metre at least from neighbouring properties. Maybe this is noise and not damage?[/quote]
Here's your "in". If it's less than a specified distance, then go to the council, though it will have to be in their regulations for them to take action. Probably covered by pool pump legislation.

Other than that, go for general unacceptable noise. There is no such thing as OK noise, even when guidelines are there, there is always an individual case to be argued. My personal targets would be this who use leaf blowers every fecking day, and jet skiers. Ever.

All all all my neighbors have AC, can’t say I’ve ever noticed any noise. Our big Lennox unit certainly doesn’t drip or cause any issue that would affect the neighbors.

The air con units for our house are on the other side of the wall at the head of our bed. Not an issue. I mean, yes they make a noise but you get used to it. Its not enough to disturb sleep or anything

where I live, AC units can't be run 10.00.p.m to 7.00.a.m.

That’s interesting. We only ran our air con overnight and then only when the bedroom temperature topped 30. It was too expensive to run otherwise.

Thank you everyone. I have queried this with our local planning office and they will, in due course, come and have a look to make sure nothing is amiss.

This is likely to be more of an issue with the current push towards air source heat pumps for heating.

It is possible, by the way, to get sound proof enclosures for air con/heat pump units.