Unknown Low Frequency Boiler/Bass Noise

[OLori]

I wish someone could solve a massive mystery. I live on Adys Road and for the last 2 months we've been hearing a low frequency noise, that sounds like it could be the bass of music, or a failing boiler or potentially the reverberations of something else, trains perhaps.

It's a real nuisance and it comes on everyday, in the morning, evening and sometimes in the early morning. It's currently on as I type.

If anyone has clues what this could be, or if its even council related, please get in touch.

It's literally like slow torture! :(

[se22cat]

I don't know about that area, but a couple of years ago there was a similar sort of sound that drove my wife up the wall for almost a year in Goose Green. It returned again for a few weeks earlier this year, but now has hopefully gone for good. I recall seeing a piece on the BBC website about a mysterious noise a while ago. I think there was also a thread here not too long ago about a noise around Barry Road iirc.

[Trinnydad]

CH circulation pump bearings on the way out?

[OLori]

Hi, Adys Road is literally at the end of Goose Green!

The sound started all of a sudden out of the blue. I'm close to tears and trying to think of meditational techniques to get my mind off the sound.

Any advice?!

[OLori]

Trinnydad Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> CH circulation pump bearings on the way out?

Is this possible? Would it generate this ind of sound? I do have a British Gas engineer friend, who said that it might be trapped air in the boiler...

I'll look up the circulation pump thing too.

Thanks for the advice

[Penguin68]

You can check whether it's anything to do with you by turning off your central heating whilst you are hearing it. If it doesn't stop it's not your system at least, and that's one thing you can rule out.

[OLori]

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You can check whether it's anything to do with you

> by turning off your central heating whilst you are

> hearing it. If it doesn't stop it's not your

> system at least, and that's one thing you can rule

> out.

Hi, thank you for that. We've definitely checked our system and ruled that out. Next step is to ask a few of the neighbours on either side!

[Sue]

Poor you.

You could try some sort of white noise to mask the sound until you track down its source?

The trouble is sounds often seem to be coming from a different direction to where they actually are.

ETA: Could it be someone else's boiler on a timer and/or thermostat?

I had to get double glazing in my bedroom because of a neighbour's boiler coming on early in the morning and waking me up (and also having something wrong with it, so it was coming on and off all night).

If you keep a note of the times it comes on, that could help when you ask your neighbours?

[ryelane]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hum

[OLori]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Poor you.

>

> You could try some sort of white noise to mask the

> sound until you track down its source?

>

> The trouble is sounds often seem to be coming from

> a different direction to where they actually are.

>

> ETA: Could it be someone else's boiler on a timer

> and/or thermostat?

>

> I had to get double glazing in my bedroom because

> of a neighbour's boiler coming on early in the

> morning and waking me up (and also having

> something wrong with it, so it was coming on and

> off all night).

>

> If you keep a note of the times it comes on, that

> could help when you ask your neighbours?

Hi Sue,

Thanks for your tips. Good to know others have gone through this.

Currently looking for some type of white noise, but not been successful yet.

I definitely believe it's a boiler issue, but you're right. It's difficult to locate the direction of the sound.

Praying for a miracle!

[OLori]

ryelane Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hum

Lol... I wish it was the hum, however all the neighbours from three of the flats are hearing the same noise at the same time!

:(

[RichH]

OLori Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Currently looking for some type of white noise,

> but not been successful yet.

Whilst not, strictly speaking, a white noise generator, I've used this to good effect in the past:

http://sleepbug.com/

[OLori]

RichH Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> OLori Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Currently looking for some type of white noise,

> > but not been successful yet.

>

> Whilst not, strictly speaking, a white noise

> generator, I've used this to good effect in the

> past:

>

> http://sleepbug.com/

You're a star, it's great so far. Shame I'll have to resort to this, but at this point I don't mind.

[colville09]

Some body may have a hot tub that 'refreshes' on timer every few hours. The pump churning the water gives out a low hum. Note down the times, go down the street when you hear it and see if you can locate the exact house where it is loudest and talk to council who may be able to mediate with owners who may not realise the sound is travelling.

[Trinnydad]

Did you get is sussed out?

Another idea is that it may be your neighbours CH pump that is mounted on a shared wall and it is vibrating. Check what times their CH comes on. Or do they have a heat pump ( reversible air conditioner) that cuts in from time to time?

My other suggestion is that it may be a water pump that cuts I when the water (in some sump/tank) reaches a certain level at which point it pumps out to empty the tank. Alternatively it may top up a tank when it gets down to certain level. I have one of the former that empties the deep sump under the lawn to assist the drainage in the clay soil.

If the noise isn't coming from your own property then It's a matter of going outside, walking around your property, cupping your hand around your ears and finding out the direction it is coming from.

[OLori]

Trinnydad Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Did you get is sussed out?

>

> Another idea is that it may be your neighbours CH

> pump that is mounted on a shared wall and it is

> vibrating. Check what times their CH comes on. Or

> do they have a heat pump ( reversible air

> conditioner) that cuts in from time to time?

>

> My other suggestion is that it may be a water pump

> that cuts I when the water (in some sump/tank)

> reaches a certain level at which point it pumps

> out to empty the tank. Alternatively it may top up

> a tank when it gets down to certain level. I have

> one of the former that empties the deep sump under

> the lawn to assist the drainage in the clay soil.

>

> If the noise isn't coming from your own property

> then It's a matter of going outside, walking

> around your property, cupping your hand around

> your ears and finding out the direction it is

> coming from.

Hi,

Thanks for checking in. So funnily enough, I think I have some further clues. There is a real possibility that it might not even be the CH, but rather a washing machine/tumble dryer and today I went down as it came on after two days of no sound and I heard the noise from one of my neighbours flats. Completely shocked about it. They're currently out and there's been no noise.

My only issue is, is that Ive never heard their washing machine/tumble dryer until today, so perhaps it's broken and they don't know?

[OLori]

colville09 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Some body may have a hot tub that 'refreshes' on

> timer every few hours. The pump churning the water

> gives out a low hum. Note down the times, go down

> the street when you hear it and see if you can

> locate the exact house where it is loudest and

> talk to council who may be able to mediate with

> owners who may not realise the sound is

> travelling.

Thank you, I'm now taking a note of the times when the sound comes on. I think it might be a tumble dryer/washing machine!!!

[Sue]

OLori Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> colville09 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Some body may have a hot tub that 'refreshes'

> on

> > timer every few hours. The pump churning the

> water

> > gives out a low hum. Note down the times, go

> down

> > the street when you hear it and see if you can

> > locate the exact house where it is loudest and

> > talk to council who may be able to mediate with

> > owners who may not realise the sound is

> > travelling.

>

> Thank you, I'm now taking a note of the times when

> the sound comes on. I think it might be a tumble

> dryer/washing machine!!!

Unfortunately I believe the Southwark noise team doesn't cover noise from domestic appliances, so it may be a matter of negotiating with your neighbours as to when they run their machine.

Good luck!

[OLori]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> OLori Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > colville09 Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Some body may have a hot tub that 'refreshes'

> > on

> > > timer every few hours. The pump churning the

> > water

> > > gives out a low hum. Note down the times, go

> > down

> > > the street when you hear it and see if you

> can

> > > locate the exact house where it is loudest

> and

> > > talk to council who may be able to mediate

> with

> > > owners who may not realise the sound is

> > > travelling.

> >

> > Thank you, I'm now taking a note of the times

> when

> > the sound comes on. I think it might be a

> tumble

> > dryer/washing machine!!!

>

>

> Unfortunately I believe the Southwark noise team

> doesn't cover noise from domestic appliances, so

> it may be a matter of negotiating with your

> neighbours as to when they run their machine.

>

> Good luck!

Thanks, fingers crossed they are reasonable!

[JohnL]

I once got really really annoyed by a deep rumbling sound vibrating the house. I worked out eventually it was the dog we had at the time snoring.

Once I knew I put up with him.

[OLori]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I once got really really annoyed by a deep

> rumbling sound vibrating the house. I worked out

> eventually it was the dog we had at the time

> snoring.

>

> Once I knew I put up with him.

Hahahaha..of course you can't be mad with a dog for breathing! I think I'm definitely more relieved, now that I know where the noise is coming from and what it may be. Now for the negotiations or to let their landlord know to change the appliance