Noise and Vibration

[Topline Mike]

  The problem is getting a recorder with a microphone sensitive enough for the low volume and low frequency inside the house.   

ThIS, this right here is what is waking you up?  You can't find a recorder sensitive enough but it wakes you up.  whewww.   Sweet dreams. 

[whariwharangi]

  The problem is getting a recorder with a microphone sensitive enough for the low volume and low frequency inside the house.   

ThIS, this right here is what is waking you up?  You can't find a recorder sensitive enough but it wakes you up.  whewww.   Sweet dreams.

Try reading up on infrasonic and low frequency noise.

[rosewoodsteel]

Do any of your other neighbors have an issue with this noise?

[dunecritter]

whariwharangi... I understand your issue and I can appreciate the fact that you've tried the white noise angle....I've been to a friends house that was near a water treatment facility and he had a very similar issue with the low frequency noise emitted by the pump systems...Drove him crazy. I've camped near some power lines and heard this annoying buxx/hum all night and I would go bonkers if I could never tune it out but luckily we were just camping and I was able to leave that noise behind me.....you on the other hand are stuck with an issue that's obviously driving you bonkers....Smother your neighbors with kindness when you ask for assistance...that's my suggestion...otherwise they might have the shrug shoulder and you will continue to fight your way through this.. Good luck

[clover]

While we all try to help people, sometimes you can not change reality.  Your best opportunity to fix this problem is through thoughtful and considerate interaction between your neighbors, however given your level of sensitivity, you may have already exhausted that avenue.

It sounds like you want your environment to be different than it is, even though you do not control the elements of that environment, maybe it's time to move to the country.  You are offended for having had to pay to live where you are, and are unhappy over what you allege to be "hot tub noise". 

I will go back to my original suggestion; have them shut their tubs down from 10 PM to 8 AM to actually see if that is the solution.  If you have alienated you neighbors, that's probably never going to happen, so not much is going to change your conditions with our limited ability to help.

It appears you have been dealing with this for a period of time with little result, and you are presenting your case with all of the collected detail to support your position.  You mention "not enough proof for court", you have documented sound levels, "as close as I can get", but no place do I find neighborly cooperation.  Is that because of your approach or attitude?  Certainly they are willing to listen and help you with your issues of concern.

What would happen if they put an air conditioner in, or a generator?

While you say, "I'm not interested in being a nuisance to my neighbors. These machines are causing a nuisance for a lot of people. Theres lots of evidence that there is a problem and it needs to be dealt with."   Yet, you seem to have a vendetta that causes you to want to impose your will upon them, as you see yourself as the victim. 

Best wishes in seeking a peaceful resolve.

[Quickbeam]

I don't know a lot about this kind of situation and you seem to have a good knowledge of the subject. Just wondering if there is any possible way to do something to mask the vibration? You said you tried white noise to block out the noise aspect but the vibration kept waking you up. Is there anything that would function like white noise, to take care of vibration? Maybe something that would absorb the vibration??? I have no idea if such a thing exists, but it might be worth looking into.

[bob snader]

I find it hard to believe it's a hot tub sending out this vibration, but then these things can change in pitch and amplitude depending on what they are in contact with. Now... a refrigeration compressor of some kind (window a/c, heat pump, central air....) is quite capable of making the low frequency hum you're complaining of. The compressors in fact sit on rubber bushings to try and block the vibration and even with that it can be heard/felt a fair distance away. And if the bushings are shot it gets pretty loud.

People also tend to turn their a/c units on at night for comfort as they sleep.

I would look for an A/C unit in contact with wood. Maybe a central air unit sitting on a large wood deck.

[dunecritter]

I find it hard to believe it's a hot tub sending out this vibration, but then these things can change in pitch and amplitude depending on what they are in contact with. Now... a refrigeration compressor of some kind (window a/c, heat pump, central air....) is quite capable of making the low frequency hum you're complaining of. The compressors in fact sit on rubber bushings to try and block the vibration and even with that it can be heard/felt a fair distance away. And if the bushings are shot it gets pretty loud.

People also tend to turn their a/c units on at night for comfort as they sleep.

I would look for an A/C unit in contact with wood. Maybe a central air unit sitting on a large wood deck.

I recently refurbished an older tub. One of the pumps had a seal that had weeped a small amount of water past the shaft seal and over a short period of time wiped out a motor berring. Though it functioned properly as far as pressure etc...That tub made a very annoying low frequency buzz when it was on. The previous owner never noticed it as it came on slowly and gradually. I could see this tub would annoy any immediate neighbor. I also had the motor bay door off a tub yesterday while it was running and it had a resonating buzz until I finished tightening up the door. So a properly operating tub might not be the issue but there might be a tub remotely close that is need of service.

[whariwharangi]

I find it hard to believe it's a hot tub sending out this vibration, but then these things can change in pitch and amplitude depending on what they are in contact with. Now... a refrigeration compressor of some kind (window a/c, heat pump, central air....) is quite capable of making the low frequency hum you're complaining of. The compressors in fact sit on rubber bushings to try and block the vibration and even with that it can be heard/felt a fair distance away. And if the bushings are shot it gets pretty loud.

People also tend to turn their a/c units on at night for comfort as they sleep.

I would look for an A/C unit in contact with wood. Maybe a central air unit sitting on a large wood deck.

I haven't updated for a while. I no longer think its being caused by a hot tub. Source appears to be machinery at a medical marijuana grow op in a wood frame house used only to grow weed. -- heat pump, exhaust fans, etc. It took about 5 months of wandering around at night and finally going up to the heat pump to get a recording ... and hearing a lot of other machinery noise. The problem is still trying to prove the source ... but I'm pretty sure that's the cause. Part of the issue is MMAR laws were revoked; the changes are under court challenge and MMAR grows continue to operate under an injunction. Its hard to spend money on the problem knowing the judge in the MMAR case reserved his decision and could make a decision tomorrow (except he reserved his decision 1 May 2015 - no timeliness here). Noise is 120 Hz, 60 Hz and a lot of noise below 20 Hz. There is a hot tub next door to the grow op throwing out 140Hz just to complicate the issue. The hot tub located 300 m away puts out 120 Hz ...

[Quickbeam]

Thank you for letting us know. I do hope you find a way to get this resolved.