silencing a home AC unit?

-
diymirage

diymirage

HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
33,778
Reaction score
41,681
Location
michigan
hey guys

I have central air and the house and my mother in law (who lives with us, and is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's) doesn't like the way the compressor sounds

long story short, I would like to find a way to quiet down the compressor which is mounted on a concrete pad, just outside of her bedroom

the way it sits right now, there is a wooden frame around it, with a piece of corrugated metal on top to keep the snow off in the winter

anyone have any suggestions?
 
Assuming it is a scroll compressor, you can get a compressor blanket that wraps around the compressor inside the unit. It does a decent job of quieting the higher frequency noises.
 
Turn it off.

Seriously, the only thing I could think of would be 1) move it or 2) build a decent shed around it and insulate it.
 
Freezerman said:
Assuming it is a scroll compressor, you can get a compressor blanket that wraps around the compressor inside the unit. It does a decent job of quieting the higher frequency noises.
Click to expand...

its not the high frequencies that bother her, its the low hum of the unit
which is almost humorous, seeing how deaf she is. but somehow, she hears the AC...even with her fan blowing
RustyRatRod said:
Turn it off.

Seriously, the only thing I could think of would be 1) move it or 2) build a decent shed around it and insulate it.
Click to expand...

that's her approach to the situation
last night I came home, and it was 78 inside the house since she did turn it off

I wouldn't mind building a shed around it, but my only concern would be drawing in enough air to supply/cool the unit
(provided it needs air, I don't know)
 
It needs lots of air. You could also get isolating pads to set between the unit and the concrete. That would help the hum that gets transferred from the cabinet. That with the blanket would quiet it alot.
 
Here's a video don't know if this will help your problem. You tube has a few other ideas too.
.

as was said a/c units need air circulation that's why the units are outside to dissipate the heat. The shed would also mess up the efficiency of it.
Don't forget to check all the screws to make sure nothings loose that may be the problem
 
Move her to another bedroom?
Along with Blanket on Compressor and cabinet isolation pads, I wonder if adding Fatmax or some other sound deadener to some of the sheet metal without blocking air flow would help?
Also maybe a sound wall/Partition between house and unit. Cork or rubber roofing sealant might do it on the unit side of partition.
Have partition rise above and angle over top a little to deflect noise. Also get model # and find out what the manufacturer recommends for clearances.
 
Last edited:
diymirage said:
hey guys

I have central air and the house and my mother in law (who lives with us, and is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's) doesn't like the way the compressor sounds

long story short, I would like to find a way to quiet down the compressor which is mounted on a concrete pad, just outside of her bedroom

the way it sits right now, there is a wooden frame around it, with a piece of corrugated metal on top to keep the snow off in the winter

anyone have any suggestions?
Click to expand...
I don't know much about the weather in Michigan but I can't imagine you run that A/C all that much. Out here in the Central Valley in Calif the A/C is in use about 7 months out of the year. You're about to do a lot of work for a short duration (temperature wise) problem. Sorry about your M-I-L. My mother had dementia and the problem you describe is systematic of the disease, I suspect if it isn't the A/C it will be something else. Best of luck
 
retroron said:
I don't know much about the weather in Michigan but I can't imagine you run that A/C all that much.
Click to expand...

HA! It can get warm here and carry on for longer than you might think, not 7 months though.

92* at my house right now with high dew points that put us into triple digit "real feel".

I just had to come in out of it for a minute.
 
diymirage said:
its not the high frequencies that bother her, its the low hum of the unit
Click to expand...

Try something rubber under the unit and build an insulated shield in a half octagon shape to set between the unit and the house. \_/
 
RustyRatRod said:
build a decent shed around it and insulate it.
Click to expand...

diymirage said:
its not the high frequencies that bother her, its the low hum of the unit
which is almost humorous, seeing how deaf she is. but somehow, she hears the AC...even with her fan blowing


that's her approach to the situation
last night I came home, and it was 78 inside the house since she did turn it off

I wouldn't mind building a shed around it, but my only concern would be drawing in enough air to supply/cool the unit
(provided it needs air, I don't know)
Click to expand...

My father and grandfather have ran an HVAC business since 1957. I used to work and help during high school. My brother still does. For sake of all things Holy, DO NOT enclose an exterior unit. VERY BAD IDEA.

An exterior unit is designed to have a certain amount of air flow available for the cooling of the unit itself. I can't tell you have many service calls we went on when I was helping out during high school that involved people who put little sheds or other enclosures around those units only for the units to overheat and no longer cool adequately or worse yet, overheat and lock up. Enclosing an AC unit will trap the heat, causing the unit to build up pressure more and more as it gets hotter. This pressure will either trip the safeties on the unit, or cause such a high pressure, it'll eventually lock the compressor up. And you'd be surprised just how badly putting stuff like lattice to hide it increases the heat if too close

To the OP: make sure the unit is on rubber pads, that will greatly help with vibratory noises. Second. Make sure the unit is AT LEAST 2-3 feet from the wall, a lot of installers in the older days were putting them a foot or less from the wall. Which does too things, decreases efficiency and makes the things run louder. They do make noise insulating "blankets" to wrap around them, but be warned, they will reduce the cooling ability of the unit as its just adding a restriction to air flow.
 
diymirage said:
its not the high frequencies that bother her, its the low hum of the unit
which is almost humorous, seeing how deaf she is. but somehow, she hears the AC...even with her fan blowing


that's her approach to the situation
last night I came home, and it was 78 inside the house since she did turn it off

I wouldn't mind building a shed around it, but my only concern would be drawing in enough air to supply/cool the unit
(provided it needs air, I don't know)
Click to expand...

Simple. Just make the air intake opposite of the house and insulate the heck out of the rest.
 
Take the metal cover off the top of your structure depending on how far above the fan it is.

Put it back on when winter arrives.
 
crackedback said:
Take the metal cover off the top of your structure depending on how far above the fan it is.

Put it back on when winter arrives.
Click to expand...
I missed that part but YES! Especially if its sitting within a few inches.
 
thanks for all the advice guys
I had to run into Chicago, so I didn't have time to stay on top of it

I pulled the metal off but that didn't do the trick (there was also a some nice thick particle board underneath)

ill have to remove the wooden frame that held the roof up to see if it is possible to put some rubber underneath

@dukeboy_318 the compressor is definitely within 6 inches of the house
even if I felt comfortable moving it, I don't know if the wires/pipes/hoses would reach, and it would require pouring a new pad (which would then be on the lawn)

as for moving the mother in law to another room...I just don't have any more
the only other bedroom on the ground floor is my oldest girls room (with the loft) and I doubt she would want to give it up
beside, those two rooms are right next to each other, and just as close to the A/C

there is the "option" of her moving into her "living room" which is kinda like a den, off the back of the house, but she didn't want to

all other bedrooms are either downstairs or upstairs (our masterbedroom) and that's just not a good option at her age
 
diymirage said:
thanks for all the advice guys
I had to run into Chicago, so I didn't have time to stay on top of it

I pulled the metal off but that didn't do the trick (there was also a some nice thick particle board underneath)

ill have to remove the wooden frame that held the roof up to see if it is possible to put some rubber underneath

@dukeboy_318 the compressor is definitely within 6 inches of the house
even if I felt comfortable moving it, I don't know if the wires/pipes/hoses would reach, and it would require pouring a new pad (which would then be on the lawn)

as for moving the mother in law to another room...I just don't have any more
the only other bedroom on the ground floor is my oldest girls room (with the loft) and I doubt she would want to give it up
beside, those two rooms are right next to each other, and just as close to the A/C

there is the "option" of her moving into her "living room" which is kinda like a den, off the back of the house, but she didn't want to

all other bedrooms are either downstairs or upstairs (our masterbedroom) and that's just not a good option at her age
Click to expand...
You might gently shake the duct work coming out too, make sure it’s not loose. You mentioned it next to the lawn, pop the screens and make sure there’s no lawn trimmings sucked up into it. Any thing that restricts the air even a little bit can make the compressor work a tiny bit harder and thus louder. Also, if you haven’t already, pull your air filter inside and replace it. I’ve seen those get full of dust and hair and make a blower sound like a turbo spooling
 
Put wind chimes above it maybe. That may help or it will just annoy her more. My daughter is very sensitive to sounds too. So I know what you’re dealing with. I also have my mother in Law living with me a we moved the AC Unit when I added on a room for her and we put it away from the window. I don’t remember how much it cost me. Unfortunately what usually happens is when you remove that noise a new noise is coming.
 
Tell her it needs repair, then put a window shaker unit in her rooms window. After a couple of weeks take it out, noise may not be so bad after all.
 
Last edited:
Did some cleaning today
Hopefully if the unit is cleaner, it will be quieter and more efficient
It looks like there is one of those blankets installed on the motor...and one on the "radiator"

:poke:

20190705_170126.jpg
 
diymirage said:
Did some cleaning today
Hopefully if the unit is cleaner, it will be quieter and more efficient
It looks like there is one of those blankets installed on the motor...and one on the "radiator"

:poke:

View attachment 1715359533
Click to expand...
My grandmother has dementia, when it started, she swore she was hearing the mice in the walls running(we had an exterminator and they found zero trail of mice anywhere ) dementia is a shitty disease and nothing to be done to stop it.
 
dukeboy_318 said:
My grandmother has dementia, when it started, she swore she was hearing the mice in the walls running(we had an exterminator and they found zero trail of mice anywhere ) dementia is a shitty disease and nothing to be done to stop it.
Click to expand...

I really had to listen to hear it, but then again, ive worked in manufacturing all my life. add to that my love for guns, and it wouldn't surprise me if im partially deaf, especially in those lower frequencies

its sure is tricky living with someone with dementia
shes in the early stages and right now, its more annoying then anything else
one of the things she does, is the dishes
which means that every time I need a plate or a bowl, I have to find out where they are today

we'll see it through as long as we can, and hopefully we can care for her till the end
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top