Vibration noise from under house

littlerock

Could it someone local runs their washing machine + drying cycle overnight.?

Also we had a couple of cases locally where new offices' air-conditioning/central heating running overnight caused low hum/vibration to nearby houses. It took the authorities a while to tack down source. Would it be possible for you to hire an acoustic engineer to record sound and locations affected as basis of proof to public agencies.?

daisy101

Could it someone local runs their washing machine + drying cycle overnight.?

Also we had a couple of cases locally where new offices' air-conditioning/central heating running overnight caused low hum/vibration to nearby houses. It took the authorities a while to tack down source. Would it be possible for you to hire an acoustic engineer to record sound and locations affected as basis of proof to public agencies.?

The Environmental Health Officer that originally took our case, warned us not to privately hire an Acoustic Engineer to investigate the noise. Unfortunately being desperate ignored this advice to our cost. After consultation the specialist turned up, took readings Thirty Five Minutes. Left with the equipment. Returned the next day for two hours in the early morning.


What is suspicious is that the Engineer wouldn't extend the period of the initial test at Night when requested, against our initial agreement. Secondly he continually asked which Environmental Health Officer to report the results. He also admitted he suffered from Tinnitus! Also there was no noise from Showers, Washing Machines. Nothing. Also he suddenly wanted to leave in the Morning. A minute or two later, our neighbours depart, 9.30am on a School day!


Just a note, when the Environmental Health Officer took our case she actually admitted the equipment couldn't correctly detect, or identify low frequency noise. Although results when analysed, highlighted that there were huge, unnatural spikes out the normal frequency in the low frequency spectrum, which confirmed our suspicions. Unfortunately a few weeks later she dismisses that evidence.

Edy_L.

Hi,
It is some relief to see someone describing the exact same nightmare that I have found myself in. Low frequency vibration was first heard in our house about three years ago, and it has been getting worse since. First earplugs helped, they dont anymore! I can hear it in my head, through the pillow, also it cant be pinned down to one source, it s all over the bloody flat! Yes to make our case even worse we live on the first floor of a house that had been converted into two flats, so i cant even go downstairs and check with them in the middle of the night, hey are you hearing the same thing? (But the woman downstairs did confirm she can hear it too, has been walking around middle of the night trying to locate source, to no avail. She doesn't seem as bothered by it.)

Yesterday i called the waterboard, they said they will send someone out to check the sewer drain or something that s right at the top of our driveway. We have been researching this issue, this thread seems to be the most recent. I read somewhere that water from the house joining into the mains might be the cause, and it does indeed sound like water rushing. To make it worse, 'our' noise has an irregular rhythm to it, which to me also confirms that it could be water. We've been down the electricity gas central heating route, thats all confirmed not causing the issue ( switch everything off one by one etc, never stopped.)

Only audible at night and comes on at different times, there was a week back in May when it started every single night at 10-1030, but can never hear if or when it actually stops- for all i know it might never stop even during the day only cant hear it from ambience. There are nights when its not on at all. Totally unpredictable.

Please do keep posting as i am as desperate as you are and need to see if you've found the cause and solution. I cant recall a night in the past year when i slept through without waking, sometimes at 1 sometimes at 4, then no more sleep that night! I have purchased a dehumidifier to cancel out the noise, it did the job in winter then switched to an electric fan in summer, but i can hear the vibration on top of the fan's whirring, which pushed me further into despair, had panic attacks etc).

At the end of my tether.

that

if you want to see the sound or vibrations, you will probably need an oscilloscope (£25 cheapest second hand one there at the mo located in Milton Keynes), and a speaker to act as a transducer to pick up the vibrations.

You could also shield the speaker with foam so it becomes directional to help pinpoint the sound

daisy101

It is some relief to see someone describing the exact same nightmare that I have found myself in. Low frequency vibration was first heard in our house about three years ago, and it has been getting worse since. First earplugs helped, they dont anymore!

Firstly apologies for not replying earlier but only occasionally check the forum on whether an user has posted a response to the original comment.


Ear Plugs, even noise reducing Ear buds are less effective against Infrasound or Ultrasound.

Yes to make our case even worse we live on the first floor of a house that had been converted into two flats, so i cant even go downstairs and check with them in the middle of the night, hey are you hearing the same thing? (But the woman downstairs did confirm she can hear it too, has been walking around middle of the night trying to locate source, to no avail. She doesn't seem as bothered by it.)

If the woman is walking around searching for the source of the noise then it does appear that her sleep is being disrupted. Her account could be invaluable if a complaint is lodged with the authorities, as an additional person hearing, or noticing the noise will emphasize that the sound is affecting their sleep too. This means that the Environmental Department cannot dismiss your complaint on medical terms, sensitivity, or Tinnitus.

To make it worse, 'our' noise has an irregular rhythm to it, which to me also confirms that it could be water. We've been down the electricity gas central heating route, thats all confirmed not causing the issue ( switch everything off one by one etc, never stopped.)

An irregular rhythm? Try listening to your Washing Machine & Tumble Drier cycle see if the pattern is similar. Many neighbours nowadays work different shifts patterns, or want to prevail with cheaper electrical prices (Economy 7) so do their washing at night before retiring to bed. Also as you live in converted House, the initial construction probably use plaster board or cheap materials as partitioning, thus inadequate noise insulation or dampening.

Please do keep posting as i am as desperate as you are and need to see if you've found the cause and solution. I cant recall a night in the past year when i slept through without waking, sometimes at 1 sometimes at 4, then no more sleep that night! I have purchased a dehumidifier to cancel out the noise, it did the job in winter then switched to an electric fan in summer, but i can hear the vibration on top of the fan's whirring, which pushed me further into despair, had panic attacks etc).

What is needed is a public, moral victory of an individual successfully identifying low frequency noise that the other authorities take the complaints seriously. Yes the Government and DEFRA has published new guidelines on Low Frequency Noise, but the authorities are reluctant to investigate sufficiently or collaborate their finding to ensure a satisfactory conclusion through identifying the culprit.


Have you spoken to Environmental Health / Protection team from the Council? Don't be put off with other people failure to identify the source. If you need advice or assistance please use the private messaging system on MSE and I'll reply confidentially. (Hope this doesn't contravene the Forum rules).

kayej

An update on this from Acton, London. There are still issues over this way but more spread out. Not just direct neighbours but now I've been contacted by people in Acton & Ealing.
The Council are useless & not interested.
They bought equipment in, said there was disturbance but it was not enough for them to do anything about - no matter how many people complained.

daisy101

Kayej this was to be expected. You need to escalate the complaint. Speak to your local Councillor and explain the situation, and the lacklustre attitude of the Environmental Health team to take your issue seriously . Mention the new rules and regulations with regards to the 2017 DEFRA paper on low frequency vibrations. If you don't get a satisfactory outcome escalate the complaint to the Chief Executive of Acton & Ealing Council and finally your MP.


Please keep me informed.

Strangefruits

Hi I came across this thread, trying to find out the cause of a loud thumping vibration. I notice you are similar area of London to me (W4).

I hear/feel a very loud thump vibration. It sounds like the end of a spin cycle. It doesn’t last very long (1min) max. It occurs almost exactly the same time each evening -10:32/10:33/10:34.

It’s not the heating (sometimes on sometimes off). Not taps opening etc. Not the neighbors-( happens when no one is in etc).

I live in quite a noisy area of London- planes, trains and automobiles- and do hear these also, but this is different. There is a lot of new large construction and development nearby but I don’t think they work at nights.

(I will listen to see if happens weekend nights as I’ve not recorded it so far- so maybe it’s only weekday nights)

littlerock

My mother had a similar problem and eventually they found out that where the telephone cable entered the house it was connected to a pole which vibrated in certain winds. This also seemed to make the cable hum but not everyone could hear it and my poor mother was accused of imagining it. Then one day when the cable got put underground, it stopped.....

Redwhale

Iv read yr blog as iv exactly the same problem 5 yr now of sleep deprivation and stress ...environmental equipment picked up on unusual frequencies and an idling deasel generator but replied it could be coming from anywhere and want to hear it for himself which is pathetic as it was obvious where the torturing vibrations was coming from at the beginning of my complaints which was my nieghbours....now its all muffled in believe me when i say the council and environment work together and in my case anyway they really have botched the investigation because they cant/ wont be bothered to deal with dysfunctional nieghbours or in yr case source the EH are not fit for purpose..5 yrs on he still wants to hear it for himself its always throughout the night and like before when hes visited he states ow i cant really hear anything so has put it down to LFN in the freedom of information act..i know exactly how you feel as like me i feel this awful vibrations at ground level and throughout my home and going to bed i hear this awful droning machanical noise..i know its my nieghbours as i used to hear the motor through their wall massively and a jet of exhaust emmiting from their gas flue which indicates a dodjy set up ..iv got video evidences but they have now masked the noise well and atm no sign of exhaust smoke and fumes from their gas flue ..could be they are generating their own energy supply to grow some plants in a large cupboard or loft ...other than that im stumpted as my house is the only one effected in a row ..their is an underground sewage system nearby but i reallt dont think its from their ..how did yr EH know the vibrations were coming from elsewhere/ pin point down the road? Another source could possibly be thie national grid it has its hidden dark problems they wont admit to ...