New-build estate all with ASHPs, one close to our house - what do we need to ask re noise?

pinkteapot

New development behind our house (up to our boundary). All of the houses will have ASHPs. Looking at the plans, most shouldn't affect us, but there's one house that will have it's side-wall behind our rear fence, with the ASHP on that wall so pointing straight at us. 

The ASHP will be about 5m from our boundary fence. Our garden isn't massively deep (11m), so the ASHP will be about 16m from our house wall (and all our bedroom windows are on that side).

Is this a cause for concern in terms of noise? I'm nervous because I'm pretty noise-sensitive, especially at night. I'm worried about a persistent hum stopping me sleeping. Anyone live near an ASHP who can reassure me?

Planning application is in now. I don't know if the planners will put any restrictions on the ASHP as it's more than 1m inside the new property's boundary?

What questions should I be asking the developer, or what comments should I make on the planning application? 

I don't have an ASHP/GSHP myself, so currently have pretty limited knowledge of them. 

To be clear: I'm not anti new housing or green energy! Just concerned about the impact of having an ASHP so close to us. 

comeandgo

Our neighbours have ASHP heating with the “box” about 5 meters from our fence though it would be 10 meters from our house.  If I’m in the garden by the fence I may hear it slightly but it’s not on all the time and it’s not loud, are there no houses near you where you can stand and listen to one?

pinkteapot

comeandgo said:

Our neighbours have ASHP heating with the “box” about 5 meters from our fence though it would be 10 meters from our house.  If I’m in the garden by the fence I may hear it slightly but it’s not on all the time and it’s not loud, are there no houses near you where you can stand and listen to one?

Thanks! That's reassuring - sounds like it doesn't bother you inside the house? I got nervous after reading threads online about deep sub-sonic hums going right through peoples' houses?!

Not too worried about noise in the garden. Back garden is NE facing so we sit out the front on sunny evenings anyway. And I'm guessing ASHPs run more in winter? We don't use the garden in winter as we're in Cumbria so it's mostly raining. 

The houses behind us will be phase 2 of this development. Once phase 1 is up we could stroll around there and have a listen. I'm not aware of anyone else having one (though that might just show they're quiet!). 

Our house is pretty new itself (2019) so has very good double-glazing for noise insulation. 

My only other slight concern is that the particular house that's behind us is one of the affordable ones so the builders will build it as cheaply as possible (other half worked for a developer and they do use cheaper materials etc on the affordable houses as they make next to nothing on them), so slightly worried they'll stick the cheapest ASHP possible on those plots. I don't know if cheaper = noisier. Again, showing my limited knowledge of this! 

[Deleted User]

pinkteapot said:

comeandgo said:

Our neighbours have ASHP heating with the “box” about 5 meters from our fence though it would be 10 meters from our house.  If I’m in the garden by the fence I may hear it slightly but it’s not on all the time and it’s not loud, are there no houses near you where you can stand and listen to one?

Thanks! That's reassuring - sounds like it doesn't bother you inside the house? I got nervous after reading threads online about deep sub-sonic hums going right through peoples' houses?!

Not too worried about noise in the garden. Back garden is NE facing so we sit out the front on sunny evenings anyway. And I'm guessing ASHPs run more in winter? We don't use the garden in winter as we're in Cumbria so it's mostly raining. 

The houses behind us will be phase 2 of this development. Once phase 1 is up we could stroll around there and have a listen. I'm not aware of anyone else having one (though that might just show they're quiet!). 

Our house is pretty new itself (2019) so has very good double-glazing for noise insulation. 

My only other slight concern is that the particular house that's behind us is one of the affordable ones so the builders will build it as cheaply as possible (other half worked for a developer and they do use cheaper materials etc on the affordable houses as they make next to nothing on them), so slightly worried they'll stick the cheapest ASHP possible on those plots. I don't know if cheaper = noisier. Again, showing my limited knowledge of this! 

Any new build will have to comply with Planning Permission. For existing properties, fitting a heat pump is a permitted development. Planning Permission is only required if the heat pump specification indicates a noise level above the permitted limit. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79986096#Comment_79986096

In sum, given that it is Government policy for new builds to have heat pumps, any attempt to object might be a futile exercise.

mmmmikey

Not quite the same thing, but hopefully this will put your mind at rest. I have an air conditioning unit in my bedroom that has an outside unit very similar to an ASHP. I can't hear the outside unit at all in the bedroom because as you'd expect there is a slight noise from the inside unit (which blows the cold air) that drowns it out. More significantly, if I go to the adjacent bedroom, which is very close to the outside unit, I still can't hear it even though there's no inside fan noise to drown out the sound. So I very much doubt you'll hear the ASHP in the properties you refer to at all.

I was concerned when I installed the aircon that it would disturb the neighbours, but they say they can only hear it when they're in the garden and even then it isn't obtrusive.

pinkteapot

Thanks for the further reassurance.  

pinkteapot

[Deleted User] said:

Any new build will have to comply with Planning Permission. For existing properties, fitting a heat pump is a permitted development. Planning Permission is only required if the heat pump specification indicates a noise level above the permitted limit. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79986096#Comment_79986096

In sum, given that it is Government policy for new builds to have heat pumps, any attempt to object might be a futile exercise.

I wouldn't object to it - I'm all for green energy and know it's policy. More around anything we can do to ensure the developers fit pumps that do have appropriately low volumes. 

Though if the consensus of responses is that ASHPs are no bother to live next door to then I'll just stop worrying! 

matelodave

We've got a twin fan 11kw heatpump that sbeen running quite happily for 13 years. You've actually got to be pretty close to hear it and even then its only the air through the fan blades, there's no mechanical noise.

Its outside our dining room window and we can't hear it inside even with the windows wide open. A more modern unit is likely to be even quieter. I'm not saying that its inaudible and you might hear it on a very still and quiet night but generally background noise is louder.

I can stand right next to it and still hear the oil fired boiler from my neighbours house across the street, so I'm sure that all the hype about noise is pretty well overblown.

The traffic noise from the A10 about half a mile away across the river Great Ouse is louder and we can only hear that when the wind is in the right (or is it wrong) direction.

[Deleted User]

pinkteapot said:

[Deleted User] said:

Any new build will have to comply with Planning Permission. For existing properties, fitting a heat pump is a permitted development. Planning Permission is only required if the heat pump specification indicates a noise level above the permitted limit. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79986096#Comment_79986096

In sum, given that it is Government policy for new builds to have heat pumps, any attempt to object might be a futile exercise.

I wouldn't object to it - I'm all for green energy and know it's policy. More around anything we can do to ensure the developers fit pumps that do have appropriately low volumes. 

Though if the consensus of responses is that ASHPs are no bother to live next door to then I'll just stop worrying! 

I am not trying to be rude, but how does that work if you do not object? There are approved criteria for heat pumps and noise and location are taken into account. 

There isn’t a developer in the country that is going to fit a premium low noise heat pump (if there is such a thing) when a compliant standard heat pump will do. The issue for the homeowner is whether the selected heat pump is right for the size of my property. On a new build one would hope that the architect has made the correct calculations.

pinkteapot

Thanks, all. General consensus seems to be they're really not that noisy so I'm worrying about nothing!

I was imagining it like when you get a hotel room right above the kitchen's ventilation unit (I ask to be moved). 

Spoonie_Turtle

We can only hear our own external unit from inside the house when it's going full pelt, and can barely hear next-door neighbour's even outside.  When you're out in your garden, I guess it's possible you'd hear the nearest unit if the wind is in the right direction and it's going full pelt - but when it's doing that, the weather's unlikely to be such that you'll be out in the garden.

[Both ours and our neighbour's were put in by contractors chosen by the Housing Association so if there are cheaper, lower-quality installations for ASHPs ours is definitely one of them.]