Vibration noise from under house

You need to keep a diary and see if you can find out what is in the local vicinity that could cause it.


Can't criticise council after you've contacted them to tell them there's a vibration, when they've sent officers out who can't hear it and are provided no evidence to the contrary.

Apologies if the comment is slightly incoherent or there are spelling mistakes but unfortunately suffering from sleep deprivation caused by low frequency noise and vibration. The problem is that the system cannot recognize that low frequency noise is affecting more and more people, that even with new guidelines, the issue is swept under the carpet by the authorities. (This is the polite version).


Firstly OP you're not alone being affected by low frequency vibrations, the problem was first raised in the 1950's. Increasingly with the change or relaxing of building regulations, electrical goods i.e. power showers and their pumps, and more powerful white goods i.e. Washing Machines, Driers, the problem is getting more prevalent and affecting more people. In the last year the government and local authorities have started to take these complaints more seriously after new guidelines were written for DEFRA by Salford University. Unfortunately Environmental Health / Protection Teams lack the skill base, intuition, or equipment to fully identify and resolve low frequency noise and vibration. Instead the EH teams put the blame and emphasis on the person(s) making the complaint. (This is not an isolated criticism).


Without going into further detail I've had four years of low frequency vibrations caused by washing machines, driers, and overpowered poorly installed central heating but found the authorities unhelpful and damn right offensively rude. This is when under stress, being tired, but still being polite and courteous.


Part of the problem is that the equipment (Sound recording device and Headphones, speakers) used by the Environment Health are incorrectly calibrated or unable to pick up infrasound (under 50hz) or Ultra Sound (15,000hz). Make sure the EH personnel use C- bias Weight settings on their device, otherwise the recording will incorrectly detect the noise.


After four years I've compiled a good list of the guidelines, white papers that should help people raise the issue to the authorities. Unfortunately cannot post these links but I'll provide Google meta key words or e-mail me.


Salford University - Professor Moorhouse (Key words- salford university low frequency noise assessment). He wrote the DEFRA guidelines 2001 & 2017, with additional content from Geoff Laventhall.

UK White Goods (Key words White Goods Low frequency vibrations). Discusses in detail throughout the website about washing machines, and other white goods and why the vibrations.

daisy101 wrote: »

Without going into further detail I've had four years of low frequency vibrations caused by washing machines, driers, and overpowered poorly installed central heating but found the authorities unhelpful and damn right offensively rude. This is when under stress, being tired, but still being polite and courteous.

If your washing machine or tumble drier causes vibrations that keep you awake, run it during the day. Both will of course cause vibrations as they are rotating kilos of washing around!

The pump in a fridge freezer also causes vibration, mine has a ~2 second cycle and when I had it positioned in the annex to the kitchen. the vibrations could be heard very faintly if you were close to the same external wall, even if 10m / three rooms away. I moved it, sorted the problem out.

If your washing machine or tumble drier causes vibrations that keep you awake, run it during the day. Both will of course cause vibrations as they are rotating kilos of washing around!

The pump in a fridge freezer also causes vibration, mine has a ~2 second cycle and when I had it positioned in the annex to the kitchen. the vibrations could be heard very faintly if you were close to the same external wall, even if 10m / three rooms away. I moved it, sorted the problem out.

Our washing machine and tumble drier are properly balanced on a stone surface, with the metal legs correctly calibrated and adjusted. Thus minimal to no vibrations when working. The issue is rather our Neighbours on both sides, who renovated their properties combining the Dining / Utility room and Kitchen into a single unit. Unfortunately an important load wall / pillar was taken out, and Laminate flooring* installed. Thus instead of carpet, stone, or paving which alleviates or reduces the noise and vibration, in fact what is happening is that the noise is amplified especially as one of the neighbour's washing machine is located and lodged firmly in a Kitchen Unit. The other neighbour has their white goods on a laminated surface, next to our party wall in an out-house with no foundation attached to our property. Thus it too vibrates!


*DEFRA have published an article discussing the implication of laminate flooring and low frequency vibrations in flats and houses.