Knowledge Centre · Practical Noise Problems
What happens when we call a noise consultant and they don’t do residential air conditioner noise?
This is an incredibly common question. Many homeowners are surprised when they contact an acoustic consultant only to be told the firm doesn’t undertake residential air conditioner noise complaints — here is why, and how to avoid the problem altogether.
Read time
4 minutes
Relevant to
Homeowners, installers and anyone planning a new outdoor unit
Why do many consultants say no?
Many homeowners are surprised when they contact an acoustic consultant only to be told: “Sorry, we don’t undertake residential air conditioner noise complaints.”
The reality is that many consultants actively avoid these projects, and there are several good reasons why.
Unlike large industrial projects or development assessments, residential air conditioner complaints can become surprisingly complicated. A typical sequence often looks like this:
- A complaint is made to the local council.
- The owner engages an acoustic consultant.
- Testing confirms the unit exceeds the applicable noise limits.
- The unit needs to be relocated, screened or replaced.
- The works are completed.
- The consultant returns to retest the system.
- The unit still exceeds the criteria because the original issue wasn’t fully resolved.
- Further modifications are required.
Everyone ends up frustrated
- The owner is frustrated because the costs continue to increase.
- The installer is frustrated because they believed the installation was acceptable.
- The consultant is frustrated because they are often being asked to solve a problem that could have been avoided entirely during the original design or installation stage.
The economics rarely make sense
Residential air conditioner assessments are often expensive relative to the value of the original installation. As a general guide, homeowners should expect:
- Acoustic assessment costs to often exceed $1,000
- Rectification works to potentially involve relocating equipment
- Additional costs for acoustic barriers or enclosures
- Further testing once modifications have been completed
In some situations, the cost of resolving the problem can approach or exceed the original installation cost of the air conditioner itself.
This is one reason many acoustic consultants elect not to become involved in residential disputes.
Why do problems occur so often?
Most residential air conditioner noise issues are not caused by faulty equipment. They are caused by:
- Poor equipment location
- Insufficient separation distances
- Reflective surfaces
- Bedroom windows located nearby
- A lack of consideration of the local noise regulations during installation
The unfortunate reality is that many residential installations are designed around:
- Pipe lengths
- Installation convenience
- Aesthetics
- Available wall space
rather than acoustic performance.
The best time to involve an acoustic consultant
The best time to involve an acoustic consultant is almost always before the unit is installed.
As a simple rule of thumb: if your side boundary is within approximately 2 metres of the proposed outdoor unit, and your neighbour’s house is less than approximately 3 metres from the fence — particularly if there is a bedroom window nearby — it is worth reconsidering the location or obtaining advice before installation proceeds.
Small changes during the planning stage can often prevent major problems later.
Prevention is almost always cheaper than remediation
Once an air conditioner has been installed, the available solutions become more limited and significantly more expensive.
By contrast, moving a unit by a few metres during the design stage often costs little or nothing.
This is why most experienced acoustic consultants strongly prefer to become involved during planning rather than after complaints have already begun.
In acoustics, as with many things, prevention is usually far cheaper than the cure.
Related reading
Try the calculator
See how separation distance affects the level at a neighbouring boundary.
Planning a mechanical installation?
Our Mechanical Services Noise team advises on equipment selection and placement before installation.
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Planning a new outdoor unit?
Get advice before installation, when moving equipment a few metres is nearly free. Send us the site plan and we’ll come back with a proposal, usually within two business days.