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How air conditioning repairs help solve your noise restriction problems

  • air conditioning noise repairs

What do lawn mowers, rowdy parties and the neighbour’s neurotic dog have in common?

The answer: they’re all incredibly loud, annoying, and each one can ruin an otherwise restful night of sleep!

Luckily for us, this is exactly why noise restrictions exist. These restrictions restrict loud activities to more reasonable hours, allowing you to enjoy a more peaceful night.

However, in certain cases, these noise restrictions may also result in your air conditioning running afoul of the city council!

Certain air conditioners (older systems in particular) are LOUD. Some are so loud in fact, that you may receive a noise complaint and even be fined if the noise level goes above approved levels set by Brisbane City Council.

Luckily, this can be fixed – air conditioning repairs can help you keep the volume down (more on that later).

 

How loud can your air conditioner be?

For once, bureaucracy and red tape provide the answer!

According to Brisbane City Council, the maximum acceptable noise level for your air conditioning system depends on a range of factors.

For example, let’s start with the time of day:

  • 7am – 10pm: no louder than 5dB above background noise
  • 10pm – 7am: no louder than 3dB above background noise

For reference, a pin dropping normally sits at around 10 decibels – yes, they’re really that strict!

Excessive? You may think so. Something you should be concerned about? Definitely!

Now, before you start panicking about your air conditioner, it’s important to remember that these upper limits are also dependent on background noise.

If your area has higher levels of white noise than others, you won’t be punished for that.

For example, say you live near the Gateway Motorway, or near Brisbane airport.

In both cases, you’ll have to deal with a higher base level of background noise – you’ll (generally) have more slack with how loud your air conditioner can be.

How loud are modern air conditioning systems?

Air conditioning systems have made leaps and bounds in recent years. Today’s systems are almost unmatched in cooling power, energy-efficiency, and of course, in noise levels – good news!

How quiet are we talking? As quiet as 30-50dB, the equivalent of a refrigerator running, or a quiet conversation.

And some go even lower – for example, the indoor units of certain systems like Mitsubishi Electric’s “ultra quiet” range drop reduce the noise even further to a whisper-quiet 19dB.

That’s roughly the same volume as rustling leaves, with the outdoor unit not far behind.

Now, before you start panicking, it’s important to remember that noise levels are based on ordinary white noise (see above). Thankfully, most residential streets hover around that noise level anyway thanks to traffic, wind and birds.

As such, your air conditioning system probably won’t attract all that much extra attention, so you can breathe easy!

Modern living room and kitchen in small apartment

How can I make my air conditioner quieter?

There are very few ways to make an air conditioner quieter once it’s installed – short of replacing it altogether.

That said, if you’re planning air conditioning installation in Brisbane, there are a couple of ways to pick out a system that will keep you safe against noise complaints.

    • Read the label: most systems will have a sticker with its sound power (lW) on the unit
    • Distance: when condensers and outdoor units are installed further away, the effect on neighbours can be reduced
    • Choose the right system: generally-speaking, ducted systems are louder than split systems

 

 

How air conditioning repairs can make your system quieter

Air conditioners aren’t designed to be noisy – in fact, the opposite is true. In many cases however, a bad installation can result in your air conditioner making a lot more noise than it was meant to.

Certain air conditioning problems create unusual sounds:

  • Rattling
  • Humming
  • Squeaking
  • Hissing
  • Grinding

Luckily for you, regular maintenance and repairs can help you avoid these unwelcome noises.

During air conditioning repairs, your technician will identify problems and fix them, keeping your air conditioner at a comfortable volume (and protecting you against noise complaints!)

 

Need air conditioning repairs in Brisbane?

If so, you can’t go past Tri-Tech.

Our mobile tech team works with homeowners and businesses all over Brisbane.

We don’t just keep you comfortable by devising comprehensive home comfort solutions – we also look after your ears, helping you keep your air conditioning at a comfortable volume.

Combining 30 years of experience with unmatched training, we’re the team to call for air conditioning repairs in Brisbane. We’re official warranty agents for Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin and ActronAir, and have vast experience with many of Australia’s leading brands.

Give us a call today – ring (07) 3394 0222, or click here to ask us about the noises your air conditioner is making.

2022-01-22T02:07:47+00:00 22 April 2019|Repair, Service, Systems|