I feel your pain. We have an industrial plant that is over 2 miles as the crow flies from us- across the river in another state - that installed scrubbers on their plant a few months ago. Now we can hear the scrubbers, 24 hours a day, 2 miles away in another state. We have spoken to our local government and their county government and it appears nothing can be done. They are owned by a non US country. Their facebook page says they are working on it, but it's been a long three months of noise and vibration in our bedroom at night. We can hear it over the sound machine, and even with ear plugs you can feel the vibration of the low hum. I don't know how their nearby neighbors can stand it.

We are kind of in limbo - waiting to see if they indeed do something with the sound - and for spring and hoping the leaves will lessen the noise until something can be done. I am grateful they have installed scrubbers, noise pollution is better than air pollution I think.

All that to say - it's crazy when noises outside your control affect your home so negatively. I'm sorry you're dealing with it.

Fori, I guess I could have read his note that way, but I didn't. I was taken aback by his doubting that we could hear it, though, when I spoke with him. Why would I talk to him about it if I couldn't hear it?

He already put up a stockade fence. Since there's a lot of woods around, we won't notice it by the time it weathers in 2 years. There's no way I'd put up a block fence: that wouldn't please me on several levels, first of all, nor my immediate neighbor, and wouldn't matter to the pool owner because he wouldn't be able to see it.

Elsewhere someone had suggested to me that it could be the gas in the pipes. I'll look into it, will certainly include it in my questions at the building department on Monday.

Legomom, oh my, that is so much worse. I'm so sorry you are dealing with it. My family home's peace has been eroded over the last 80 years by the interstate going in, then expanded. Then the authorities put up a sound wall...on the other side of the highway to protect the homes on the other side (which were built AFTER the highway) so it also now bounces sound back. A berm was installed by another agency for yet another project, now the sound channels through a break in the berm. My parents were quite dismayed.

Of course I don't know what your neighborhood is like and you do need to be sensitive to the other neighbors, but I hope you don't feel any guilt in putting something facing the noisy neighbor's yard if you have to.

Hopefully they can fix it with some fine tuning of the equipment. And maybe once the stress of remodeling and moving in is passed, the new neighbors will be a little bit more neighborly.

Good luck!

(Does he have anything other than a stockade fence around the pool to keep kids from wandering in and drowning? A good safety cover also insulates a tad and might reduce the equipment running time slightly...)

Hmm, I noticed that the pool company is on Houzz...no activity, though. If they are as good as their profile says they are, they can do something about it.

I haven’t read all of the responses but I just wanted to ask if you’ve looked into your noise limit ordinances? Even a community like our small ruralish township has noise restrictions. Loud noises that go on for over 2 hours (and/or after 10) can be and often are cited when there are complaints. If it were me, I think I’d be heading down to the city offices to see what law might be on the books that can be of help. Just a thought.

ETA: I also forgot to say that if there isn’t an ordinance, then maybe you can talk to or petition for one through the city counsel.

Something occurred to me while I listened to a power washer at my neighbor's house. I hate to suggest it, but do you think the guy is the type that sees you as the little woman, to be dismissed without further thought? Would having your husband talk to him make any difference?

Sorry if you've already answered this, I skimmed the responses.

Aok, my husband could quite possibly make it worse lol.

But to your question, that's hard to say, but I don't think so. I hadn't thought of that, though. Since he addressed a couple of issues in his letter the other other day, perhaps I'm not the only one who said something about some aspect of the project along the way.

Now I'm wondering what will happen to the drainage of the properties on either side of him, and us for that matter.

We have had pools here in southern California (still do)....sorry to hear of your situation.....there are various brands of equipment and some are quieter than others.......though the quiet stuff seems to cost more......kind of like dishwashers - pay more, hear it less. I don't have a clear understanding of your layout but my experience is that the equipment sound will bounce off a hard surface pretty well (and back the opposite direction). Though we once had a neighbor's pool and spa near our backyard and our second story master bedroom windows and near the basic 6ft wood fence. We never heard them before this but when the college sister came home and was in the spa with still in high school sister at midnight spilling her guts and secrets of life and boys and sex at college, I had to go down stairs, across the yard and tell them through the fence that we could hear every word.....they were speaking quietly and it bounce up and was like they were in our room......only happened once:) Good luck.

Update: first, thanks everyone for your information, it really helped me approach the building department. The fellow visited the home, and tells me the homeowner will call his pool company to check out the spa heater, and will also have his contractors figure out a temporary enclosure this week until the project can be completed in the spring.

Hopeful, though not 100% confident, that the noise will diminish enough, but we shall see.

The building department was very helpful, the homeowner seems to be responsive, and it's all been pretty civil (except for DH's swearing in the middle of the night as he gives up and goes into his office on the other side of the house to work).

Wish us luck!

That's good!

Might as well set up a semi-permanent sleeping area for DH (and you if he likes company) if it will go on until spring.

Good luck!

Thanks for reporting back - that is good news and I'm glad the township got involved. Hopefully that will help resolve the noise problems.

I hope the temporary solution gives you some relief and that the more permanent structure (or whatever it will be) is effective. Stay on the building department. I was not above bringing in home baked cookies to them as a thank you when we were in the thick of it with our neighbor.

My .02 is that trees don't block noise although rustling ones can have a white noise blocking affect. Something like quaking aspen ot cottonwood. Out of luck in winter though although white pine maybe if wind is blowing.

To block noise you need concrete block wall or earthen berm. Both pricey.

Bamboo is also nice for rustling sounds--species like Fargesia are not runners and should be evergreen down to zone 5.

In the meantime, DH can be grumpy until things are fixed up. :P

Things tend not to rustle at night around here, the wind dies down. That's the thing, all the masking sounds--cars, furnace, breeze--die down at night (though we can hear it anyway in the day), making this more piercing. And no, the sound machine did not work.

Grumpy is not an option.

FYI: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/noise-reduction-plants.htm

https://www.thespruce.com/what-makes-a-good-noise-barrier-fence-2130907

I'm so sorry things are getting tense...when do you think this whole thing will be finished??

I agree that it sucks that you have to do things to your own yard when someone else is causing the issue--but I think that's usually how it is.

I don't remember if you said that there's an existing fence?

I understand that you didn't like your sound machine. I haven't had one that make the "rain" or "thunder" sounds. I don't think we would like them either. We used a box fan like this for years in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. (Husband worked third shift.)

We found the Sound Machine by Marpac and love it. So much so, that we have three at home and two in the camper. They make a sound like a fan (in fact, they do blow a very small amount of air). You adjust at the top and side and there is a two speed high and low. Neither of us can sleep without one. I also use during the day to block out traffic, dogs barking, the neighbor's air conditioner, the garbage truck, and my husband's tv shows!

https://www.amazon.com/Marpac-Classic-White-Noise-Machine/dp/B00HD0ELFK/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1547596427&sr=8-5&keywords=sound%2Bmachine&th=1

I think the Marpac white noise machine is great - thumbs up and worth a try!

How about a white noise machine that sounds like a barking dog pointed at their bedroom?

Oops the bad neighbor in me is coming out...

If I were an inventor, I would make a device that captures a neighbor’s intrusive noise and turns it back on them, at increased volume.

I have used the Marpac Sound Machine for years and love it. I even travel with it whenever feasible.

Fori and Bunny, that kind of mirroring is how DH likes to deal with things like that lol.

DH is out of town this week so I've been experimenting with our tower fan and sound machine. The fan worked a bit better, maybe because it's noise generated by vibration, not artificially-created electronic imitation noise. I used the "Yosemite Falls" instead of white noise: it's lower-pitched and richer, wasn't too bad, but it just seemed odd.

I will look into the Marpac, thanks!

The thing is, it's all just layering noise on noise, where what we want is LESS.

Well, I heard a power saw going at 7:50 this morning so perhaps by the time DH gets home Sunday night he will have peace.

LOL Fori & Bunny! The neighbors behind us used to have very loud back yard parties until the wee hours of the morning. I always wished I could blast "Stars & Stripes Forever" into their yard at about 6:30 the next morning. :)

Donna

I've thought about having my trumpet-playing kid play "Taps" directed at the neighbors' late parties. It's extra-special because the dog likes to howl along with it.

"Reveille" at 6:30 AM though? Nope. I'm working with a teenager!

bpat, do you have a reasonable neighbor or is he/she the sort who will only do what the town says he has to do...

Well, Penny, I like to think all my neighbors are reasonable, but I know he's trying the temporary enclosure only because the city guy talked to him. And I don't know what that conversation was like, if the city guy said "you HAVE to do this", but when I talked to the afterwards he said he wished all "neighbor conflicts" (my words) were as civil as this one is (so far). But I think I will let the city guy be my go-to from now on, since the homeowner dismissed my concerns the first time.

I know you said you dont want a block wall enclosure, but I do think it is effective. Hopefully, that is what the city had in mind. I have a block wall enclosure around my pool equipment and it seems to work well. It is probably 5 feet tall. I'll take a pic of it and post it this weekend.

Hey, they can do a block enclosure, that's fine with me! But we don't want one around our yard. I think they are planning a masonry enclosure for the spa, to be done on the spring.

I hope he just sounded kind of like a jerk before because he was stressed and will turn out to be a good neighbor once he doesn't have a dozen projects going on.

(Your city guy's office might be due a muffin basket or something, though!)

An update. Right after the homeowner said he'd have his landscaper do a temporary surround, all hell broke loose weather wise. We got dumped with snow that weekend that hung around, then a polar plunge, then rain, a crazy warm-up that caused flooding, then snow, another polar plunge, more snow. So I was patient. But it's run out.

I called the city building inspector again a couple of weeks ago. He asked if the homeowner had put up the surround; I didn't know, all I know is we still can't sleep. He said he'd check, but never got back to me. I used the city website to email him but got no response.

I emailed my alderman. Not asking her to DO anything, just to give me direction. No reply.

I emailed her again 10 days later (today).

I visited the municipal offices again today. The building guy wasn't there but they have referred my issue to the Code Enforcer (now THERE's a title). He'll call the building inspector to get up to speed, and I'll call him in the morning.

One of the people at the municipal office asked if I'd called the police. We didn't because 1) the homeowner won't turn the heater off at 2am when it's -5 because it will freeze And 2) all he'll get is a citation and a fine, I think it's like $40, and he won't pay it because why should he pay a fine for something he has a permit for?

The police MIGHT get called the next time DH can't sleep at 2am and goes over to bang on their door, and the outcome will not be desirable to say the least.

The only reason he hasn't done so yet is that he's been traveling a lot during the week, and every weekend has had a rain or wind storm to drown out the whine of the heater.

I'm at my wit's end.

I would simply knock on their door and tell them the truth. Do it by yourself while DH is inside or gone, if you feel safe around these people.

Tell them DH is in a constant bad mood for lack of sleep and it's affecting everything. Ask if they're still going to do the surround.

If you trust them, invite them over so they can hear firsthand.

If they balk and still won't do it, call the cops for that noise law. :)

What a bad situation :( There may just really not be anything they can do about the problem because they can't turn off their heater and let their pool get ruined. But the whole thing just sucks -- for you, and maybe for them too if they want to be good neighbors but can't turn off the heater. I really hope you and they can find a suitable solution! Are the other neighbors having similar issues too?

Oakley, I already told the homeowner at the very beginning, and he blew me off. He literally told me there is nothing he is going to do about it and is surprised we can hear it. He doesn't believe me and he doesn't care. And while I can hear it all the time, it is most disturbing at night when all else is still. Naturally I'm not going to invite him over for a midnight nap. It will take the city to make it stop. And yes, I see you're right, I will call the police, if only to drive home the urgency.

I'm pissed on your behalf that your city representatives are demonstrating such apathy and ineffectiveness.

Do you know if your neighbors are bothered by the noise also? If they are, perhaps you can complain as a group. It is a very frustrating situation for you.

I'm surprised his bill hasn't prompted him to shut the damned thing down at night. No sense in keeping that running 24/7 if they are not using it! With bad weather you'd think they'd drain it till more amenable weather came around.

Is it going 24/7 or does it cycle? If it's cycling, I'd keep a record of it and then see if they can get the cycle set to come on during early evening, say 9pm-11 twice a day, something like that. I just can't see the machinery going 24 hrs a day and they not see a huge spike in their energy bills.

I also second checking with other neighbors. And just keep this up-maybe write them a letter so you can document that you've conveyed your concerns to them. If your town has an ordinance, that would give you a bit more bite for them to go after him with. Send the letter certified.

Right now, neetsie, the heater runs 24/7, as long as the temperature is below 40. No end in sight for that! I imagine that come summer, it will cycle. They can't drain it, because it will heave up out of the ground. Although now that the ground is already frozen, I suppose they could drain it?

Today's update from the building inspector is that, while he had originally suggested a sound-deadening solution, the homeowner's landscaper only put up some plywood. Yeah, no. That does not work. So tomorrow they are going to try the building inspector's idea: hay bales. Uh-huh. Well, he says it has worked for other similar cases, so we shall see.

DH will be home for only 2 nights of the next 9, so at least he gets to sleep in his hotels.

I honestly don't understand this...Our 3 ac compressors and our pool equipment are all along our master bedroom exterior wall (and our headboard is on that wall too). Almost all summer, the ac's are running. The pool equipment kicks on when the temp gets below 40, but that's not too often in the winter. However it is usually at night and it still doesn't wake us up.

I imagine that the problem for you has to do with placement of the houses and the equipment...the way the sound is travelling must have something to do with where the houses are...like a tunnel effect?

That doesn't really help you, but it might give you something to get more information on so that you can present it to the homeowner and the inspector...

Is your neighbor running the heater 24/7 to heat the pool or prevent freezing? Some years we have kept our hot tub heated during the winter, but the heater did not need to run continuously. The hot tub is located close to the river and in open space. Sound travels and is accentuated on the water, but neither my neighbors nor I can hear the equipment unless we are right next to it. I think your neighbor needs to look into the equipment , learn how to maintain the pool properly, and put up sound barriers. No matter the cause, if there are violations of sound and nuisance regulations, he needs to do something to be in compliance. I guess you need to keep on top of the town.

Time to fight fire with fire. First, go make friends at the police station and tell them you will be calling - ask if you can have an officer assigned to you. At 1 or 2 am tomorrow, call with a noise complaint. The police are required to check it out and will have to contact the homeowner. Do it again the next night. Skip a couple of nights and do it again - interrupt their sleep. The sense of entitlement is rampant - as you well know. LF has always been a bastion of propriety and manners but those days are over. Have you heard back from your alderman yet? Not responding is not acceptable. I don't know the hierarchy but I'd go up the chain immediately. It may not be your nature but you have to become the drop of water and keep at it - make them take action even if it's only because they are sick of you. BTDT and it's not easy, requires time commitment from you and meticulous documentation - hopefully you've been keeping track of contact dates and names up to now. The last resort is legal and of course is a financial outlay unless you have a friend who will take this on. The city will not be happy to be pulled into this legally. The more neighbors you can get signed on, the stronger your case. Even if you don't go a legal route, get out there and talk to more neighbors - they may well be as disturbed by this as you but in the name of neighborly peace (the old LF way) have not made a fuss but will happily join someone who is taking this on.

Your bedroom is on the second floor I'm assuming and if so, even hay bales will not do much to quiet the noise. Sadly, it just goes up and over. I really feel for you - this is a quality of life issues and you are paying dearly for that privilege and not getting what you pay for. BTW, my FIL tells me there is now a 'Leave' tax from the state if you choose to move out of state? Property transfer tax and now a 'Leave' tax? Oy!

DLM, I hadn't heard of the Leave tax, not surprised if there is one. If they also implement the car mileage tax, then they'll get you even as you head to the state line! You got outta here just in the nick of time.

DLM, I kicked it up. Did get in touch with my alderman (legit reason for not responding to me, long story) who suggested another contact, a department head whom I emailed and my alderman emailed that person as well. There's a council meeting Monday. Yay.

Here's a stinker: two city people, so far, that I have emailed THROUGH the city website "contact us" tool? In both cases, separate emails days apart, the email went to their spam folders. WTH?!?

In my city all pool and AC equipment must be enclosed for noise abatement. See if there's such a rule in your area. If not, I think DLM has the right idea.

In both cases, separate emails days apart, the email went to their spam folders

Why does that not surprise me - perfect excuse to delay or not get involved at all. Assuming LF is like HP, most of the city employees (bldg and zoning etc) do not live in the town and have to deal with residents who are truly a PITA and their issues are petty but they act as if their pants are on fire. I get it, they think we're a bunch of spoiled brats but you have a legitimate issue here and they will see that once they get all their lines of defense broken down.

Now go knock on some doors and get a few neighbors at that city council meeting on Monday.

Hi, i just stumbled onto this discussion. What was the outcome??? I tried to search but i am still figuring this website out. I’m totally invested in this 2 year old situation now and i feel like I’m hanging.

Oh, lookilu, the plot thickens. They strung holiday lights in the trees around the back yard, a hald dozen trees i think. They are permanent landscape-quality lights. For months they were on every night, most of the night. With no leaves on the trees, DH was even pissed-er. The lights bothered him more than me so I let him complain to the police and the city. It turns out that landscape lighting has to be turned off by 10 or 11. So at least DH is only bothered for a few hours, and the neighbor doesn’t run them every night anymore, and not on all of the strung trees, and in summer the leaves are thick enough to block them a good bit from our living room windows, and upstairs we draw the blinds at night so you have to look through the gap in the blinds to see the twinkle.

As far as the noise, well, life situations kept us from spending time quietly in the yard. And I’ve taken to running the tower fan at night.

Bpath, i feel your pain. I have a seat in the same boat. I have a lovely home and pretty yard and it’s ruined by my nicotine addicted, insomniac neighbor. He smokes outside on his back patio and I can hear him hacking his lungs out all. the. time. At least you have your DH on your side. Apparently my DH cant hear or smell so *I* am the one with a problem.

Good luck with your problem. i hope you find a solution that works for everyone and victory over the loud pool pump is yours.