Noise from ventilation – advise please

I live in an attic flat.  there is a gastro pub beneath me and the ventilation / extractor from the kitchen runs over my bedroom roof.  Last night it was really noisy.  When first turned on it sounded like a helicopter but did settle down once it had been running a while.  I have heard it before but not as loud.

Is it possible there is a fault with it causing it to be more noisy?  Bearings?  Mountings on the duct?  Or maybe they have recently installed more powerful fans?

Given that they have a business to run and the duct has been in place decades how much fuss is it reasonable to make?  Its not very loud but enough to make it hard to get to sleep

There’s a noise team in Edinburgh that I contacted when living in Leith about night time noise. They took it seriously

I kept a diary of noise events, that was deemed very useful.

Yep, contact local council, they’ll ask you to diarise it and possibly give you a decibel meter.

It may  just need cleaning as subtle changes in airflow can have a big impact on noise.

Is that not a bit “taking the nuclear action”  Once it had settled down it was not that loud.

I will speak to them first for sure

Indeed, speak first obv. Council if no improvement in reasonable time frame. Sleep deprivation is used as torture so it needs addressing ASAP.

If you don’t want to go nuclear then point the problem out to them.

Modern commercial kitchen systems interlock with the gas supply, no functioning ventilation>no gas supply. A seized bearing will probably trip the circuit leaving them without a kitchen, potentially for days. There’s a benefit to their business of a functioning system, assuming it works like that

Gas Interlock Systems are a compulsory requirement for the majority of commercial kitchens, they are designed to shut off the gas supply to the kitchen in the event of a fan failure. They are also used to ensure that the air flow rates achieved by commercial kitchen extract systems meet the minimum standards as set out by DW/172, the specification of kitchen ventilation systems. https://www.kcm-catering-equipment.co.uk/acatalog/Gas-Interlock-Systems.html

Interesting.  I wonder if its been upgraded then – there has been a commercial kitchen here for decades but this is a relatively new business in the premises and has had various planning issues ( and is failing I think- or is a rich kids plaything)

Are there things that can be done to reduce the noise?

There are a number of technical solutions, which if not already applied, could improve the situation.

Also they may not be aware of the issue so as mentioned, start with the kitchen management/owners and escalate to building freeholder/management (assuming there is one) and finally Environmental Health/Noise team if this gains no traction.

I would expect an amicable solution will be achieved significantly faster than securing enforcement from the local authority.

Ta

i don’t want to fall out with them nor create big troubles for the business but last nights noise was too much to tolerate long term

A seized bearing will probably trip the circuit leaving them without a kitchen, potentially for days.

I was involved in refurbishing a pub and they’d bypassed their interlock system because a neighbour kept complaining about the noisy extractor fan (which was indeed absolutely horrendous)…

But this has existed a while? You’ll need to ask them what’s changed

Earplugs?

You’ve got to talk to them in the first instance, they’re probably oblivious to the issue. If the first thing they know of it is threats from the council, that’s not going to do wonders for neighbour relations.

TJAgain later this evening:

But this has existed a while? You’ll need to ask them what’s changed

there has been a hum / rumble that was right on the edge of hearing.  last night it sounded like a helicopter tho did reduce after half an hour but still louder than it used to be.  so yes – something has changed

In my experience the nuclear option is when the rozzers come knocking and threaten to remove everything in the house that makes a noise. And according to them, that included the food mixer!

Needless to say they never had to come back

Incidentally it might not be just you who is being disturbed, neighbours might be hearing it and blaming the hippy who lives on the top floor. Maybe worth a chat with them. We found out that all our neighbors were being disturbed too but were too afraid to get involved. When the cops turned up they were all out on the street cheering and thanking

In my experience

I would like to hear more about this experience.

Due to the layout of the building it will only be me.

Have you reached out to your union ? 🙂

Could be vampires

Have you reached out to your union

Important to touch base with the business first

As a poor unfortunate soul, who has to repair this type of equipment.

From what you are describing the bearings on the fan are failing (Noisy on startup, then quieting down slightly)

The problem will undoubtably sort itself, when the bearings go completely, or the overheat protection trips in the fan motor.

From personal experience, the kitchen management wont do anything until it catastrophicaly fails and all the gas goes off , it will then be a “Desperate job”…Gits

Ta bigalid

I did think it could be a failing bearing

Talk to them.

Keep a diary.

Install this app.

Sound Analyzer Pro/Free (nobapp)

We had a problem with low frequency at a local factory. Got sorted with the help of this app. Even they started using it and also matched the councils fancy equipment.

Or Basic

These people were very helpful ..

https://invc.com/

If anyone is interested it was the ventilation from the kitchen downstairs, its now been repaired.  Thanks for the advice particularly bigalid who confirmed for me that my thoughts were probably correct.
Last night it was just on the edge of being audible which I think is acceptable

Nice one !  Did you get a free dinner ?

Im too old and unhip to be allowed in 😉