A compressor blanket made of sound-dampening material can reduce compressor noise up to 65 percent. Available to fit popular brands, these easily-installed blankets simply wrap around the noisy single-stage compressor.
You can reduce noise from an air conditioner by installing a sound blanket or sound curtain, choosing the location of the unit carefully, surrounding it with a fence, and adding sound absorbing or sound blocking material to the enclosure.
Easy Steps for Making Your AC Quieter
Tighten any loose parts. Have your ductwork inspected for leaks or damage. Install sound blankets around your compressor or the entire outdoor unit. Consider installing a noise-reducing fence or shrubbery around your outdoor unit.
Use Sound Blankets and Barrier Walls
Products like those offered by Sound Fighter Systems are designed specifically for HVAC noise reduction. These barriers not only mitigate sounds from HVAC units but can also block external noise from highways, railways, and industrial activities.
Wrap the unit with sound damping materials
If you want to achieve a high level of soundproofing, it's a good idea to wrap the unit itself with sound damping materials. Many HVAC sound dampening materials are very easy to work with, and you most likely won't need to hire anyone to install it if you don't want to.
Silencers, also referred to as sound attenuators or sound traps, are used as part of the HVAC system to reduce the noise that would otherwise be transmitted to the nearest indoor or outdoor space.
The short answer is yes. The blankets are designed to insulate your compressor and prevent the loss of heat. This can also save you money on your energy bill. The blankets also provide a barrier between a hot compressor and any flammable materials that are nearby it.
Dust, dirt, and debris around the coil fins, air ducts, and outdoor condenser unit are common causes of noise. Loose or misaligned parts like the fan blades or belt, lack of lubricant, blockage in the drain pipe, copper lines, or vents, and a malfunctioning thermostat can also lead to a noisy air conditioner.
Mini-split or ductless air conditioning systems such as those by Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, and LG are among the quietest heating and cooling systems on the market, with an average noise level of 32 decibels.
Utilizing anti-vibration mounts or pads under the cooler can further reduce noise by absorbing vibrations before they can spread through the floor or furniture. Maintenance plays a vital role in keeping your air cooler running quietly.
Decibel levels and your HVAC system
In order to maintain a comfortable home environment and reduce energy consumption, it's important to ensure your HVAC system is running at an optimal noise level. Ideally any appliance or HVAC system should never create sound louder than 60 dB inside your home.
Lubricate a Noisy Fan Motor
If your blower unit has oil ports, you can lubricate the fan motor to quiet humming or grinding noises – just put a couple of drops of an “SAE 10” oil to each port. To keep it well lubricated, add more oil at the start of each cooling season.
The ductwork could be undersized or not installed properly. But it could also be as simple as a blocked air filter. Maybe someone closed off too many vents. Yes this could cause the problem as well.
Fencing: Try putting a fence in front of or around the air conditioner, this creates a barrier for the sound and traps the sound's movement. You can use plywood to fence the air conditioner, or buy an air conditioner fence.
– No, but the moving blankets dense layers of fabric can greatly reduce the amount of sound that is coming in or reduce the number of echoes inside the room. A general rule of thumb is the more blankets and the heavier the moving blankets the more sound that they will remove.
If your AC is making a lot of noise when you're trying to sleep, it can affect your ability to fall (and stay) asleep.
Wall Soundproofing
Flat acoustic foam is one material that can be used for soundproofing and is one of the best to use to muffle noise. You can also use wood or vinyl panels to keep the sound from the HVAC unit contained. It's usually the most cost-effective way to reduce noise.
An HVAC damper is a small valve or plate that regulates the airflow inside a building's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The damper works by opening or closing to varying degrees in order to control the flow of air through different rooms or zones within the structure.
Yes, your silencer is a suppressor and vice versa. There's no difference in the device itself, only in the name. Silencer is simply the original term while suppressor is the one that evolved over time to more accurately describe the function of the device in question.