The Editor,
Re. "Cities deal with concerns over heat pump noise" (The Tri-City News, March 2).
This is fast becoming an issue that must be dealt with properly in all municipalities.
Having installed a heat pump in my home in the late 1980s, I know something about the noise concerns. It would seem Mr. Lim did not do his homework in consideration of this issue.
First, to make the comparison that we all have to put up with more noise, such as trains, traffic, etc., is not an apples-to-apples comparison. A heat pump, by its design, is meant to run for long periods of time transferring low levels of heat from outdoors to inside a house. On colder days, it can run almost non-stop. While not particularly loud, these machines emit a constant drone from the compressor unit and fan.
It's that constant, low-level noise that is annoying. If you happen to have a bedroom next to one, it can be quite disturbing. In addition to all this is the fact a heat pump doubles as air conditioning in the summer, so the coming of warm weather provides no relief to neighbours. In fact, it may be worse, as the neighbour now has his bedroom window open, so the noise level is even more intense.
Placement of a heat pump's outdoor unit must be properly engineered. In locations where neighbouring houses are close by, they may need to be boxed in with sound-absorbing materials.
The manufacturers of these machines also need to make changes and that will happen if the appropriate pressure is applied. In the meantime, before you install a heat pump or air conditioning unit in your house, make sure that outdoor unit is placed in the proper spot to avoid these kinds of situations.
Andy Cassidy, Coquitlam
