Building Air Leak Noise Diagnosis & Cure
How to Diagnose, & Cure Noise Problems in Building Interiors
- POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about diagnosing the source and finding the cure for noises or sounds in or around buildings and their systems
Building air leak noise troubleshooting:
Causes & cures: track down drafts, hisses, hums, or other noises or indications of air leaks in buildings. Our page top photo of a poorly-closed attic pull down stair indicates a source of both heat loss and wind or air movement in a building.
These articles discuss building noise control: how to inspect, diagnose & cure noise or sound problems in homes or commercial buildings. We also discuss methods of sound or noise control in buildings during construction or as a building retrofit.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Air Leaks: How to Track Down Air Bypass Leak or Air Leak Noises in buildings
AIR BYPASS LEAKS in buildings may in some instances produce not only drafts and high energy bills, but actual sound as air moves through building openings under windy conditions.
- Air leaks at windows or doors,
in high wind conditions, can produce a hissing or a howling sound.
See WINDOW & DOOR NOISES.
Also see WIND NOISES at BUILDINGS - BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION - are used to measure air leaks, equivalent leakage area (ELA), and air changes per hour (ACH) in a building
- Air leaks in ductwork
often make a roaring or hissing sound.
See LEAKY DUCT CONNECTIONS and also see VIBRATION DAMPENERS - STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS, how to diagnose stains on walls, floors, carpets, and how to determine the stain source - these articles can help track down air bypass leaks because moving air through soft materials (insulation, carpeting) or along surfaces (walls, ceilings) will often deposit dust or debris particles showing the locus of air leaks or movement.
- Also see WIND NOISES at BUILDINGS where we point out that wind can move building components (rattles, squeaks, roars, hisses) or increase leaks through building openings (hisses)
...
Continue reading at ANIMAL NOISES in BUILDINGS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
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Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
- [1] Connelly, Maureen, Hodgson, Murray, "Thermal and Acoustical Performance of Green Roofs", Sound Transmission Loss of Green roofs, [presentation, Session 1.5], Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, conference, awards, trade show, Baltimore MD, 30 April-2 may 2008. Web search 4/3/2011 original source: http://commons.bcit.ca/greenroof/publications/
2008_grhc_connelly_hodgson.pdf. These authors provide an excellent bibliography of references for sound transmission in buildings, including some of the references cited just below:- Sharp, BH 1973, Study of Techniques to Increase the Sound Insulation of Building Elements. U.S. Department of Commerce PB-222 829, Washington.
- Sharp, BH & Martin S 1996, "The Measurement of Aircraft Noise Reduction in Residences", Proceedings of Inter-Noise, Liverpool, 1996, pp. 2747-2752.
- Friberg, R 1973, "Transmission Loss and Absorption Factors for Corrugated Steel Roofs, Insulation on the Outside", Proceedings of Inter-Noise, Copenhagen, 1973, pp. 213-217.
- [2] Colbond, EnkaTech Note, "Acoustical Benefits of Roof Underlayments", Colbond Inc., PO Box 1057, Enka NC 28728, Tel: 800-365-7391, website: www.colbond-usa.com web search 4/3/2011, original source: http://products.construction.com/
swts_content_files/1329/E835617.pdf - [3] General Steel Corporation, "The Facts About the Acoustical Performance of Metal Building Insulation 2", Sound Transmission Class, General Steel Corporation, 10639 W. Bradford Road, Littleton, CO 80127, web search 4/3/11, original source: http://www.gensteel.com/insulation_facts-5a.htm
- [4] North American Insulation Manufacturers Association NAIMA, "Insulation Facts #58: The Facts About the Acoustical Performance of Metal Building Insulation", NAIMA, 44 Canal Plaza, Suite 310, Alexandria VA 22314, tel: 703-684-0084, website: http://www.naima.org/
- [5] Sarah Hager Johnston, Peregrine Information Consultants, Tel: 860-676-2228, Website: www.peregrineinfo.com Email: info@peregrineinfo.com
Research and writing for insurance, risk management, safety & health, business, and medical professionals. Quoting: Peregrine Information Consultants provides customized secondary research, technical information, and standards, news, current awareness services, writing, and editing to support U.S. clients in property/casualty insurance, risk management and loss control, occupational safety and health, consumer safety, business, retail, manufacturing, and other industries. - Thanks to audiologist Cheryl P. Harllee, licensed hearing specialist, for discussing noises and noise problems in preparation for this article. Ms. Harllee can be located at the Village Hearing Center, 249 U.S. Highway One, Tequesta FL 33469 561-744-0231
- [10] Fujitsu Room Air Conditioner, Wall Mounted Type, Heat & Cool Model (Reverse Cycle) [Heat pump units] Operating Manual, Models: ASU18RLXS ASU24RLXS ASU30RLX (indoor & outdoor units). Fujitsu General America, Inc., 353 Route 46 West, Fairfield, NJ 07004, Tel: (888) 888-3424, Tel-Service hotline: (866) 952-8324, Email: hvac@fujitsugeneral.com, Email service: servicehvac@fujitsugeneral.com , retrieved 8/30/12, original source: http://www.fujitsugeneral.com/PDF_06/OperationManual/%28OM%29ASU18-24RLX-30RLX.pdf [copy on file as FujitsuASU18-24RLX-30RLX.pdf]
- [11] Bauer, B., “Microphone Directivity”, Transactions of the IRE-PGA, July 1952, 10-20
- [12] Killion, M., et. al., “Real-World
Performance of an ITE Directional
Microphone”, The Hearing Journal, April
1998 - [13] Blauert, J.: Spatial hearing: the psychophysics of human sound localization; MIT Press; Cambridge, Massachusetts (1983)
- [14] "Localization of sound in rooms, the effect of visual fixation," [PDF] W.M.Hartmann, {Proceedings 11th ICA}, (Journal d'Acoustique) {3}, 139-142 (1983).
- [15] "Localization of a source of sound in a room," W.M. Hartmann, Proc. Audio Engr. Soc. Eighth International Conference, ed. S. Pizzi, pp 27-32, AES, New York (1990).
- [16] "Auditory Localization in rooms," W.M. Hartmann, Proc. Audio Engr. Soc. Twelfth International Conference, ed. S. Bech pp 34-39, AES, New York (1993). "Listening in a Room and the Precedence Effect," W.M. Hartmann, in
- [17] Binaural and Spatial Hearing} ed. R.H. Gilkey and T.B. Anderson, pp 191-210, L. Erlbaum Associates (1997).
- [18] "Localization of noise in a reverberant environment," [PDF] B. Rakerd and W.M. Hartmann, Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Hearing, Dourdon, France, 2003.
- [18] Medhi Batel et als., "Noise Source Location Techniques - Simple to Advanced Applications", Sound and Vibration, March 2003, retrieved 4/23/2013 original source www.sandv.com/downloads/0303bate.pdf [copy on file as Noise_Source_Location_Techs0303bate.pdf]
- Thanks to reader Sue Hazeldine, from the U.K. for discussing how she tracked down a whistling chimney noise to an antique hanging sign on the building exterior - 01/19/2010.
- Thanks to reader Michael Anderson, 8 May 2009, for discussing clicking sounds coming from air conditioning equipment.
- Thanks to reader Erna Ross who described loss of sleep due to a hissing noise at her home 06/15/2008.
- Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
- In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.
- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.
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