Does anyone here have experience with pool/hot tub pumps? (/damn my neighbors)

[ManBearPig]

So we had new neighbors move in a couple years ago, and shortly thereafter I started noticing a weird hum (wave like; it's loud then quiet and then loud, etc) throughout our house, and in my room, what sounds like a truck idling. ALL. FUCKING. DAY (and night). As you can imagine, this is annoying as hell.

Well, I couldn't find anything in our house that is making this noise. So I went looking for it outside and eventually found a motor/pump behind our neighbors fence, which is right behind my room. While our old neighbors had a pool, I never noticed this problem. And currently, our new neighbors pool is closed. So I'm assuming at some point they put in a hot tub or something that uses the pump. The pump runs non stop and is just driving me nuts. The hum disappeared for a few months but apparently came back, so I'm not really sure what's going on.

Anyway, what should I tell them and am I within my rights to do anything at all? At the very least, I'd like some reprieve at night so I can sleep peacefully. During the day isn't as important. It's annoying because it's not that loud outside; it just sounds like a small motor running. But the sound must be amplified by the concrete or dirt or bricks or something and carried inside.

Thanks all!

 

[Number1]

Demonstrate the issue to the neighbour, bring him into your house and make him listen. Go on from there.
There has to be something wrong with his setup.

 

[ManBearPig]

Demonstrate the issue to the neighbour, bring him into your house and make him listen. Go on from there.
There has to be something wrong with his setup.

The thing is, the other people who live here (I'm with my family, who are older) don't seem to notice it at all. Besides being old, they're on the other side of the house and think I'm crazy, lol. I guess my neighbors seemed nice the one or two times I've talked to them, but they largely keep to themselves. I might just write them a letter since I never actually know when they are home. I just don't know if I'm being fucking crazy/weird or I'm justified in asking them to shut it off at night.

 

[rommelrommel]

Maybe the pump is running dry?

 

[PottedMeat]

Maybe the pump is running dry?

hey that problem solves itself :awe:

 

[Murloc]

it's not very clear to me what we're talking about, and it's weird that it's running continously.

Ask them to put it on the other side of the garden?

 

[ManBearPig]

it's not very clear to me what we're talking about, and it's weird that it's running continously.

Ask them to put it on the other side of the garden?

Would a hot tub even have a separate pump many feet away from it? I highly doubt they'd move everything to the other side.

 

[Murloc]

Would a hot tub even have a separate pump many feet away from it? I highly doubt they'd move everything to the other side.

but if you can't even see the hot tub it means it's not just right there right?

meh you're better off talking to them about the issue.

 

[Newbian]

Fill their hot tub full of jello if they don't fix it.

 

[Markbnj]

I thought hot tub pumps were self-contained in the base of the unit? That sounds more like a pump for a pool filter, or maybe it's something else altogether. Anyway, all you can do is talk to them, and if your own family can't hear it and thinks you're nuts... you may have an uphill battle. Maybe try masking it with some music or something.

 

[DrPizza]

It could simply be that whatever the pump is sitting on naturally resonates at whatever frequency of vibration the pump has. Perhaps if some material were placed under the pump to lesson the vibration?

 

[ManBearPig]

It could simply be that whatever the pump is sitting on naturally resonates at whatever frequency of vibration the pump has. Perhaps if some material were placed under the pump to lesson the vibration?

The thing is, if the pump is always on, why do I only sometimes feel the vibration? I will definitely talk to them about it though, they seem like decent people.

 

[dud]

The thing is, if the pump is always on, why do I only sometimes feel the vibration? I will definitely talk to them about it though, they seem like decent people.

OP, I too "suffer" from the sensitivity to low-level vibrations. Example: During the winter I can tell (from inside my house) when my goofy neighbors heat pump freezes over during the winter. The sounds the poor pump makes are very distinct to me (my wife hears nothing). All I have to do is walk over to the idiot neighbor's house to find that his unit is a block of ice.

Priceless ....

 

[drebo]

Two words: raised foundation.

Sooo much better and more insulating than crap-ass concrete slabs.