# Low level CONSTANT humming noise from dairy farm neighbour??



## LadyJane (8 Apr 2009)

Hi, I know there was another post recently about humming noise in a house. This is a different circumstance.

We moved to the country about 2 years ago. Our neigbour, about half a mile away has been building a dairy. About 2 weeks ago, I noticed that a constant humming sounds started. It is like a vibration, low level that I can hear day and night. Once you are outside, you don't notice it but inside, it is heard in every room in the house. We switched off the mains electricity to be sure it wasn't something in the house. 

Someone mentioned it might be the refrigeration units used by some dairy farms. Has anyone any experience with noise levels from a dairy farm? There are no wind farms nearby so I know it is not a windmill. Also I know dairy milking machines can cause noise in morning and evening. But this is constant and never stops and is really driving me and my husband a  bit mad. I mentioned it to our elderly neighbours but they were little help as they are both rather hard of hearing and hadn't noticed it. The sound is like being on an airplane.

BTW we have not done any DIY or anything that might effect the sound levels in our house.

Any advice or experience appreciated.


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## Angelsinead (8 Apr 2009)

Might he have a wind mill, or use some sort of pump?


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## GMD (8 Apr 2009)

He probably has a generator installed, you said it was a new dairy unit maybe he is not connected to esb yet or might use it as his exclusive source of electricty especially for milk coolers or  milking parlour


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## LadyJane (8 Apr 2009)

There is no windmill. I supposed a pump is possible, but would you expect a pump to run 24 hours a day without cessation? I work from home, so I know this humming is constant, with no break.


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## LadyJane (8 Apr 2009)

GMD said:


> He probably has a generator installed, you said it was a new dairy unit maybe he is not connected to esb yet or might use it as his exclusive source of electricty especially for milk coolers or  milking parlour


 
Is there anything that can be done (on his end) to reduce the noise from this generator? It is a new dairy, but the farm had been there for generations, and I know it is connected to ESB already. 

Might some noise pollution regulations come in to play here? I want to maintain good relationship with the neighbour but this is really affecting our quality of life and possibly our property value (ha!).


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## beldin (8 Apr 2009)

but you say you don't hear anything outside so how could it be noise. It is unlikely to be anything in the dairy , all there would be there is a refrigeration unit and that wouldn't run constantly. 
Also if it was that noisy it would affect the cows which would be a definite no no.
There is very little in a dairy that would be extremely noisy.

Do  you have anything running on your own septic tank or any other close neighbours.


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## ney001 (8 Apr 2009)

LadyJane said:


> Hi, I know there was another post recently about humming noise in a house. This is a different circumstance.
> 
> We moved to the country about 2 years ago. Our neigbour, about half a mile away has been building a dairy. About 2 weeks ago, I noticed that a constant humming sounds started. It is like a vibration, low level that I can hear day and night. Once you are outside, you don't notice it but inside, it is heard in every room in the house. We switched off the mains electricity to be sure it wasn't something in the house.
> 
> ...




Wouldn't be an electric fence would it??


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## dereko1969 (8 Apr 2009)

Could it be an electric fence? though as said above if you're only hearing it indoors that wouldn't make sense.


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## Caveat (8 Apr 2009)

If you only hear it inside and not outside I can't see how it would be coming from a farm half a mile away?! 

Have you ruled out *everything* in your own house?

Faulty phone cable? Stuck doorbell chime? (a classic BTW)


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## Maggs065 (8 Apr 2009)

I had a humming problem for weeks in my house - it turned out to be the doorbell (it wasn't working, which I was aware of, but someone had pressed it and it stayed pressed). Then the humming started.


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## LadyJane (8 Apr 2009)

Caveat said:


> If you only hear it inside and not outside I can't see how it would be coming from a farm half a mile away?!
> 
> Have you ruled out *everything* in your own house?
> 
> Faulty phone cable? Stuck doorbell chime? (a classic BTW)



Thanks for the tips. It can't be a doorbell as we don't have one, and no landline on the property. Also, the humming is present even when the mains electricity is off. I guess it could be an electric fence as there is one bordering our property. It is not uncommon for low level ambient noise from a source away from the house to be heard in the house. This is a problem with houses next to factories and airports. The outdoor noise covers the sound, but once indoors, the sound, which is traveling through the ground, is plainly audible.


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## Smashbox (8 Apr 2009)

Seems very strange. Perhaps it could be the electric fence, have you stood near the energy box for it?


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## LadyJane (8 Apr 2009)

No, I may have to try that. My husband just went for a listen outside and you CAN hear it outside, it is just more noticeable inside. Will check the electric fence tonight.


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## baldyman27 (8 Apr 2009)

If an electric fence is producing that much noise, stay WELL clear of it!!!


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## Hoagy (8 Apr 2009)

There is an agitator pump in the bulk storage tank in a milking parlour which runs constantly. It has a low level humming noise so your first thought may be the correct one.


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## LadyJane (8 Apr 2009)

Ok thanks Hoagy. I hope there might be some way of getting it muffled. Like I said, I don't want to cause agro for the farmer. Just need my quiet country home back...


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## LadyJane (8 Apr 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> If an electric fence is producing that much noise, stay WELL clear of it!!!



haha good advice


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## Smashbox (8 Apr 2009)

Just send the bald guy to check it..


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## johnnyg (9 Apr 2009)

are u sure its not coming from your mains box..melted cable or a transformer close to the house, i can't see how it can be a farmer a half a mile away


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## mick1960 (9 Apr 2009)

Sound generated can travel a great distance till they meet a solid object i.e. a house and be converted into an audible sound . This is also true of vibrations transmitted through the ground with both these scenarios the sounds can travel at an inaudible level till they are converted by an object to an audible level. In first instance trees can block the sound, in the latter damping of anything touching the ground.
In your case ask the farmer to turn off the equipment to hear if the sound stops (some one in parlour some one in house)  hope that helps


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## iscritto (10 Apr 2009)

Hi, I lived near a farm a few years back and had the same problem... drove me mad for a while trying to find out what it was. Then one day it stopped, guess what "dry season", I spoke to the farmer but nothing he could do really. The dairy is open and therefore the noise of the motor keeping the milk cool travels.


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## LadyJane (10 Apr 2009)

iscritto said:


> Hi, I lived near a farm a few years back and had the same problem... drove me mad for a while trying to find out what it was. Then one day it stopped, guess what "dry season", I spoke to the farmer but nothing he could do really. The dairy is open and therefore the noise of the motor keeping the milk cool travels.



Very interesting. I wonder why the sound stopped all of a sudden? That is all I want. 

And when you say there is nothing the farmer can do, surely there are noise level ordinances that can be enforced, and measures dairy farmers need to undertake to sound proof their operations. I come from a farming background so I appreciate, perhaps more than most, a farmers right to make a living, but I also am entitled (along with my family and children) a right to enjoy my property without being driven mad by this constant vibration. 

It might be hard to understand how awful it is unless you have experienced it on a ongoing basis, 24 hours a day, without break...


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## mick1960 (10 Apr 2009)

LadyJane said:


> Very interesting. I wonder why the sound stopped all of a sudden? That is all I want.



The sound stopped because the machinery was turned off.


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## LadyJane (10 Apr 2009)

Ok. That makes sense. I wish our farmer would do that. Somehow, I don't think that is a solution the farmer would agree to!  If it was just a couple of hours a day, I wouldn't mind so much.


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## mick1960 (10 Apr 2009)

In your case ask the farmer to turn off the equipment to hear if the sound stops (some one in parlour some one in house)  hope that helps[/quote]
Hi, I was suggesting for him to turn the machinery for a short period to make sure the noise was coming from there,
Then get the offending bit of machinery mounted on rubber feet to damp the vibrations, or /and put some sort of acoustic damping material in


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## iscritto (10 Apr 2009)

yep, it stopped because he stopped milking. It was great for a bit. To be fair I didn't push him because I was moving out. Maybe the farmer might be able/willing to sound proof the dairy. 
Just one final thought ... is their a ESB Pylon near by. This may also be a source of noise, not sure how far it would travel.


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## twenty8 (17 Apr 2009)

From what you are saying there is not much that you can do about the noise levels. If you can't hardly hear it from outside then surely there can't be a noise pollution issue. 

I would think that if you want the farmer to sound proof the dairy that you would have to pay for it yourself. You are living in the countryside where farmers farm and keeping Milk cool is part of that.


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## mick1960 (18 Apr 2009)

Twenty Eight Under Irish law, you are entitled to bring complaints about specific neighbourhood noise to the District Court.

Types of noise covered
Noise such as that coming from other homes, workshops or local businesses that is continuous, repeated, loud and occurring at such times and of such duration that it affects the quality of life of the person is covered in Irish law. 

The law in Ireland governing this area is (Section 108) of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 and the Environmental Protection Agency Act (Noise) Regulations 1994 (SI No. 179 of 1994). While the law does not specifically mention an exact level or standard of noise that is illegal, it is clear that if neighbourhood noise is affecting the quality of life of a citizen, then you have a right to complain. Your local authority has the power to investigate complaints about neighbourhood noise and also has specialist equipment that measures levels of sound.
The farmer would soon complain if Ladyjane built something on her property that disturbed his sleep or started a rock band and when asked to stop the noise said,What do you expect were a band? but you can pay to build us a sound proof room if sleep is so important to you.


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## LeoD (19 May 2009)

Has this been resolved? For what it's worth I don't think the sound can be coming from the milking parlour because the fans that cool the milk in the tank make little or no noise, plus they will be shut down completely whenever the milk is collected as the tank will be washed out and left empty for half a day until it is used again. The only humming sound that I've ever heard coming from a milking parlour is from the motors during milking time which would be for no more than two hours, two/three times a day...


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## galwaytt (19 May 2009)

mick1960 said:


> Twenty Eight Under Irish law, you are entitled to bring complaints about specific neighbourhood noise to the District Court.
> 
> Types of noise covered
> Noise such as that coming from other homes, workshops or local businesses that is continuous, repeated, loud and occurring at such times and of such duration that it affects the quality of life of the person is covered in Irish law.
> ...


 
Two problems I see with that viewpoint:
1..... is that the farmer was there first, 
2......and, if the likes of HSE etc are mandating chillers on the tanks of milk, etc, the then Food Safety will have to take precedent.
3.   with regard to the legal point, in the absence of sound level, there is nothing to enforce.  Furthermore, sound levels are only expressed in dba, and take no account of frequency (Hz), which could well be the issue for the OP.

Nobody has asked about the quality of OP's house, and whether it's a contributing factor.


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## Vanilla (19 May 2009)

I can't see the dairy causing this problem- I'm also from a farming background and have lived in my own house right next door to another dairy farm. As others have said when the actual milking is going on there would be a low level humming ( not unpleasant). This would normally be twice a day- early morning and around 5 or 6. For about 1 to 2 hours. Other than the normal machinery noises now and then, nothing else.

And btw as far as I am aware the 'dairy' or milking parlour can't be left open as there are strict hygiene regs that dictate closed doors during day and night.


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## mick1960 (19 May 2009)

galwaytt said:


> Two problems I see with that viewpoint:
> 1..... is that the farmer was there first,
> 2......and, if the likes of HSE etc are mandating chillers on the tanks of milk, etc, the then Food Safety will have to take precedent.
> 3.   with regard to the legal point, in the absence of sound level, there is nothing to enforce.  Furthermore, sound levels are only expressed in dba, and take no account of frequency (Hz), which could well be the issue for the OP.
> ...



1 2 and 3 are up to debate.
OP's house was quite and now there is a constant humming sound.


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## head noise (7 Sep 2011)

You are not alone i live in a rural village community with fields to my rear and abou 1/4 mile away from a dairy farm.

The low level hum is constant and it is causing sleepless nights and like you it cannot be heard from outside but in every room in my house.

I drove up to the farm turned my engine off and put down my windows there it was a faqirly loud humming noise as if from a pump of some sort a large sliding door was ajar and i could see the large milk vat this appears to be where the noise is coming from.

I have not been able to contact the farmer yet as he wasn't around but will post again if I find a remedy.


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## PetrolHead (26 Sep 2011)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hum


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## IVORMAP (4 Oct 2011)

as a dairy farmer i should point out the following,there is nothing on a dairy farm that hums constantly agitator in milk tank runs for 5mins every 30mins.electric fences click not hum,is there a esb transformer near your house? they can hum.have you checked your fridge,esb meter box,central heating pump,hope this helps


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## lowCO2design (4 Oct 2011)

head noise said:


> You are not alone i live in a rural village community with fields to my rear and abou 1/4 mile away from a dairy farm.
> 
> The low level hum is constant and it is causing sleepless nights and like you it cannot be heard from outside but in every room in my house.
> 
> ...


google the following 

'NOISE POLLUTION information on the environment eolas ar an gcomhshaol'
*Noise Regulations*



it may give you some options and explain what's expectable


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## onq (4 Oct 2011)

It wouldn't be anything to do with O/H power lines would it?


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## buyingabroad (7 Oct 2011)

Parents house had this constant humming years ago. Source was the aerial on the chimney vibrating.


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## scuby (7 Oct 2011)

IVORMAP said:


> as a dairy farmer i should point out the following,there is nothing on a dairy farm that hums constantly agitator in milk tank runs for 5mins every 30mins.electric fences click not hum,is there a esb transformer near your house? they can hum.have you checked your fridge,esb meter box,central heating pump,hope this helps



agree with above, my uncle's dairy farm had the same set up with the agitator, and there was an outside motor, but only on when milking. neighbours had power line running over garden and they did give a humming sound, can;t remember if it could be heard indoors though.
have had to move my fridge a few times, well rock it to stop humming, something inside was tipping off something else that was more or less vibrating


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## ClubMan (7 Oct 2011)

buyingabroad said:


> Parents house had this constant humming years ago. Source was the ariel on the chimney vibrating.


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