Larger air conditioning units installed outside on the ground can be noisy, and it’s usually the neighbours who hear it most. In this job, Quash built a custom external enclosure to keep that noise from reaching next door.
The problem
Outdoor air conditioners, pool pumps and other plant often run day and night, and the noise carries straight over the fence. Neighbours complain, and it can escalate to a complaint to the council.
Air conditioners are some of the hardest things to soundproof. As Nigel puts it, an air conditioner is like a living, breathing machine: it draws in fresh, cooler air and pushes out hot air. Box it in the wrong way and it overheats or loses efficiency.
What we did
Every enclosure job follows the same steps:
- Site visit: we look at the unit, where the noise is going and where the neighbours are.
- Design around airflow: we check the clearances the unit needs and plan how it will breathe in and exhaust.
- Custom barriers: we custom-make acoustic barriers with absorptive lining to suit the unit, blocking the line of sound towards the neighbours while keeping the air moving.
- Build and install: our own team fabricates and fits it, with access left for servicing.
The result
The unit keeps running as designed, it can still be serviced, and the noise reaching the neighbouring property is reduced.
Tip from Nigel: don’t just build a box around a noisy unit. If it can’t breathe, it will cost you more in repairs than the enclosure did. Get the airflow right first.
Related: Air conditioner noise
