Reducing heat pump vibrations through flat roof
In the most recent YouTube video 'Heat Pump Noise Nightmares?', near the start Patrick Wheeler from VitoEnergy talks about flat rooves 'drumming' due to heat pumps - I have an issue along these lines. The heat pump is wall mounted above the flat roof, and the pipes from the heat pump pass through the flat roof to the hot water tank and other pipes in the garage below. Whenever the heat pump works hard, the outbound pipe from the external unit vibrates, and this vibration carries through to the point where the pipe goes through the roof, and causes (I think) the roof to vibrate. This vibration then passes into the brick external house wall at the side of the house, and then through the property.
The end result is that while there's no noise outside, in the house when the hot water is being heated, or the heat pump is running hard (including defrost mode), there's a droning noise. It's most obvious in the bedroom the other side of the wall from the heat pump, but you can hear it also in any room that shares that wall (either ground or first floor), as well as across the front of the house. It's no problem in the daytime, but at night-time it's loud enough to hear clearly from three of the bedrooms, and it causes disturbance for everyone who uses the guest bedroom (which is the one adjacent to the heat pump).
There is some flexible piping coming off the heat pump before switching to fixed pipes, but not enough to dampen the vibrations completely. It's definitely the pipe that's vibrating, and not the bracket for the heat pump. The installer has come out once to try to fix it with no luck - I'm planning to ask him to look again when the annual service is due in February. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to address this issue?
Have wall mounted unit myself which i can hear all around the house when running hard. Herself mentioned it this morning when i came home from work, she didn't know what it was as normally deep sleeper and has zero interest in heat pumps surprisingly. I always hear it however.
My solution early next year is to build up small ledge to unit and unscrew wall bracket from wall and get anti vibration feet for unit and fix it all to my small concrete ledge.
Hi Sten,
It sounds like there is insufficient clipping and/or insulation on the primary pipework. If it properly secured and lagged to avoid pipes touching and knocking then the only sound inside should be water moving through the system. Although this can be audible, the sound you describe exhibits as a mechanical installation issue.
I hope that helps, your installer should be rectifying as part of their workmanship guarantee.
Patrick
@patrickvito Hi Patrick, thanks so much for taking the time to reply and for your advice. When my installer came back originally (in May) he added another clip, but I'll push him to come back again and take another look. I think that's got to be the required measure, the pipes are definitely thoroughly and comprehensively insulated!
- 26 Forums
- 2,112 Topics
- 46.4 K Posts
- 51 Online
- 3,408 Members
Latest Posts
-
RE: Wood burner with ASHP - direct air?
Hi Topher, Thanks for the tag Mars. I am.indeed o...
By Sune , 49 minutes ago
-
RE: No-code, plug-and-play monitoring for your heat pump
I think I have found “The One!” Waveshare ESP32-S3-POE-...
By Grantmethestrength , 14 hours ago
-
RE: Buffers, hot water and cooling
@prunus, @jamespa is correct, but removing the buffer ...
By Brendon Uys , 19 hours ago
-
@downfield and @toddles, this isn’t in the settings cur...
By Mars , 2 days ago
-
RE: Homely launched for Grant Aerona ASHP control
I haven't bought the Aerona Smart Controller (£700!) bu...
By Prunus , 2 days ago
-
RE: Antifreeze top up for my heat pump - is this a rip off?
For the record, Grant supply ethylene glycol for their ...
By Prunus , 2 days ago
-
RE: Compressor attempts start but fails - Nibe Fighter 2005 8kW
@skyefarmer amazing. Well done!
By Mars , 2 days ago
-
RE: Say hello and introduce yourself
Hi @topher - you might be interested to see this very r...
By Transparent , 3 days ago
-
RE: Air source heat pump roll call – what heat pump brand and model do you have?
Ebac 5kw - Monobloc R32. Developed and made in UK - Mit...
By marcinwloch69@gmail.com , 4 days ago
-
RE: Is a Valliant Inline 6kW heater a BUS buster?
Just another thought - it might be worth thinking about...
By JamesPa , 4 days ago
-
RE: BUS Grant: removal of all other fossil fuel heat sources
@rikiarn - just have a think as to how much it will cos...
By Transparent , 5 days ago
-
Don't do much digging around.That's best left to the pr...
By Transparent , 5 days ago
-
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had an idea of how th...
By Wh0am3ye , 5 days ago
-
RE: EBAC re-entering the ASHP market in 2023
@toodles confirm i have Ebac 5kw ASAP + homely and it w...
By marcinwloch69@gmail.com , 5 days ago
-
RE: Compute heat loss from energy used
@jamespa Ebac must be similar to Mitsubishi as they buy...
By marcinwloch69@gmail.com , 5 days ago
-
@pie_eater I have been thinking of adding cooling to my...
By TechnoGeek , 7 days ago
-
RE: Victorian Semi Retrofit / Extension ASHP and UFH Advice
Agree, but you may have a hard time convincing them, as...
By JamesPa , 1 week ago
-
RE: Seal the Deal: Don't Let Your Heat Pump Leak Energy
Hi - fyi - there's a dead image link in the 'Optimal In...
By seatonian , 1 week ago
-
RE: Ripped Off: How UK Homeowners Are Paying Gas Prices for Wind Energy
@chandykris Horses and beggars…. 😉 Toodles.
By Toodles , 1 week ago
-
RE: Cleaning up after gas meter removed
@agentgeorge Likewise in the loft space; we have 300mm ...
By Toodles , 1 week ago