Might help, might not.
Might restrict air flow enough to cause freeze ups.
Caslon, if you knew all of this before you posted how does a db meter help solve the problem?
Might help, might not.
Might restrict air flow enough to cause freeze ups.
[QUOTE=caslon;1936474] Don't any of you lug heads ever troubleshoot noise?
QUOTE]
Thats a great way to address folks who are helping you for FREE...
How tall are you Private???!!!!
My point, that completely allude caslon, is that with a decibel meter I can usually prove positive that there is no problem with the sound level of an HVAC system even though there is clearly a problem that just does not equate to the decibel level. I have no further need to continue attempting to aid a person who is so arrogant and disrespectful of others. I do however wish caslon good luck with his problem. With such a defeatist attitude, luck is surely going to be needed.
We have customers that must be related to bats for hearing noises to complain about. So for us a db meter really won't help because they only here the noise when he's in bed alone and she is in the bathroom over the bidet.
As for as what tools the install manger shows up with; as a home owner I won't care if he used a Ougi board and a Voo Doo doll as long as the problem is corrected.
Okay, we get it.
You're disgusted with the short duct run to your living room. You're upset about noise. You're weary of your living room being a wind tunnel. You think the solution is to make a longer run of flex duct for the same supply register act as a sound attenuator.
We get it.
But...that's not the answer. If your HVAC guy is balking at selling you the correct solution, the one beenthere continues offering, find someone else. On average, residential techs/owners operate primarily by "hands-on" knowledge and training, which in itself is not bad. BUT...relied upon too heavily, situations like yours can throw the hands-on guy for a spin, whereas the guy that has a good balance between hands-on and theory will likely arrive at the correct solution. From that point it then becomes a matter of convincing the customer to pay for it. Then the tech has to switch gears and become a salesman.
Tsk...and everyone thinks HVAC work is easy.
Ya, but for customer sakes, at least you can show a meter at one said location
register area and then go to another register area and note the difference.
(at least with me in a small one floor condo with the back bedroom the same floor plan as the front living room).
My back bedroom has a longer trunk line to its register (lol..not far).
I suppose a nod is as good as a wink.
Still, I wish I owned a good decible meter.
A good one costs in the hundreds.
and the reason I do this part time after my full time job is for people like caslon - seems can't make you happy so I leave now- don't need your $$ or attitude
I bet Twilly would grab your head and push your ear up against one register, then another and ask you why the heck he needs a meter.
No offense, just an observation...once you latch onto an idea, you don't like to let go of it easily, do you?
A decibel meter isn't the answer. Someone that has a high understanding of duct design, installation, and air balancing is the answer. Find someone in your area who's familiar with National Comfort Institute, which specializes in air balance training for contractors. Chances are they can give you good advice, perhaps better than what you've received here, since they can come to your condo and size up the situation first hand.
Oh...and if you get a guy who understands what "noise criteria" means, your chances of someone knowledeable being on hand just went up.
This IS my little project, and I probably got taken away with it.
About sound meters and HVAC pros, you're also right. I was thinking
of an audiophile who posted his experience trying to quiet his theatre system.
He used a decible reader for before and after results. I bet they cost.
Wow.....
That is about all I got to say.
The painting contractor that knows everything about pyschometrics. Now I've seen it all.
Dude, all I got to say is give the man a chance. I don't roll up in a home with meter in hand either. I walk in with no tools and a flashlight. Thats it. And take it from there.
As far as the meter. I can't afford a DB meter let alone a 20,000 home theater. You bite the hand. Then wonder why the other hand smacks the hell out of you.
But whatever. Thats neither here nor there. Yall have fun with this one.
I fully support the military and the War on Terrorism.
If you don't know, then don't do. If you don't know and still do, then be prepared to pay someone else a lot to undo what you did and then do it right.
If you do know, then do. But do it right. Otherwise, you may not be doing it long.
You called him dude.... Sweet.... I Like it.....
Dude, you trying to get this one to 15 pages, aren't you.
16! Here we come!!
When a static test needs to be done...it's probably best left up to others who are paid more than you.
I too walk onto a job with a flash light and open mind. Ask alot of questions and find out which action I should take to move further with the diagnostic.
Then I break out the tools.
Maybe you should have an open mind.
I walk in and see $20k in audio equipment and say dude, turn up the system and you won't hear the furnace JK by the way, but I wouldn't waste hundreds on a decibel meter, those are for cops trying to bust me for drag pipes on the bike
You can't fix stupid
I wasn't tying to be cute or antagonistic with anyone here.
Can I ask? My short run of flex duct to my living room register from the plenum is so darn short...just an elbow and 12" of flex duct to the register box.
You can practically hear the blower motor running and stick your arm down the plenum..lol.
Would this be a solution? Put an elbow on the plenum going the opposite direction, then "mosey" a 12' flex duct back to that register box.
Would that not tend to decrease the noise of the existing duct being in such close proximity from plenum to duct box?
I think I might just settle for that if you guys think it would help. My main concern is noise at that register box. I thought the rush of air was an issue too, but I may just drop that as a concern. Also...dealing with a one floor condo with small HVAC closet in the hall probably isn't the easiest thing to remedy with regards to noise. I may just live with it. It's not terrible.
I didn't mean to get so obsessed with it. Sorry.