Business Air/Heat system shaking 2nd level floor

[rzimmerman30]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but I'm hoping it is! Okay, I have a question I'm hoping someone could help answer! I recently moved into an apartment on the second floor above a business. About a week after moving in, I noticed my floor would shake! My landlord at first said they had no idea what i was talking about, and after a while learned that it was the air conditoning/heating system in the business below me and that they won't do anything about it! Right now, in Wisconsin, it gets close to 3 degrees at night. The system is running for 6 minutes, off 9 minutes, 6 minutes, off 9 at night. The shaking is pretty rough - there is a lot of rattling noises form things on the wall, pictures fall off the wall, it is incredibly uncomfratable and actually hurts if I sit on my couch for a long period of time while it is shaking! So, my question is this: When this was installed, did they know that it would shake the apartment above the way it does? Is there any way to reduce the vibration? I've read a bit about dampers and vibration isolators, but can't find any easy to understand articles or indepth articles about it. When these types of systems are installed, are there usually tolerances as to how much vibration is acceptable? And is there any type of equipment available at the consumer level I can purchase to measure how strong the vibrations are? I'm at my wits end right now, I can barely focus, I'm having chest pain, and my lease isn't up for a while! I wonder if this is even legal for the landlord to do. Sorry for the long post, and if you've taken the time to read it all I thank you so much!

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Tiger93rsl]

Something is out of balance in the blower wheel more than likely that is causeing the vibration. It didn't vibrate like that when it was installed. If the unit is vibrateing as bad as you discribe it will take out a bearing then you will have some peace. Good luck.

[local553]

good luck to the hvac company that works on it. sounds like some nice cash

[rzimmerman30]

It's funny you mention that, as I pray nightly that the whole thing will wind up breaking and I will never have to experience my whole apartment shaking anymore. And I have a feeling my landlord realizes how much it is going to cost to fix it, and is why they are being so uncooperative, down right unwilling, to fix it! It's such a shame, since the apartment itself is incredible. If only I could enjoy it =( I had about two months of little to no shaking in the fall and I absoultey love the apartment. The landlord claims that no one has ever complained about shaking in this apartment, and no one else in the apartment complex has complained at all currently. Could it be possible my apartment is the only apartment that gets the vibration? The apartments are pretty large, and I can feel the shaking in the hallway about 4 feet past my door. But then it stops if I go farther down. Or could it be possible other tenants DO feel it and just don't care!? I find that next to impossible to believe.

I also want to thank you for the replies, I greatly appreciate it!

[tinner73]

can you post a video? maybe a glass of h2o where it shakes the most.
tell the LL..the rent will get paid when the shaking stops.

[jackintheboxtec]

If it is shaking that bad then it is most likely the blower wheel is out of balance or a bearing going bad or both. His decision of waiting to fix it might end up costing him more in the end.

Sounds like a slum lord!!

[supertek65]

most likely just a plastic bag or a rag stuck in the blower wheel!

I have found lingerie in the blower wheel!!!!!! wooh hooh!