DIYbanter - View Single Post

wrote:

Or how about moving your AC, if that is an option?

Unfortunately, not an option. There is no place else to put it, as the
other side of the house is very narrow and only consists of a sidewalk,
and the back of the house is taken up by a deck (it's also a steep
hill).

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

I would probably not get her an AC unit of her own, because I do think
she might just be the type to simply find something new to complain
about. We've already done a lot of improvements to her yard, gratis.
Not out of the kindness of our hearts, really, but because her yard was
an eyesore, the lack of grass was causing runoff problems for us, and
we feared the trees growing into her foundation had potential to cause
termite problems for us. She is elderly, on restricted income, and
cannot get about to do these kind of things herself.

We also take on shoveling her walk in the winter, since she threw out
her hip; we worry she's going to trip if someone doesn't. She's been a
good neighbor, very appreciative of all we do, so I don't take her
complaints about the AC lightly, and yet, she is kinda the grumbly type
who needs to have something to complain about (perhaps a way for her to
socialize?).

I may consider replacing it to something quieter when money allows (not
this year, as we're putting on a new roof). I can see benefits for us
to do that regardless of the noise issue anyway. But that just solves
my AC unit and not the second unit, which I don't own.

Bushes are also another great idea and definetly doable.

One last question: I'm starting to wonder if maybe the unit simply
needs servicing? Perhaps that's why it wasn't an issue the last two
summers? Maybe it really wasn't as noisy before, but something is out
of whack with it now? Something to look into, at any rate.

When I walk around my neighborhood, I hear a lot of really old window
units that make a lot of racket too, at least as much as our units. I
always assumed AC units were generally noisy. It's good to know that
this doesn't have to be the case, and that there are quieter versions
out there that we could investigate.

jen