How Can I Deal With Hum of Ceiling Fan From Downstairs
We just moved into a new place and one of the bedrooms is directly over a bedroom downstairs. That neighbor is super super nice and welcoming but she runs her ceiling fan all the time because her unit doesn't have great ventilation. I'e been to her apartment and the ceiling fan is silent for her. However, from the bedroom upstairs, it's a low hum that's just audible enough to be annoying and make us have trouble sleeping.
Her fan is not wobbling or old or anything that shows it needs to be replaced, and it is totally silent in her unit so I don't think the landlord would replace it anyway. And it really is just a *little* too audible for me, not too bad. It's probably the particular frequency (or something) of the vibrations.
So I'm NOT looking for advice on getting her to replace it! But how can I deal? White noise machines annoy me a little too but maybe that's better? Any ideas?'
THANK YOU!
Parent Replies
I know how annoying this can be! Wondering if you have a nice thick carpet in your bedroom? Maybe with a thick pad underneath. Good luck..
You say you just moved in. As a native New Yorker who didn't "hear" the constant, often quite loud street and neighbor sounds when I lived there, I would guess that within a week or two you will simply get used to and won't "hear" it either... Give your brain a chance to adjust, anyway. After a few weeks, if you are still bothered, consider earplugs. There are some very comfy ones on the market designed for airplanes and I bet they would work for your situation as well.
I use a noise maker to drown out noises at night. Yes the noise maker makes noise but it is “white noise” and the rhythm is regular. The best one is by marpac. I also recently got a blue air air purifier after the northern fires. It clears my air and gives a very pleasant hum.
Try ear plugs. I'm sensitive to sound when I'm trying to sleep too, and they make all the difference. Although it may take some time to get used to it, I don't even notice them now.
I own a duplex built in 1902 and insulation between the upper & lower units is non existent. To help the downstairs tenant with noise we put down a layer of cork over the hardwood floorson n the upstairs floors, followed by an extra thick carpet padding and good quality carpet.
In your situation you could do the same on a smaller scale, an "area rug" of cork underlayment, followed by nice thick carpet pad and then an area rug on top. That should definitely help. It did the trick in our units & that was covering actual noise. Hope that helps.
I bought a sound machine from Amazon that plays creek, rain, city, meadow, etc. I like it a lot, we live on a busy corner, but I might still use it if ever I get to a quiet place.